Chapter 151 The Truth About Fannie
His words were cut off abruptly by Fannie's crying interruption, "Charles, don't say anymore, if you tell him, I won't talk to you anymore. I hate him..."
"Fannie..." Charles looked at her helplessly.
He knew what Fannie was upset about.
She was angry that Dad had pushed her and hurt her at the hotel last time and, rather than apologizing, had glared at her coldly. Even when he was later forced to apologize, it wasn't sincere.
She had been harboring resentment inside her.
And lately, with Dad's increasingly nasty attitude towards her, she felt even worse, which led to their relationship deteriorating further, and Fannie refused to acknowledge him.
"I mean what I say!" Fuming, Fannie glared at Martin, took Patricia's hand, and started walking forward, "Mommy, let's go!"
Patricia was almost being carried forward by her.
After sighing inwardly, Patricia said helplessly, "Fannie, I know you're still mad at Dad, but he didn't mean it that time, and he did apologize afterward, didn't he?"
Fannie responded with hurt, "His apology wasn't sincere at all!"
Patricia tried to put in a good word for Martin, "But he did apologize, you know."
She understood her daughter all too well.
Seemingly sweet and obedient on the surface, but very stubborn deep down.
Martin had offended her from the start; the road ahead was going to be tough!
Fannie let out a scornful laugh. "If the apology isn't sincere, I won't accept it."
Initially, she refused to acknowledge her despicable father because he had pushed her and hurt her. But as time went on, her refusal was entirely due to his abhorrent attitude towards her. She was profoundly disappointed in him.
If he had been willing to say some nice things to her, she certainly would have forgiven him.
Patricia said in disbelief, "He doesn't know you're his daughter, of course he's not nice to you! If he knew, he'd certainly spoil you to the skies and adore you like no other."
With a defiant tilt of her chin and a pout, Fannie retorted, "Like I even care!"
"…??" Patricia gently tapped her on the nose, "You're just being contrary, you little brat…"
Martin watched Patricia and Fannie leave, his handsome brows furrowing in confusion. "Charles, what was that girl implying? What is it she won’t allow you to tell me?"
For some reason, he felt it was something very important.
Charles looked at him with pity, shaking his head and sighing. "Ah, Dad, you'd better take care of yourself. I'd love to help you, but you keep causing trouble, and it’s beyond my power to help."
Martin was thoroughly confused. "Help me with what?"
He had a hunch it had something to do with Fannie.
Charles could only shake his head and sigh.
"Ah, Fannie threatened me not to tell you, so my hands are tied... Anyway, I'm giving you a friendly piece of advice - treat her better, otherwise you'll surely regret it in the future."
Martin stubbornly refused: "I can't do it. Every time I see her, I'm reminded of your mother and her father being together in the past, it makes my heart ache."
"…??" Charles looked at him as if he were an idiot.
He finally realized who Fannie took after.
She was just like her father!
Equally stubborn.
After dropping Charles and Fannie off at kindergarten, Martin and Patricia went to the hospital together.
When entering the kindergarten, Fannie couldn't help but give Martin a resentful glare, then took Charles by the hand and walked in.
Martin, confused by the glare, thought, "…??"
Patricia sighed resignedly, shaking her head, wondering how to ease the father-daughter conflict.
Suddenly, Martin asked, "Are you going to the hospital?"
Patricia nodded.
Martin continued, "How's the injury on your head? Do you need to change the dressing?"
Patricia touched the back of her head where her injury was. "It's been several days now, it's already scabbed over, and doesn't need any more medication. It'll heal completely once the scab falls off. It was never a big deal in the first place."
Hearing this, Martin breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'm also going to the hospital. Let me drive you there."
Patricia shook her head, "No need, I'll drive myself. It's also more convenient for when I go home later."
"…?" Martin hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement.
After reaching the residential complex, Martin and Patricia took the elevator together down to the underground parking garage. There, they parted ways, each driving off in their own cars.
With all the matters now settled, Patricia connected her phone to the car's Bluetooth while driving and placed a call to Hunter.
The call connected quickly.
"The busy one finally has time?" Hunter teased. "It's always me looking for you. This time, you're the one reaching out."
Patricia's cheeks flushed with a tinge of embarrassment. "Sorry, so much has been happening lately; I really didn't have any time! But today I'm free," she explained.
Hunter's voice carried a chuckle. "All right, all right, I know you're busy. I'm not holding it against you! Are you calling to ask me out for dinner?"
Patricia nodded. "Are you available?"
Hunter replied, "The rare times you ask, I have to make time, no matter how busy I am! When and where?"
"I'll treat you; you pick the place and time," Patricia offered.
After thinking for a moment, Hunter said, "Evening's the time you pick up your child from school, so let's do lunch! How about today? I happen to be free, and I'll send the location to your phone later."
Remembering Martin's morning suggestion to take the family out for a meal, Patricia responded, "I have plans today; how about tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow it is then," Hunter agreed promptly.
"Okay!" With the plan set, Patricia ended the call.
After parking her car at the hospital parking lot, Patricia stepped out only to find Martin waiting for her at the exit.
By the look of it, he seemed to be there specifically for her.
"You… are you waiting for me?" she asked.
Martin nodded, unhesitant, "Yes, I'm waiting for you."
Patricia paused, her expression turning sober. "Has something happened?"
Martin also paused but then smiled. "No, nothing. I just wanted to wait for you so we could go up together."
Relieved to hear it was nothing serious, Patricia relaxed and walked shoulder to shoulder with him toward the hospital department.
Once in the elevator, Patricia said, "You really didn't have to wait for me. I'm not a three-year-old; I wouldn't get lost."
Martin bowed his head, muttering softly, "I wanted to wait for you."
His voice was so low and the surroundings so noisy that Patricia couldn't quite catch what he said. She tilted her head and asked, "What was that? I didn't quite hear you."
Martin's handsome face flushed with a hint of embarrassment, and he guiltily turned his head away.
Patricia: "...??"
After a moment of silence, Martin suddenly asked, "Is Fannie's dad dead or alive?"
"…??" Not understanding why he would abruptly ask such a question, Patricia, holding back a laugh, replied, "Of course he's alive."
Martin remarked, “Why doesn't he take care of his own daughter? Are you unwilling to let her go?”
With a spasm twitching at the corner of her mouth, struggling to suppress her laughter, Patricia responded, “It’s not that simple. The situation is quite complicated and can't be explained in just a few words.”
Martin gazed steadily at her and probed, “If Fannie wanted to go back to her father, would you agree to it?”
Patricia didn’t give it much thought and shrugged indifferently, “As long as she's willing, I'd agree! Even if she goes to her father’s side, she’s still my daughter, and that’s something that won't change.”
Martin didn’t ask further, a certain resolution forming in his mind.
He didn’t want to see Fannie suffer; perhaps he could let her return to her birth father.
That way, he wouldn’t always be reminded of the entanglement between Patricia and her father whenever he saw her.
Once Fannie left, their family of four could truly reunite.
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