Since I was still alive and kicking, I had to cherish everything I had.
“It’s getting late. You should rest early. What do you want to eat tomorrow? I’ll make it for you. Since Summer doesn’t have school tomorrow, we can all get together.” Cameron couldn’t conceal the delight on her face.
I smiled faintly and replied, “I’m not a picky eater. Anything’s fine for me.” I was being honest. Although I wasn’t a big eater, I was never picky with my food. I basically ate everything that could be eaten.
She nodded. “Alright, then. I’ll make all my signature dishes!” After making sure I had everything I needed, she left so that I could rest earlier.
Feeling a little sleepy, I nodded in response.
She walked to the door, but before she could leave, she abruptly looked back at me with a serious expression as though a thought struck her. “Did you and Ashton quarrel?”
Her question was like a bolt from the blue and I froze for a second before smiling. “No. I just missed Summer too much, so I called Emery as soon as I got off the plane and haven’t had the chance to tell Ashton about my return.”
At a time like this, Ashton would usually accompany me, but since I came here alone, it would inevitably evoke their suspicion.
She nodded subtly in response to my explanation but didn’t ask anything else.
After a busy day, I was tired down to the bones. Once Cameron left the villa, I washed up and climbed into bed. Sensing my presence, Summer groggily nestled herself into my arms, offering me the warmth I didn’t realize I had been craving for.
Children possessed healing powers that specifically worked on their mothers. This statement held true. As long as Summer was beside me, all of the despair from before, no matter how overwhelming, would dissolve into nothing.
I seemed to be able to understand the meticulous care and tentative love Cameron had for me. If it wasn’t for our complicated history, would we have turned out as a loving family instead?
The next day, the gloomy weather in K City was no more.
The sun’s rays finally broke through the clouds and filtered into the bedroom, making the morning especially warm.
Having some difficulty breathing, I woke up to the sight of Summer sprawled on my chest like a baby. I watched as her mouth opened and closed in tandem with her breathing, finding it incredibly cute. Thanks to her, there was a damp patch of drool on my shirt.
From her rosy and chubby cheeks, I realized that she seemed to have put on some weight recently. As I observed her features, I found that she bore a strong resemblance to Jared.
Knock, knock! Someone was knocking on the door, so I shifted Summer onto the bed.
Then, I rolled out of bed and opened the door to see that it was Emery. She was sporting dark circles beneath her eyes as she bemoaned, “Can I crash in your room? Xavier will be the death of me. Why do creatures like children exist in the world, huh? I’m going crazy! I couldn’t get a wink of sleep because of him and I’m so tired!”
She ranted pitifully while making her way to the bed before flopping down like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Then, she hugged Summer and started snoring loudly, seemingly really exhausted.
The bed was huge and could easily accommodate three people, but I checked the time and found that it was already eight. I felt well-rested, so I doubted that I could fall asleep again. After washing up in the bathroom, I went to the wardrobe and searched for some clothes to wear.
Just like what Cameron said, the clothes she selected were simple yet elegant. But things that were simple and elegant often came with a hefty price tag because plain didn’t necessarily equate to cheap.
As I walked toward the stairs, I heard voices and laughter coming from the living room. It seemed like there were guests present, which came as a surprise to me because it was still very early in the morning.
Upon reaching the top of the spiral staircase, I peered down at the people seated in the living room. Without needing to take a closer look, I could immediately recognize the person who had his back to me. After a mental calculation, I realized that we hadn’t seen each other for quite some time.
After the argument we had, I thought that perhaps it would be a long time before we meet again. After all, with the number of hurtful things I said, his anger probably wouldn’t subside so soon.
Suddenly, a voice sounded in my mind. Scarlett, you clearly knew that he’d come back to get you no matter what you did, that’s why you brazenly said all those hurtful words to him. You blatantly hurt his feelings because you knew that he would never leave you, isn’t that right? Have you ever thought that you could be the one at fault?
While I was lost in my thoughts, these words pierced through my consciousness. Stunned by that revelation, I suddenly realized that whenever Ashton and I argued, I never seemed to have reflected on myself. In fact, I would hurt him even deeper the next time.
The chatter stopped abruptly, snapping me back to my senses. Everyone in the living room had turned their attention to me. Right then, Cameron brought out some fruits from the kitchen and saw me. “You’re awake. Mr. Fuller has been here for quite some time already. Come down quick and have your breakfast. I heard that the aquarium in the North District has opened for business. Summer has been wanting to go there for a long time. Both of you should take her there later. That little girl has been going on and on about it.”
I descended the stairs but didn’t look at Ashton once. After giving an indifferent response, I went to the kitchen. A scrumptious breakfast prepared by the housekeeper was spread out on the table. Because everyone had varying daily routines, whoever woke up first would get to eat. Emery mentioned this to me once, but besides Cameron and Zachary, the rest of us couldn’t seem to wake up early. Hence, it didn’t really matter.
