Chapter 19
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“Faith, what’s on your mind?” Ethan turned around and saw Faith staring blankly at him. “Did I do something wrong?”
“Not at all. Thanks for today. Callie is really happy.” Faith shook her head and saw him out. “It’s getting late. Drive safe.”
However, Ethan wedged his hand in the gap of the closing door. “Faith, it’s my job to care for Callie as her dad. I was a jerk before this, but I’m trying to
turn over a new leaf.”
“I get it,” she replied flatly.
Truthfully, she could see that Ethan was trying his best to treat Callie right.
“Faith, can’t you give me another chance?” His misty eyes were overflowing with affection. Faith had never seen him cry other than that day he became crippled from the car accident.
Ethan’s sincerity touched her heart, but he could not right his wrong anymore.
“Mr. Hale, I don’t need to give you a chance. Be nice to Callie–I won’t stop you from doing so. As for our relationship, it’s all in the past. You are totally capable of appealing for Ms. Sutton’s sentence reduction.”
Faith was tired of being Nicole’s replacement.
“Faith, you’ve misunderstood my relationship with Nicole.” Guilt flickered in his eyes. He quickly explained, “I admit that I was overjoyed to see her again, and I thought I still loved her. It wasn’t until you left that I realized I was in love with you. 1
“Trust me, Faith.”
She inhaled sharply but did not change her mind. “That’s none of my business. Goodbye, Mr. Hale.”
“Faith, I won’t give up on you! I love you–I have always loved you!”
Faith leaned against the door, grappling with complicated emotions as she listened to him. Refusing to engage with him anymore, she worked faster, hoping to leave Lothania earlier than she had scheduled.
Ethan would bring Callie for shopping, movies, and Lego when she was at work. He attempted to make up for his years of absence.
Despite growing closer to Ethan, Callie refused to call him “Dad“.
His heart bled every time she called him “Uncle Ethan“.
“Callie, are you still mad at me?” He peeled a tangerine for Callie. “Could you stop calling me ‘Uncle Ethan‘? I hope you’ll call me ‘Dad‘.”
“I forgive you, but I don’t want to call you ‘Dad,“” replied Callie with a straight face.
“Every time I called you ‘Dad,‘ you would be upset. You’d only look at me when I called you ‘Uncle Ethan‘.”
“I was wrong,” Ethan admitted.
Callie grunted but said nothing more. Ethan wasn’t angry either. He patiently peeled the tangerines for her and stayed by her side.
When Faith arrived to pick up Callie, she saw Ethan feeding her tangerines. His eyes radiated fatherly warmth.
“Mommy, hurry up! Uncle Ethan made fries today!” Callie ran to Faith, grabbed her hand, and pulled her toward the dining table. “They’re really delicious!”
She picked up a fry dipped in ketchup and fed it to Faith. “You never let me eat the ones outside, so Uncle Ethan made them for me himself. Isn’t it good?”
“It is.”
Faith had to admit–Ethan’s cooking skills had improved at an astonishing rate. These fries were even better than hers.
Callie ate happily, but when it was time to leave, she hesitated, clearly reluctant to go.
“Uncle Ethan, we’re going home tomorrow.”
Ethan’s hand trembled slightly. He lifted his gaze to Faith. “Are you leaving that soon? The summit still has three more days to go.”
“My work here is done.”
“I see.” Ethan’s voice carried a trace of sorrow. “What time is your flight? I’ll take you to the airport.”
Faith shook her head. “We’ve already arranged for a car.”
Ethan could only nod helplessly. Faith’s coldness was barely a fraction of what he had once shown her, yet his heart was already breaking.
How had she and Callie tolerated him all this time?
“Alright.” His chest felt tight as he walked them to the door. “Safe travels.”
He watched them leave, their figures gradually disappearing into the distance. A silent determination took root in his heart–he had to win them back. Faith held Callie’s hand as they walked away. They had only taken a few steps when two figures suddenly rushed toward thein.
Faith Instinctively pulled Callie into her arms for protection.
