Chapter 76
Chapter 76
Immediately, he returned to normal.
“Why are you asking this all of a sudden?”
Brandon’s tone was extremely gentle and soft.
“You are the daughter of Matilda and me.”
Lola cried, “But Mommy ignores me. She only cares about Jolene.”
Recalling how Matilda was holding Jolene in her arms in the medical room, Lola felt bitter in her heart.
Brandon comforted her, “Every mother loves her own child.”
“Daddy, you also said that I am Mommy’s only child in this life. You were lying.”
Lola became even more saddened as she spoke.
She turned around and cried in Shelby’s arms.
256 vouchers
Shelby had been taking care of Lola wholeheartedly for so long, but Lola wanted her biological mother again.
Shelby wondered, ‘Does she want her mother to come home and continue to live with Brandon?’
It was infuriating and frustrating to think about it.
But she couldn’t push Lola away coldly like Matilda did.
She lovingly picked up Lola and gently comforted her.
Brandon came out of the children’s room, went to the windowsill, and lit a cigarette.
The wind picked up, and there was a hint of coolness in the air, as well as the unique depression in summer.
Brandon exhaled a smoke ring, and memories filled his mind like stitches.
He arrived in Domburgh the day after the earthquake.
High-rise buildings collapsed, roads were torn and ripped like snakes, and the air was filled with the smell of death and dust.
Matilda’s family lived in a two-story house.
When it collapsed, her mother protected her with her body, saving her life.
When he found Matilda in the tent, she was barely alive, except for her heartbeat.
Her belly had also become flat, with a gash over six inches long. Even the gauze couldn’t hide its hideousness and horror.
He grabbed a nurse and roared out of control, “Where is my child? Where is my child?”
The nurse was also freaked out and pointed tremblingly at a baby girl with her eyes tightly closed, saying, “That, that’s her.”
1/4
50 vouchers
Chapter 76
Matilda got out of the taxi.
She reached out to carry Jolene, but Jolene refused it.
“Mommy, it doesn’t hurt anymore. I can walk by myself.”
Matilda didn’t think there would be any problem, either. It was just a little scratch.
Hand in hand, they went inside.
Valentine’s Day was coming.
The staff of the Maple Heights property department gave away roses everywhere in the neighborhood.
The bright red color, blown by the wind, was like blood gushing out of a wound.
Matilda’s breathing suddenly became shattered.
She said, “Jolene, let’s go faster.”
The two ran to the elevator in one breath.
Jolene’s feet were off the ground the whole time, as if she were about to fly.
She looked up and asked Matilda, “Is something chasing us?”
Matilda answered, “No, no, nothing.”
She let go of Jolene and realized her palms were sweaty when she unlocked the elevator.
She asked weakly, “Jolene, do you have any candy on you?”
Jolene nodded. “Yes.”
Jolene generously shared it with Matilda.
Matilda waited until she calmed down before entering Allen’s home.
Allen was wearing a light gray polo shirt and black pants, methodically cooking in front of the stove.
When he saw Matilda and Jolene return, the corners of his eyes lifted slightly.
Matilda said as she changed into guest slippers, “Jolene was slightly injured…”
Before her voice faded, she saw Allen turn off the stove.
He washed his hands and carried Jolene to the sofa with a solemn expression.
He then took out the first-aid kit, cleaned and disinfected the wound again, and applied antibacterial ointment.
Matilda quietly watched, thinking that was an overreaction.
When she was a child, she never even used iodine when her arms and legs were bleeding.
Allen finished treating Jolene’s wound, stood up, and looked back at Matilda.
2/4
6:00 pm
Chapter 76
Maulda smiled at him.
It was an impromptu smile, not very deep, and her expression was indifferent.
But in Allen’s eyes, it was extremely beautiful.
55 vouchers
Matilda felt a little uncomfortable being stared at by Allen, and she looked down at Jolene and asked, “Is Jolene okay?”
“She’s fine. I was just too nervous.” Allen spoke and walked towards the kitchen.
Matilda felt that he had something left unsaid and followed him to the kitchen.
He spoke, and she listened.
“Jolene stayed in the NICU for five months before her life was saved. After being discharged from the hospital, even a small cold can cause severe pneumonia. She was hospitalized constantly, getting injections and infusions.
“The blood vessels on her head and feet are damaged, so I don’t let her have cold drinks or swim, and I don’t want her to suffer even the slightest injury.”
Matilda listened, feeling heavy-hearted.
It was understandable that Allen was overreacting because a father’s heart was always with their child.
She asked, “Is Jolene’s poor health because she was born prematurely?”
Allen shook his head. “No, it was acute hypoxia during childbirth.”
“Hypoxia? Did Jolene’s mother die from difficult labor?”
Matilda regretted asking this question as soon as she did.
She told herself, ‘Wasn’t I picking at his scabs?’
She tried to remedy the situation. “You’ve raised Jolene very well. She’s physically weak, but she’s not spoiled at all.”
“She was…”
Allen stopped himself.
He was afraid that if he said Jolene’s parents had also died in the Domburgh earthquake, it would evoke Matilda’s painful
memories.
So he pursed his lips after saying only those two words.
Matilda raised her eyebrows in confusion.
After a while, she suddenly realized that Allen was answering her previous question.
She asked, “Did Jolene’s mother die during childbirth?”
Allen answered, “She was.”
Oh, that was really sad.
Just as she was sighing, Matilda’s phone rang.
3/4
6:00 pm
Chapter 76
She went to get her phone from her bag in the entryway. It was a call from the property manager.
“Ms. Warren, I’m so sorry…”
“Hey, what are you doing, grabbing the phone…”
Soon, Matilda heard Brandon’s refreshing voice.
“Isn’t Shelby your own child? How could you…”
Matilda cut him off, “No! Tell her that Shelby gave birth to her.”
Matilda hung up the phone.
She spoke softly, and neither Jolene, who was watching cartoons, nor Allen, who was cooking, heard her.
During dinner, Jolene said to Matilda, “I want to learn to swim, but Daddy won’t let me.”
Allen corrected her, “It’s not that I won’t let you learn. It’s that you can learn after you turn seven.”
Jolene looked at Matilda with pleading eyes, hoping she would put in a word for her.
Matilda didn’t want to be the good guy and undermine Allen.
Nor did she want to be the bad guy and extinguish Jolene’s hopes.
So she said, “When you turn seven, how about I teach you to swim?”
Jolene was happy and said, “Okay, thank you.”
After dinner, Matilda went home, and Allen insisted on walking her out.
The two of them walked to the elevator lobby, and the elevator doors opened just then.
A carload of red roses suddenly appeared in front of her.
The petals in the strong light were translucent scarlet, like dried blood.
Matilda screamed.
She grabbed Allen’s arm and hid behind him, her hair standing on end.
4/4
