Chapter 171 Missing Dad
After Chicago left with Darwin, Fiona was restless. After taking Charles home, she made an excuse and left the house.
From a nearby car, Fiona watched Darwin hug Chicago, watched Chicago reluctantly embrace him, and watched him stand still, long after Chicago had left.
Her feelings were indescribably complex.
But who was to blame? Darwin could have had it all. She had given him a chance, but what had he done?
"Drive." said Fiona coldly, turning away.
The driver started the car, and as they passed by Darwin, Fiona didn't cast him another glance.
When Fiona arrived back at the house, Chicago was just getting out of the car.
Without the lightness of stepping out in the morning, she hung her head, staring at her shoes, walking ahead distractedly.
She didn't even notice Fiona's arrival.
Wendy wanted to speak up to advise her that her mother had arrived, but Fiona stopped her.
Only after Chicago had entered the house did Fiona ask Wendy, "Didn't you say she had a great time? What happened?"
Wendy quickly responded, "She indeed had a blast, she probably just misses Mr. Solomon. She started crying as soon as they parted. Nothing I said could cheer her up!"
"Does she get along well with Mr. Solomon?" Fiona asked softly.
"Very well, Ma'am" Wendy said excitedly. "Although Mr. Solomon might look stern, he's very kind to the young lady. At one point in the play area, a child nearly hurt her. It was Mr. Solomon who dove in to shield her and even scared off the child's grandma!"
"Really?" Fiona replied coolly.
"Yes!" Wendy nodded.
Wendy's excitement was short-lived as Fiona said with a chilling tone, "Wendy, you shouldn't have let the young lady run off with a strange man. I made it clear that I didn't want Chicago having dinner with him."
Wendy froze. She was already afraid of Fiona, sometimes even more so than Janna.
"There was a reason!" she stammered, her face turning red. "The young lady was originally going to reject Mr. Solomon, but on the way there, we overheard Mr. Solomon's companion mentioning some ill-intended plans. The young lady wanted to protect Mr. Solomon, so she impulsively took him away without your consent!"
Great job! Excellent, Wendy, such an explanation makes you and the young lady look very principled!
"Bad plans?" Fiona's brows furrowed slightly.
"It seems that companion wanted to trick Mr. Solomon into having a baby and then use the child to tie him down!" Wendy hadn't heard the lady say exactly that, but it was her conclusion after analyzing the situation.
The companion is naturally Lilian... But wasn't Lilian unable to have children? How could she have a child with Darwin?
"You two might have had good intentions but it was done in the wrong way." Fiona said.
Darwin and Lilian were truly in love. Isn't it normal for Lilian to want a child with Darwin?
Wendy looked at Fiona, bewildered.
"Wendy, I know that as Chicago grows, it's getting harder for you to take care of her..."
"Don't fire me! I swear nothing like today will ever happen again!" Wendy pleaded in fear.
Fiona sighed softly. "I'm not going to fire you. But if such incidents recur, I'll hire another nanny to assist you in caring for Chicago."
"I promise! I swear I won't make any more mistakes!" Wendy said with tears in her eyes.
It's a good thing I promised to run away with the young lady today.
When Chicago walked into the house, Charles was on the sofa reading. Normally, at this time, he would be in his study.
Seeing Chicago return, he raised his eyelids, waiting for Chicago to greet him, then come over chirping like a bird, chatting about the amusing incidents with Uncle.
But unexpectedly, Chicago didn't even lift her head, barely glanced at the living room, and ghost-like, she went upstairs.
Charles hesitated for a moment, then followed.
Chicago was in her room, with her head buried into her pillow.
Charles stood at the doorway, looked at her, and walked in to sit beside her, "Were you bullied?"
Chicago remained silent. This was a first for Charles.
He reached out to nudge Chicago, "Were you bullied?"
Chicago moved a bit, sat up with swollen, tear-stained eyes, "Charles…"
Her voice was thick with the trace of her sobs.
Charles became somewhat panicked. So, she was bullied? By that man who didn't seem very nice!
"Why don't we have a dad?" Chicago choked out quietly.
Charles froze.
"I want a dad." Chicago pouted, and tears began rolling down from her eyes.
When she was with Uncle, it wasn't the same as being with Uncle Stuart and the others.
She felt so secure, completely safe, afraid of nothing.
"Chicago, you can tell me these things, but don't mention it to Mommy, it would make her sad." Charles awkwardly hugged his sister, patting her back gently.
At the doorway, Fiona stood frozen, quietly listening.
"Where did our dad actually go?" Chicago cried out.
Charles lowered his gaze, concealing the cold sharpness in his eyes.
"No matter where he's gone, he left us. Since he doesn't want us, you shouldn't cry for someone like that."
Chicago didn't respond. Her crying grew even more heartbroken.
In the end, Fiona couldn't push open that door.
She slumped her shoulders and went downstairs.
Unbeknown to Fiona, Ashton was holing up in the wine cellar, drinking.
Fiona pushed open the cellar door and they startled each other.
"You've been in here all this time?" Fiona was surprised.
"Did you fetch Chicago?" Ashton continued to sprawl on the sofa, opposite the coffee table, which now bore an empty wine bottle, with another half-drunk bottle next to it.
"Yeah." Fiona sat down opposite her. "Drinking so much, in the middle of the day?"
Ashton leaned back in the sofa, staring at the crystal lamp on the wine cellar's ceiling.
"I bought this lamp with Chris in Turkey." Ashton muttered to herself, "It looks so extravagant and it's useless now."
"You and Chris have been to Turkey?" Fiona was a little surprised.
"I try to forget those things." Ashton shook her head, "Are you still worried that Darwin will recognize Chicago?"
"No..." Fiona poured herself a drink, "It just suddenly occurred to me that maybe I've been too neglectful of Charles and Chicago. I always thought they never considered their father's absence. But now... Chicago cried all the way home, and just now in her room she was telling her brother that she misses her dad."
"Has she even seen her dad to miss him?" Ashton, a bit drunk, slurred her speech slightly.
Fiona didn't respond but took a sip of her drink.
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