Chapter276
The young girl leaped off the couch and grabbed Todd's hand. Although silent, her stance was clear.
As they headed out, Todd articulated slowly, "From now on, stay away from the Winston brothers."
Angela pursed her lips, her voice barely a whisper. "Keith..."
Todd felt a jolt.
The first time his sister spoke was to call Ivan "Daddy," and the second time as well. Yet now, in the third instance, she uttered Keith's name.
He didn't believe that this was truly the first encounter between his sister and Keith.
He took a deep breath, lowered his voice, and said, "Keith and Owen are brothers with the same father and mother, which means Keith's mother is also Emily."
As soon as he finished, he saw the vitality fade from the little girl next to him like air from a balloon.
At that moment, Todd regretted it.
Someone had finally breached his sister's world, and he had torn through that delicate barrier, exposing everything to the harsh light of day.
His sister had already pushed Owen away.
And now, because of his words, Keith had been pushed out of her small, secluded world too.
"Get in the car. I'll take you home."
Ivan suited up and stepped out, crisply opening the rear door of the sedan before gently lifting Angela into her seat.
He sensed that the little girl's mood had dipped even further than before.
His gaze fleetingly met Todd's. With brows furrowed and eyes downcast, Todd settled into the car.
Taking the wheel upfront, Ivan casually sparked a conversation. "Does Angela have friends in preschool?"
Todd snapped out of his reverie, lips pressing into a thin line. "Yeah, she's popular. The other kids like playing with her."
"Those kids who are close to Angela are all screened by you, aren't they?" Ivan's tone remained cool. "Her circle is essentially your circle, am I right?"
Todd looked up sharply. "Mr. Ivan, what are you talking about?"
"You think you're protecting her by controlling everyone who gets close to Angela and warding off any potential harm, but you're not," Ivan said, his voice measured as he navigated the traffic. "From birth, we all experience joy, sorrow, laughter, and tears.
"Children with autism perceive these emotions differently, as if a barrier separates them from the vibrant world. You think shielding her from harm means well, but it's also a form of harm on another level," he paused before adding, "by mitigating emotional experiences."
Todd was visibly shaken.
...
At 6:30 in the evening, Haley's car pulled up in front of the DeRoss residence.
The aroma of cooking wafted out to greet her, reminiscent of many years ago, the evening after school.
Flora had always put on a good show, fostering warmth and laughter at home.
Back then, naïve as she was, Haley never perceived the schemes hidden behind the cheerful façade.
Pushing the memories aside, Haley stepped into the DeRoss residence, where a servant promptly welcomed her and led her to the dining room.
"Haley, I was worried you wouldn't come," Flora said, a maternal smile on her face. "I've made your old favorite for dinner. This pork roast tastes just like before ago."
Haley's lips curled slightly. "That was a long time. My tastes have changed."
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