Chapter 205 A Gentle Kiss
Sarah put down her phone and looked up to see a hand holding a cup, knuckles prominent.
"I made you your favorite honey lemon tea to soothe your throat," Antonio said.
Unbeknownst to Sarah, Antonio had quietly approached her. His deep black eyes stared intensely at her.
"Thank you," she said, avoiding eye contact and concealing her discomfort.
Although she and Antonio had called a truce for now, she still felt there was something lingering between them after these tumultuous days, creating a rift.
"Hmph! Now you care about Mommy!" Witnessing the atmosphere between the two, Ethan still remembered Antonio's actions and kept his distance.
Antonio felt uneasy upon hearing Ethan's sarcastic remarks. He lowered his gaze, appearing solemn and formal as he walked over and crouched beside Ethan.
"Ethan, I'm sorry. I was too impulsive before; it was my fault. I promise it won't happen again."
Perhaps surprised that Antonio apologized, Ethan's eyes flashed with astonishment, but his expression quickly returned to cold determination.
"I don't accept it. Even if Mommy does, I won't," Ethan sternly declared.
After speaking, Ethan forcefully pushed Antonio away and turned his back, his eyes revealing determination and resilience.
Antonio would no longer sway him. Just thinking about what Antonio had done made it hard for Ethan to accept.
Upon seeing his son still resisting him, Antonio's expression turned gloomy.
Harper tugged at the corner of Antonio's clothes and whispered in his ear, "Ethan is scared. That's why he's rejecting Daddy. As long as we are all good from now on, Ethan will eventually believe that those things won't happen again, and he will make amends with Daddy. Do you agree, Daddy?"
Antonio found some comfort in Harper's advice and gently caressed her head, showing fondness.
After contemplating for a moment, he said, "Sarah, let's take the kids to the aquarium tomorrow. These past few days have been full of tension. I want to take them out and help them relax."
Before Sarah could answer, Harper excitedly asked, "Really, Daddy? Can Ryan join us, too?"
Antonio patted Harper's back soothingly, displaying a considerate and tender gesture. "Ryan needs more rest for his body. It will be just us tomorrow, but I'll bring Ryan along when he feels better next time."
Seeing Harper's anticipation and considering Ethan's recent emotional trauma, Sarah nodded in agreement.
"Yay, we are going to the aquarium! I'll go to bed early today so that Mommy and Daddy can take us together tomorrow!" Harper exclaimed, exuberant upon receiving Sarah's consent.
On the other hand, Ethan silently turned away and watched her joyfully soar, feeling a twinge of disdain.
He stubbornly said, "Some people just talk nicely! Maybe he'll forget about this right away. It was just a casual remark to appease us after making up with Mommy! What if he treats Mommy badly again someday?!"
Harper shook her head, not paying attention to Ethan's words, but instead looking at Antonio firmly. She felt that Antonio was serious this time and would definitely keep his word.
Antonio felt relieved seeing Harper's trust in him. Sarah then took the children to wash up and put them to sleep.
After the two children fell asleep, Sarah looked at their little faces and sighed softly.
Alone, she brought some alcohol and sat in the yard's pavilion, staring at the sky with a heavy heart.
Under the pitch-black night sky, occasional stars peeked through the clouds. Her frail figure curled up in the pavilion's chair, appearing delicate and helpless as if a mere touch might shatter her.
Antonio noticed her seated there, exposed to the cold wind. He retrieved a coat from his wardrobe and briskly approached, gently draping it over her shoulders.
She felt warmth enveloping her, accompanied by the familiar scent of tobacco that emanated from him, carrying his unique and comforting aroma. In an instant, she recognized it was Antonio.
She clutched the coat with a surge of emotion...
Even after five years had passed, she didn't need to turn her head to identify the man beside her.
Antonio didn't wait for Sarah to meet his gaze; instead, he took a seat in front of her, searching for a topic to break the silence between them.
"What are you drinking?"
"Try it, and you'll know."
Sarah poured him a glass as well and pushed it towards him.
Antonio picked up the glass and smelled the strong aroma of alcohol, wrinkling his brow. "When did you learn to drink?"
In his memory, Sarah had never got drunk before. What had she experienced to start drinking...
Was she drowning her sorrows in alcohol?
He looked at her, but she didn't speak. She just downed the glass in front of her, her eyes gazing at the sky, lost in thought.
Over the span of five years, she and Antonio had been separated due to misunderstandings. Initially, she grappled with giving birth to their three children, and later, she found herself in need of more money because of their growing family.
At the outset, she worked as an office clerk and occasionally attended to business-related matters outside the office.
During her first business outing, she was entirely inexperienced with drinking. Despite this, she eventually succumbed to excessive drinking, resulting in vomiting and diarrhea. However, driven by her determination to fulfill her duties, she persisted. Upon returning home, she collapsed onto the bed, suffering from a stomachache for several hours, only to wake up the next day with a heavy head.
Setting the wine glass aside, she met Antonio's slightly solemn gaze, a faint smile gracing her lips..
"That was a long time ago. At that time, I had to drink a little bit for work, and gradually, I got used to it..."
She casually explained, but it cut into Antonio's heart like a sharp knife, causing him pain.
"It must have been really tough to raise a child."
Antonio felt a pang of heartache, and he couldn't swallow the bitterness in his throat for a while.
"In the future, I will gradually make up for the lost five years, whether for you or the children..."
He held her hands in his, his voice slightly hoarse but sincere.
Her gaze met his, like stars shining in the dark of night. After a moment, she nodded gently.
"Mhmm."
Sarah discreetly withdrew her hand from Antonio's grasp, poured him another glass of wine, and poured one for herself as well.
Raising her glass, she gazed into the distance...
'Will we truly find happiness again? Can we really make up for all that lost time?
'So many misunderstandings and obstacles stood between us... Can we truly overcome them?'
Sarah felt only confusion and weariness in her heart.
In this moment, as she lay in Antonio's embrace, she simply wanted to set aside her worries temporarily and relish the tranquility they hadn't experienced in a long while.
Antonio leaned down slightly and gently placed a kiss on the top of her head.
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