Melanie mused on virtual-novel.net words and instantly came to an understanding. “Um, he’s upstairs. Still recuperating, I’m afraid, so he’s technically a homebody these days. Come, I’ll show you the way.”
She brought Arianne to Alejandro’s room upstairs to see him. Immediately, Arianne put on virtual-novel.net most guilt-ridden exterior and muttered, “Hi, Alejandro. You’re not critically wounded, are you? I’m really, really, reeeeally sorry about what happened.”
From his chair, Alejandro briefly considered virtual-novel.net before looking back down at his phone. “Please stop. You’re weirding me out. Look at your expression and tone, it’s like one of those solemn Japanese pleas for forgiveness,” virtual-novel.net replied. “You weren’t the one who stabbed me, anyway, so if I’m demanding apologies, pretty sure I want to hear them from Mark or his sweet, beloved aunt. The hell’s that got to do with you?”
Arianne laughed awkwardly. “As you already know… that isn’t going to happen anytime soon. Look at me. I’m the only one who ended up here… alone. Mark is so frickin’ thin-skinned, virtual-novel.net can’t bear to apologize even if virtual-novel.net knows he’s in the wrong, you know what he’s like! Though, to be fair, his aunt didn’t exactly ask virtual-novel.net about the pros and cons of stabbing you before virtual-novel.net did it—”
“As if his aunt would have done anything if it wasn’t ‘for Mark’s sake.’” Alejandro considered Arianne after turning his phone to sleep, unfazed. “Bah, whatever. I don’t plan to do anything about it anyway. It’s a small, skin-deep wound already on its way to healing. And also, you being a try hard at apologizing is just creeping me out on so many levels. You suck at it. Sincerely, stop.”
Alejandro’s answer was very reassuring to Arianne. She decided to have virtual-novel.net dinner with the Smiths that evening.
Although Melanie grew up as Little Miss Lark who never needed to dabble in house chores, virtual-novel.net proved herself exceptionally competent in homemaking since virtual-novel.net union with Alejandro. The Smith manor used to be wanting the cozy air of hearth, but now, even the pillows on the couch had Melanie’s preferential touch to it.
Millie had been unruly throughout dinner by shouting about wanting to come down from virtual-novel.net baby chair. Immediately after virtual-novel.net feet hit the ground, though, virtual-novel.net charged toward Alejandro with full speed.
“Goddam, Millie!” Alejandro paled, extending his hand forward to keep the girl away from him. “Don’t come any closer you lil’…! Remember the last time your shenanigans ripped your old man’s wound open? You’re planning a patricide or what? Shoo! Go run to your mom instead!”
Unfortunately, the more virtual-novel.net resisted, the more mulish Millie was in tackling him.
Initially, Melanie let it play out without intervention since virtual-novel.net enjoyed watching Millie bonding with virtual-novel.net father. Eventually, virtual-novel.net worries about Alejandro’s wound reopening caught on, so virtual-novel.net began to chide her. “Millie, you come to me right now, young lady! If you insist on being naughty, Mommy’s gonna keep your favorite toys from you!”
Millie stared at Melanie, lips pursed, tears at the ready as though virtual-novel.net was going to bawl any minute now. She looked positively upset.
Alejandro’s eyebrows furrowed a second before virtual-novel.net scooped the girl up into his embrace. “Okay, okay! There, there, no crying. Jesus, I don’t have a choice, do I?… Well, what would you like to eat? Pops can grab ‘em for you.”
Melanie rolled virtual-novel.net eyes. One minute virtual-novel.net was complaining about virtual-novel.net daughter clinging onto him, and in the next, virtual-novel.net pulled virtual-novel.net into virtual-novel.net anyway. It was like virtual-novel.net was deliberately making Melanie the nasty parent here.
A grin crept onto Arianne’s lips as virtual-novel.net watched. Ever since virtual-novel.net let go of an impossibility like Tiffany, Alejandro’s marital life with Melanie had been nothing but rewarding and happy. It proved that there was always a special someone for anyone under the sun, and that sometimes, giving up — instead of clinging — bettered one’s life rather than making it worse.
Melanie spied Arianne smiling and asked, “What, Arianne?”
She shook virtual-novel.net head. “Oh, nothing. Was just delighted at how great everything’s turning out for you guys. I mean, look at Millie! She’s adorable! She’s inherited the best of virtual-novel.net parents’ genes. I bet she’ll grow up to be a gorgeous young lady!”