Chapter 19
The abrupt voice belonged to a child.
Selene stared intently at the man in front of her. Nothing could’ve prepared her for the impact of seeing Carter in person. The photos were nothing compared to this.
In her arms, Harper called out to Carter instinctively.
Selene hadn’t lied to her! Her father was still alive.
She tried to wriggle out of Selene’s embrace, reaching out to hug Carter, but Carter didn’t even spare her a glance. He picked up the little boy and walked away.
“Daddy!” Harper was frantic, almost in tears. Why was Carter ignoring her and holding another child instead?
Her repeated cries drew the attention of the nearby guests. They turned to look at them.
Some of the guests recognized them, recalling the things they had done before. They began to whisper amongst themselves.
“That woman betrayed her husband, right? Her kid as well. She called her mother’s lover Dad!”
How could she do that?”
“Doesn’t she have a father? Oh, right, I heard the homewrecker was sent abroad.”
“Disgusting.”
It was hard not to hear the cruel comments. Frightened, Harper shrank further into Selene’s embrace, whimpering softly. “Daddy… I want Daddy…”
Selene’s expression darkened. Once, all it would have taken was a single look from her to silence these people. But now, the Miller family had fallen from grace. She couldn’t do that
anymore.
All she could do was leave with Harper as the guests continued pointing and whispering at
them.
From afar, Nancy watched this happen and scoffed suddenly. “Is that her? Selene Miller?”
Carter laughed as well. Back when he was married to Selene, she had been proud and haughty.
Then, when both he and Adrian had gotten into a car accident, Selene and Harper had chosen to save Adrian first. That news made the headlines on the same day.
However, the Millers were still one of the most powerful families in the city. The headlines and trending topics were taken down within the hour, the media silenced.
Now, she was reduced to this pitiful state.
To be honest, he hadn’t even recognized Selene and Harper at first.
Selene’s face was haggard now, and her eyes were bloodshot. Meanwhile, Harper looked weak and pallid due to her persistent illness.
Carter lowered his gaze and stroked Maddox’s head as he hummed in agreement.
Soon, the banquet ended with a piano performance.
Selene took Harper to the car, preparing to drive home. However, Harper clung stubbornly to the door, refusing to leave. She wanted Carter to hold her.
After being mocked by the guests at the banquet, Harper’s fever flared up again.
Sick children always yearned for their father’s comfort. Before, when Carter wasn’t around, Selene had to soothe her for a long time before she would stop crying.
Now that Carter was
crying for him.
right there, Harper refused to be soothed. She began screaming and
Selene had no choice but to convince her to go to the hospital, placating her with the promise that Carter would visit her soon. Harper soon ceased her crying and lay down on the bed for an IV drip.
Meanwhile, Selene’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. She had never imagined that she would see Carter alive again, yet his arm was wrapped around another woman’s shoulders and holding the hand of another child.
She had so many questions to ask him, but when she finally saw him in person again, she couldn’t get a single word out.
That night, Carter changed into his pajamas and was just about to go tuck Maddox in when Nancy walked in.
“Someone’s here to see you, Carter,” she said.
Harper’s fever returned after the shock she had gotten at the banquet. She was crying and pleading to see Carter, so Selene had no choice but to go to Jensen Villa.
“Are you leaving, Daddy?” Maddox grabbed Carter’s hand, looking at him with fear and reluctance.
After all this time, he was still afraid that Carter would leave him. Wherever he went, he insisted on following
Carter looked at Nancy, hesitating.
Should he go?
