Chapter 67 You Are So Shallow!
Kindergarten.
It was half-past eight, and the children had finished breakfast and were energetically playing and doing morning exercises on the playground. Each little face was filled with the purest and cleanest smiles, untainted by dust.
Simon looked at them, furrowing his brows, "The children are cute. Do you like children?"
Anna nodded lightly and pointed inside, "Do you see that little girl in a white princess dress with two pigtails?"
Simon followed her gaze and saw Penny, his eyes soft and gentle, "Yes, she's a cute little girl."
"Her name is Penny, and she is my biological daughter."
Suddenly, the air seemed to freeze, and the whole world seemed to quiet down.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds later...
Simon turned his gaze to Anna, his eyes filled with astonishment and disbelief, "Did I mishear? Or are you joking with me? You don't look like a woman who has given birth."
Anna didn't avoid his gaze and said seriously,
"You didn't mishear, she is my biological daughter. When I was 18, I had an accident at a hotel and was forced to have a relationship with a man. Later, I got pregnant, and for the past three years, it has been just Penny and me living together. I registered Penny as my brother's daughter to avoid damaging my reputation, but some neighbors still know the truth."
After listening, Simon's gentle face became blurry in the sunlight.
He had never thought that Anna had been pregnant and had given birth to a child, who was now three years old...
For a moment, he didn't know what to say.
Anna already had the answer in her heart and smiled, "Mr. Dalio, the person I am willing to be in a relationship with doesn't have to be outstanding, but the only condition is accepting my past and accepting Penny. I deserve that, at least. My daughter deserves that, too."
When Simon didn't say anything, Anna took that for a no.
She smiled sadly, "Its alright, Simon. You are really suited for a more outstanding girl. I'm going back to take care of Charlie, goodbye." After saying that, she turned around and hailed a taxi, and left sitting in the car.
In the rearview mirror, Simon's noble figure, slender as jade, was reflected. He stood still and didn't move for a long time. When it was too far away and about to become blurry, he turned around and got in the car. The low-key and steady car started and left in the completely opposite direction. This result was already expected by Anna. She knew that no man could accept a woman who has had a child, let alone the perfect and outstanding Simon. Why did she tell him back then? What was she expecting? She gave a bitter smile at the corner of her mouth, and the heartache spread in the wind...
Anna sat in the backseat of the cab, gazing out of the window as the city lights blurred into streaks of color. Her mind drifted back to that fateful evening when she had gone on a date with a man named Kevin.
The memories played like a movie in her mind—the anticipation and excitement before the date, the butterflies in her stomach as she waited for him to arrive. She remembered the way he had greeted her with a warm smile, and how they had exchanged stories and laughter over dinner.
But as the night went on, Anna had mustered the courage to share something deeply personal—her life as a mother to a wonderful daughter named Emily. She had expected understanding or maybe even admiration for the strength and love she poured into being a single mom.
However, the reality had been quite different. She could still hear the words echo in her ears, the hurt etched in Kevin's face as he uttered those painful words. "I don't think I can be with someone who has a child. It's just not what I'm looking for."
Anna's heart had sunk like a stone in her chest. The rejection stung more than she could have imagined. She had felt vulnerable, as if her identity as a mother was seen as a burden rather than a part of who she was.
As the cab navigated through the city streets, Anna blinked back tears. She had tried her best to put on a brave face during the date, but deep down, she had felt a wave of sadness and disappointment. She wondered if she was destined to be alone, unable to find someone who would accept and embrace her and Penny with open arms.
But in the midst of her pain, Anna also found strength. She knew she was a devoted and loving mother, and she would never compromise on her commitment to Emily's happiness and well-being. She refused to let one person's rejection define her worth.
As the cab reached her destination, Anna took a deep breath and wiped away a tear that had escaped her eye. She paid the fare and stepped out onto the sidewalk. The city buzzed around her, but she felt a sense of calm settling over her.
In that moment, Anna vowed to herself that she would continue to be true to who she was, regardless of others' judgments. She deserved someone who would love her unconditionally, someone who would see her as a package deal—with all the love, joy, and responsibility that came with being a mother.
With newfound resolve, Anna walked away from the memories of that date, leaving them behind in the cab. She knew that the right person would come into her life someday—someone who would cherish her for the remarkable woman and mother she was. Until then, she would embrace her strength, her love for Penny, and the hope for a future filled with happiness and acceptance.
Even if she had indeed imagined a future with Simon, it was alright. She had expected it. No matter how sweet he was, how kind and lovely, he was still just a man.
At the doorstep of Giorgio and Charlie's home, Anna felt tears sting her eyes. She really did love Penny. And Charlie, too. Even though he would never be her son in the full sense of the word. But she sometimes did wonder about how life would have been if she had never had children. Maybe she would have gone to college. Had a nicer job. A boyfriend.
Alas, it was only a what if.
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