Chapter 377 Purpose
I gently ran my fingers through Skylar's hair as she looked up at me with those big, hopeful eyes and asked in her sweet, little voice, "Mommy, when's Mr. Kingsley coming to see me again? He promised to tell me a new story."
Seeing her spirits lift a bit, I felt a wave of relief. I playfully tapped her nose and said, "He'll come by once he's done with work, sweetie."
Skylar's giggles filled the room, bringing some much-needed warmth to the otherwise gloomy space.
Then, the doorbell rang, and it sounded urgent.
I was confused. Who could be here at this hour?
Melissa got up to answer it. As soon as she cracked the door open, a familiar figure barged in—it was Edward.
His face was full of worry as he scanned the room. When he saw Skylar in my arms, he rushed over.
"Skylar, I'm here to see you. I heard you were sick, and I was so worried." Edward reached out, trying to take Skylar into his arms.
Skylar instinctively pulled back, clinging to me tightly, her face buried in my shoulder. Her rapid breathing showed just how upset she was.
I held her closer, my eyes hard as I looked at Edward, my voice defensive. "What are you doing here?"
Edward hesitated, opening his mouth but not saying anything.
"You're that strange man. Go away!" Skylar suddenly lifted her head and shouted at Edward.
Edward's hands froze mid-air, his face a mix of disbelief. "Skylar, I'm your dad. How can you not recognize me?"
But Skylar stubbornly turned her head away, refusing to look at him.
Edward tried to say something else, but Skylar quickly shouted again, "I don't want you to be my dad. I only want Mommy and Mr. Kingsley. Mr. Kingsley plays with me and buys me treats. I want Mr. Kingsley to be my dad!"
Everyone was stunned into silence. The air felt like it had frozen.
Edward staggered as if he'd been punched, his expression shifting from shock to deep sadness.
But then, a hint of suspicion flashed in his eyes as he gritted his teeth and said, "It was Alaric who told me Skylar was sick. How considerate of him."
Edward turned to me, his expression cold. "I think he did it on purpose, to make me worry, to make me look bad, so he could show off in front of you. He wants to take my place in this family!"
A pang of unease hit me. Edward's words struck a chord with my own hidden doubts.
Alaric's kindness to Skylar and me sometimes felt almost too good to be true. During quiet, solitary nights, I had my own fleeting suspicions about his motives.
However, looking at Edward now, I held Skylar tighter, my gaze steely as I said firmly, "Edward, stop making baseless accusations. Alaric's kindness to us is clear to see. There's no place for you in this family anymore. You're just making excuses for your reckless behavior."
I tried to hide my inner turmoil. Despite my harsh words, my fingertips trembled slightly.Edward looked embarrassed by my rebuke, opening his mouth to retort but finding himself at a loss for words.
Melissa couldn't hold back. "Mr. Howard, you haven't been a father to Skylar for years. It's normal for her not to recognize or accept you now. If you truly want to care for Skylar, you'll need to prove it over time."
Edward bit his lip, nodded, and gave Skylar one last look before turning and leaving slowly.
I held Skylar, gently patting her back to soothe her. She continued to sob in my arms. "Mommy, I don't want that daddy. I only want you and Mr. Kingsley."
I kissed her forehead tenderly. "Okay, sweetheart. I'm here. I won't let anyone hurt you."
But my mind was in turmoil.
Melissa, sensing how exhausted I was from Skylar's distress, tried to distract her. "Skylar, there are some new ducklings at the park pond. Do you want to go see them?"
"Yes, I want to see the ducklings," Skylar said, perking up and clinging to Melissa.
"Go ahead, but don't stay out too long. Skylar still needs to rest," I reminded them.
After Skylar and Melissa had left, Edward's words lingered in my mind, fueling my doubts about Alaric's intentions.
After much hesitation, I decided to ask Lila about Alaric. She and Lucas had set us up, so she should know Alaric well.
I had arranged to meet Lila at a nearby café for afternoon tea. When she saw me, her face showed concern. "Diana, I heard Skylar was sick. How is she now?" she asked.
I forced a smile. "She's much better now, thank you."
After some small talk, I asked, "Lila, how well do you know Alaric? He seems so devoted to Skylar and me. I want to understand his intentions."
Hearing this, Lila looked slightly taken aback but answered honestly. "Diana, Alaric's feelings for you are genuine. Lucas said Alaric noticed you a long time ago when you were struggling to manage everything on your own with Skylar. Your strength and resilience moved him, and he has been quietly watching over you ever since."
I was stunned. I hadn't realized Alaric had been watching over me for so long.
"Why didn't he ever say anything?" I pressed.
Lila shook her head. "He knew you were hurt and didn't want to add to your burden. So he chose to support you as a friend. And he's genuinely kind. Anything related to you and Skylar, he takes to heart."
Hearing this, I felt my heart skip a beat as memories of Alaric's care flooded back to me.
Lila seemed to sense my hesitation and quickly added, "Diana, don't overthink it. Alaric's feelings are real. Everything he's done for you and Skylar is sincere. He's not the deceitful type."
I gave a bitter smile. "I hope so. But after everything, it's hard to trust anyone easily. Especially since he told Edward about Skylar's illness, making me doubt his motives even more."
Lila gently patted my hand and said, "I think Alaric just wanted Edward to show some concern for Skylar. If you have doubts, why not talk to him openly? It might clear things up."
Leaving the café, I felt like I was walking through a fog, unsure of what to do or whether to trust Alaric.
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