Liam Williams walked into the room where Charlie was staying. He gazed at his son sleeping peacefully in the bed. He sat by the bedside for a long time, reluctant to wake the boy. But as he studied the child's delicate features, his usually cold heart softened without him even realizing it.
This was his and Emma's child. If he hadn't miscalculated the dates, she must have been two months pregnant when she left him. The birth control pills he had switched out had worked after all. Just thinking about how Emma had been locked up in that police station while carrying Charlie, facing so many blows and injuries, made a sharp pain shoot through his chest again.
He hadn't been happy in recent years. Every night, insomnia plagued him. In the dead of night, he would often stretch out his arm, wanting to pull the person beside him into his embrace. But his hand always met empty air. When he opened his eyes, he would realize that the woman who once depended on him had long since walked away. She had even gone to another country. He didn't know if he would ever see her again in this lifetime.
That almost hopeless predicament had tormented his heart. He still remembered Emma once asking him if he believed in karma and retribution. Back then, he had scoffed at the idea. Because he had always believed only in himself. But in recent years, he had truly come to believe. Because he had hurt the woman he cared about most, and God had punished him for it later. Making him spend every day and every night in agony.
It wasn't until yesterday, when he saw Emma again, that he realized God had left a little room for him after all. Charlie's appearance gave Liam a new hope. So when he looked at his sleeping son, his eyes were gentler than ever before.
After a while, Charlie woke up on his own. He was hungry. Liam would take him downstairs for dinner.
"Dad."
Charlie sat up in bed, his eyes still heavy with sleep. But he spoke anyway.
"What is it?"
Liam, who had already stood up, sat back down on the bed. His icy, glacier-like eyes had already melted, and he looked at Charlie tenderly.
"You and Mom are divorced, aren't you? That's why Mom won't live with Charlie."
The child's clear eyes looked straight at Liam, but Liam felt a tightness in his chest. Knowing it was impossible to hide the truth from his son, he nodded.
"But Dad and Mom will be together again. Does Charlie hope that Dad and Mom will be together?"
Liam smoothed down his son's messy bed hair. The warmth in his palm made Charlie feel very comforted. A look of concern appeared on the little boy's face.
"I don't know. If Mom doesn't like it, Charlie won't force it."
Liam didn't get angry because of the child's honest answer. After all, it was only natural for him to side with Emma.
"Well, Dad will make Mom like it."
Liam picked Charlie up from the bed, his voice soft and gentle as he whispered to him.
"Okay, that's the best."
Charlie smiled happily. Although his eyes were very similar to Liam's, when he laughed, he looked just like Emma. It was like the brightest star in the night sky, shining brilliantly.
When Amelia White saw Liam coming down the stairs with the boy in his arms, she put aside the resentment in her heart. A gentle expression appeared on her face as she stepped forward to greet Charlie. The child didn't seem to exclude her. He was very polite to every aunt he met. This made Amelia feel relieved. It seemed that the words she had spoken in the living room earlier hadn't been heard by the child.
During the meal, Amelia personally picked up a piece of squirrel fish for Charlie, and then another piece for Liam. Her face was full of the demeanor of a good wife and loving mother. If anyone didn't know the situation, they would probably think they were a family of three.
"Charlie, is the squirrel fish made by Auntie delicious?"
Amelia asked Charlie with a smile.
"Well, it's not as good as Mom's. But it's okay."
Charlie answered while eating the fish. When Amelia heard what he said, her face froze, and her smile became forced.
"Does Charlie often eat the food his mother makes?"
Liam asked Charlie with interest.
"Mom is very busy. But she always makes time to cook for me. The dishes she makes are delicious. Charlie's favorite is the wonton noodles she makes."
Charlie raised his delicate and pretty face and gave Liam a lovely smile.
Liam's thoughts drifted back to the past, remembering the days when Emma had cooked for him. It was so warm, something to be missed. Seeing Liam lost in memories because of a few words from Charlie, Amelia's hand holding the chopsticks tightened involuntarily. It was not easy for her to control her temper, but her face couldn't help showing a sweet smile. Then, in a sweet voice, she said to Liam.
"Brother, why aren't you eating? Is the dish I cooked today not good?"
Charlie, who was eating the coke chicken wings from the old man, frowned unconsciously. Then he raised his head and looked at his aunt, who, although beautiful, wasn't as beautiful as his mother.
This aunt seemed very interesting.
A slight smile curled at the corner of Charlie's mouth, making him look very cute. But no one could guess what this five-year-old was thinking.
A warm dinner passed like this. It seemed that everyone at the table was very happy, but for Amelia, it wasn't like that at all.
Originally, Liam only came back a few days a month, but at least she could talk to her big brother. But ever since this little guy arrived, her big brother had ignored her completely. He didn't have the patience to watch TV series with her anymore. Instead, he could watch childish cartoons with the child. She knew that this was her big brother trying to make up for the regrets of the past.
Looking at the three happy men sitting on the sofa, Amelia's smiling face was almost stiff. In her heart, the hatred for Emma only grew.
Emma was very busy. She didn't come home until late. She took off her shoes at the entrance. Thirsty, she didn't even drink a mouthful of water before she habitually went to the bedroom. She pushed the door open to see if her son was asleep. But besides Xiao Bai at the foot of the bed, the emptiness of the bed reminded Emma that Charlie had gone to Sunrise Manor. A sense of loss crept into her heart for no reason.
But she knew that from now on, even if it was hard, she would have to get used to days like this. As long as her son was happy, no matter how much she had to endure, it was worth it.
So she comforted herself and poured a glass of water in the kitchen. She finished the food her mother had left for her in the kitchen. Although she had eaten dinner in the evening, she had been talking with others and hadn't eaten at all. She was still hungry.
Emma, who was used to her son's company, couldn't fall asleep that night. She just felt the loneliness all over again.