Chapter 10
It had only been a month. The skinny, malnourished little girl was now round–faced and healthy, full of energy.
The workers always said Dolly was lucky to have met me. But honestly? I was the lucky one. I found her at my loneliest–when I was drowning in sorrow.
“Brent, I have my own life now. I’m done bending over backward for people who don’t respect me. Go home.”
“Cammie, no, no, no. Never again. No one will ever look down on you again. I’ll tell them–it was my fault. I was the one who didn’t want kids.
“If that’s what it takes for you to forgive me, we’ll have a baby as soon as we get back.”
I had always loved children. A year ago–hell, even a month ago–hearing him say would’ve made me overjoyed.
this
But he never mentioned it before. He refused to have kids with me because he already had
two kids with someone else.
“Brent, what was I to you? A backup plan? A convenient option?
“You can’t just come crawling back now that you’ve realized you were lied to and lost your child! I’m not someone who will take just anyone. What right do you have to talk to me about having kids?”
His face turned deathly pale. Then, his expression burned red with humiliation. Without another word, he walked out of the office.
But I already knew the truth, even without him saying it. Maybe in the beginning, he was just confused. Then, it turned into excitement–the thrill of being a first–time father. People are strange like that. At first, they didn’t care. Then, over time, they grow attached. They start to when it comes to their own flesh and blood.
waver
But no heart can withstand that kind of torment forever.
Brent booked a hotel in town. Every day, he stopped by the site to see me.
He even brought dolls and new clothes for Dolly.
She glanced at them, then hid her hands behind her back and said loudly, “My mom buys me clothes and toys! Mom doesn’t like you, so I don’t want your stuff! Take it back!”
Then, she turned her head away.
Brent’s face stiffened in embarrassment, but he still followed behind her, trailing after her to my side.
I took Dolly’s hand and walked right past him.
“Go home. Your company’s waiting for you.”
But he stubbornly trailed behind us.
“Cammie, look–I had our wedding photos reprinted. I even remodeled the villa exactly the way you wanted it.
2/2 81.8%
12:19 Sun, 23 Mar
way you wanted it.
<94%#
“I also bought three cars for you! They’re all in our garage. You can pick whichever one you want to drive.”
I glanced at him but said nothing.
After a long silence, his voice grew weaker, sounding almost like a guilty child. With a choked–up tone, he whispered, “Camryn, I regret everything. I–I should never have hurt you.”
He stared at me, eyes filled with longing.
“If we had a child back then… would they have been as kind and beautiful as you?
“If we had done things your way–if we had a child–would we not have ended up like this? Would you have been able to forgive me?”
I just cast him a glance, blank–faced, before walking back to the site.
Behind me, I heard muffled sobs.
A month later, my ex–mother–in–law called. My ex–father–in–law’s heart condition had worsened. He wasn’t doing well.
Brent looked at me with pleading eyes.
“Cammie, come back with me. Dad… he doesn’t have much time left. Let’s go see him.”
I kept my eyes on the documents I was flipping, my face unreadable.
“You should go. He never liked me anyway. I doubt he’d want to see me on his deathbed. I won’t be in his way.”
Brent’s eyes reddened. He stared at me, unblinking.
“Camryn, can you really just throw away 20 years? Is there really no going back for us? Is there-”
I cut him off.
“Brent. I’ve already signed the divorce papers. We have nothing to do with each other anymore. It’s best if we stay out of each other’s lives.”
Chapter 11
