Chapter 73 A Harsh Decision
Magnus was indeed worried about how Jennifer would adjust to life away from Juniper, but this was something they would have to face sooner or later.
Joseph couldn't say much more. After all, Magnus had his reasons for what he did.
Magnus and Joseph entered the house together.
Inside the villa, Jennifer looked all around, her eyes filled with intense curiosity.
But she was afraid Juniper might leave, so she dared not wander off, clutching Juniper's fingers tightly.
They strolled through the spacious living room.
Juniper asked gently, “Jennifer, do you like it here? There's Daddy, your favorite orange cat, and don’t you love swinging? There's a swing set and a slide in the yard, and no other kids to compete with you for a turn. You can play however you want. Are you happy?”
The little girl kept a straight face.
She looked up at Juniper and asked, "Mommy, do you like it here?"
"Me? Of course, I like it. It’s so big here, and there's even a heated pool. Haven’t you always pestered me to take you to play in the pool? In a little while, you can take your floaties and play in the water."
Jennifer looked at her calmly, and then suddenly said, “Then Mommy, stay here, please?”
Juniper was taken aback.
She had thought she had camouflaged her feelings quite well.
But Jennifer had still noticed.
Juniper couldn’t bear to deceive her any longer.
She slowly crouched down, looking at the child, "Jennifer, I'm sorry, but I can’t stay here."
"Why? Mommy, don't you want me anymore?"
Tears streamed down her face.
Juniper raised her hand to wipe her tears, "Jennifer, I will always love you. But I’ve done some things that Daddy finds hard to forgive. We can’t be together, but Daddy and I promise you, even apart, our love for you will never diminish."
"Why can’t Daddy just forgive you? Mommy, don’t go.”
"Jennifer, don’t cry. Whether or not Daddy forgives me that's his decision. You see, even when Ms. Patricia apologized to you, you didn’t accept it. Daddy's right about one thing. Apologizing is one thing, but accepting it is another's right. I hurt Daddy once, and it’s natural for him not to forgive me. But Jennifer, you’ve done nothing wrong, and Daddy will love you very much."
"I don’t want it! I don’t want Mommy to leave! Ms. Patricia is a bad person. that’s why I don't forgive her! But Mommy is good, why doesn’t Daddy forgive Mommy?"
Jennifer's little mouth quivered as she burst into loud sobs.
Tears streamed down Juniper's face as she choked out, "It's my fault. I don't make much money. Life with me would be hard, Jennifer. Dad's house is much nicer than where we live. Whatever you want, Dad can buy it for you. Don't you love ice cream? Dad has a big fridge full of ice cream, Jennifer."
As Juniper spoke, her voice fractured with sobs, and she could hardly continue.
"I can live without ice cream. I don't want the big house anymore. Mom, you lied to me! You said we'd stay at Dad's together! I want my mom!" Jennifer protested.
Juniper enveloped Jennifer in her arms and consoled her through her own pain, "Don't cry, I'll come to see you, it's not like we're apart forever. Baby, listen to me, I'm not abandoning you, I’m just not living here."
"I don't believe you! I came to Dad's because you said we'd be together. If you're not staying, I don't want to be here either! I don't need Dad! Mom, let's go home!" Jennifer tugged at Juniper's hand, crying and pulling on her with all her might.
Juniper stood her ground, eyes reddened, as if she had made a resolute decision.
Jennifer couldn't move her and fell to the ground. Climbing back up, she clung to Juniper's legs, refusing to let go.
Tears freely cascaded down Juniper's cheeks. She sniffled, her hand gently caressing the back of the little girl's head, "Dad has a big house, an orange cat, a slide, and a swing. These are things I can’t give you. Life with Dad will be better. With me, it's just hardship. Be good. I'll come to visit you often."
"Liar! Mom's a big liar!"
"I'm sorry, Jennifer," Juniper apologized.
With a firm resolve, Juniper pried Jennifer's hands away and quickly exited the villa.
"Mom!"
Jennifer tried to follow, but Magnus grabbed her arm.
"Let me go! Let me go! You big meanie!"
She bit Magnus's hand fiercely, but the man remained unaffected.
Juniper had already called for a taxi, which was now waiting at the villa's entrance. She wanted to look back at Jennifer one last time, but as tears welled up, she steeled her heart, opened the car door, and got in.
"Driver, let's go!"
The taxi gradually pulled away from Royal View.
In the back seat, Juniper covered her mouth, weeping softly.
Back inside Royal View, Jennifer had run out after the taxi.
Crying and running, she moved too quickly, stumbled, and fell to the ground.
Magnus crouched down, looking at her, and said, "She'll come to see you later."
Jennifer pouted her little mouth, glaring at him.
"Why did you send Mommy away? I don't like you anymore. You're not my dad."
Magnus didn't get angry. He scooped Jennifer up in his arms and walked towards Royal View.
When they reached the front door of the house, he set her down and took her hand instead.
A large hand holding a small one.
He looked down at Jennifer and said, "From now on, this is your home. Everything here belongs to you, and you're going to like it here."
The little tyke sobbed and puffed out her small mouth, tilting her tear-streaked face upward to glare at him fiercely.
"I don't like it here! Mommy's not here! Didn't you promise that we would stay with Mommy? You are not just a big meanie but a big liar!"
Magnus's brow twitched slightly, but he finally said in a muted voice, "Apart from that, I can't promise you anything, but I'll try to fulfill your other wishes."
"Then take me to Mommy! I want to go home!"
"This is your home."
Jennifer cried and gave him a resentful look. "You're lying again!"
"I'm sorry, Jennifer."
The little one pouted and burst into tears, "I don't want to deal with you."
"Then cry. Once you've cried enough and aren't sad anymore, you can talk to me."
Jennifer took out a Patrick Star plush toy from her suitcase, clutched it in her arms, and sat at the entrance of the villa.
Magnus sat with her, both of them silent.
After a while, Jennifer threw the Patrick Star plush toy away.
If Mommy didn't want her, she didn't want Patrick Star either!
Magnus watched the toy, stood up, and picked up the pink Patrick Star.
He handed it back to the little one.
"I don't want it."
"Your Mom said you need this to be able to sleep at night."
The little tyke, with a sour face, snatched Patrick Star out of his hands.
Jennifer clung to Patrick Star and cried for a good while until exhaustion brought her sobs to a halt.
She asked Magnus, "Why are you alive again?"
"What?"
She furrowed her little brow and curiously asked, "Mommy said you were gone a long time ago. Why are you suddenly back? Isn't that something only ghosts can do?"
He didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"If I were a ghost, how could you see me?"
The little one puckered her mouth: "That's true. So where have you been all this time? Why didn't you come to see me?"
"Do you want to know about what's between your mom and me?"
Magnus looked at her, his dark eyes full of patience and gentleness.
Jennifer blinked hard to force the tears from her itchy eyes, managing a begrudging, "Then go ahead, I'll listen."
Magnus offered a faint smile and lifted his hand to gently wipe away her tears.
He didn't regard Jennifer as a clueless child, nor did he believe that her young age meant she couldn't understand anything.
On the contrary, he believed that sincerity would garner understanding and clarity from a child.
"I used to be in love with your mom. Back then, I really loved her, but as time went on..."
Magnus spoke at length, and Jennifer gradually became immersed in what he was saying. She understood.
It was as if she and Jakob sneaked some snacks together, but then Jakob ran to tell the teacher she had taken the snacks, betraying their friendship. She would feel hurt that Jakob betrayed their bond.
But what happened between her mom and dad was even more serious.
"Does that mean you'll never forgive Mom?"
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
