He sneaked a peek at Ashton. Catching Ashton’s serious expression, he skittishly snapped his gaze back down.
“You and your daddy were both wrong.” I shook my head and pursed my lips. “Your daddy was wrong for being too stubborn and unwilling to accept another family member’s opinion, while you were wrong because you disrespected him. You know, your daddy and I have tried long and hard to bring you and Audrey into this world. To protect every one of us, he has suffered a lot. He’s quick-tempered, but he’s a man who shoulders his responsibility. Don’t you think a man like that is worthy of respect?”
Gregory nodded his head seriously. “Yes, he is.”
Seeing that he understood the gist of it, I continued to guide him patiently, “Then is it right for you to compare your daddy to a fascist in the car today?”
“No.” Gregory shook his head, sincerity in his eyes.
I let out a breath, then chuckled. “So what should you do next?”
Gregory pondered for a moment. He looked up at Ashton and pouted. “I’m sorry, Daddy. I shouldn’t have called you a fascist. I was wrong. Can you forgive me?”
He caught on quickly. As expected, it’s easier to communicate with a precocious child.
I stood up, sighing in relief.
With a hard look on his face, Ashton casually grunted an acknowledgment, showing that he accepted Gregory’s apology.
However, he was not going to let him off so easily.
Perhaps Ashton had guessed my intention as he turned to leave.
I reached for his arm with a playful smile. “Mr. Fuller, shouldn’t you be an example for your child?”
I was winking at him madly. There was no way he could have missed my hints.
He frowned at me, then locked his gaze with mine briefly and finally gave in.
Schooling his expression, he bowed his head and apologized in a low voice, “I was also in the wrong. Gregory, forgive me, will you?”
I couldn’t suppress my laughter at his embarrassed look.
Gregory’s eyes were wide and sparkling. His entire face had lightened up. “I forgive you, Daddy.”
Ashton pursed his lips awkwardly. After a moment of silence, he headed downstairs.
Gregory blinked, wondering if he had said something wrong. “Is Daddy not happy?”
I draped an arm around his shoulder with a smile and whispered, “He’s just embarrassed to admit his mistake. You have to keep it a secret.”
“Okay.” Gregory’s lips formed a little O at my explanation. He placed his finger over his lips and made a shush gesture.
Two days after the incident.
Our plan that day was to meet up with the couple who adopted Shaun, but we received word that Simone had attempted to commit suicide by knocking her head against the wall. Having no choice, we excused ourselves and left urgently.
Simone’s head was already wrapped with layers of bandages when we arrived. Despite the thick layers of bandages, there was still blood seeping through them.
She had lost her usual dignified look. Her hair was untied, and they fell messily to her shoulders. She was lying immobile on the ground with half of her body leaning against the wall like a homeless beggar on the verge of death.
Meanwhile, Nicolas was still tied to a chair. The speed of water dripping from the pipe above his head had increased. The droplets were hitting his face so quickly that he couldn’t even open his eyes.
After we stood there for a while, Simone opened her eyes laboriously. She began to crawl toward us when she noticed our presence.
Shocked by her sudden movement, I quickly took a few steps back. Ashton immediately came up in front to shield me and she used that opportunity to grab onto him.
“Ashton, son, please give me some water. I haven’t had water for a couple of days. Please have mercy on me…”
Her unkempt appearance and her indecipherable mumble were dirtier than a beggar’s.
A memory of the first time I saw Simone crossed my mind. She was beautiful, young-looking. Some even called her an ageless beauty.
But now, the face, which she had spent thousands and thousands on, was filled with lines and wrinkles. Her eyes were empty and lifeless, which showed that she didn’t have much time left on her clock.
