Aiden tried to undo the clasp, but it was too tight. His movements grew rougher, his patience thinning and he still couldn’t get it open no matter what he did.
His face slowly darkened.
Just as I was about to speak, he fully lost patience and pulled hard.
The watch strap came apart.
He tossed the broken watch onto the ground without care, his tone harsh.
“Here you go. What a useless thing and you even came all the way just to ask me for it.”
“How much money has the Turner Family given you all these years? Have I ever bothered to ask?”
He looked annoyed, even saying that much, threw out one more impatient line, then turned and walked away.
I bent down and picked up the watch. The once shiny surface was now covered in dirt and dust. But at least the thing I treasured was finally back in my hands. That was enough.
Aiden turned and went back into the hospital to stay with Aurelia.
I went home alone, getting ready to pack my things. I hadn’t been home long when my phone rang.
It was the kindergarten teacher calling. I watched the screen light up, then go dark, then light up again.
The phone rang again and again until it finally stopped. I let out a slow breath.
The teacher also had Aiden’s contact information. She should have reached him by then.
That was fine.
After I left, Aiden would have custody of Isaiah and he would naturally handle everything related to the child, including her school and her daily care.
Whether I stayed in that home or not no longer mattered.
Before I even packed a few things, there was a sound at the door.
Aiden had come back.
He was helping the mobility-impaired Aurelia, with Isaiah following behind, who was still not going to kindergarten.
“I’m sorry for troubling you again.” Aurelia sat on the sofa without any unease, a polite, soft smile on her face.
Aiden didn’t seem bothered at all, his tone full of bias. “You don’t need to say that to her. She was the one who messed up and caused your serious wounds. It’s normal for you to come here and get better.”
“Besides, Isaiah is really happy to have you here, right, Isaiah?”
Isaiah smiled shyly, walked to Aurelia’s side and held one of her hands with both of her small hands.
“Aunt Aurelia, I hope you can stay with me all the time.”
Aurelia looked at me for a brief moment, not answering right away.
Aiden’s face instantly grew dark, as if the anger he had stored up at the hospital that morning still hadn’t faded.
“Why are you looking at her? This is my home, the house is under my name, it has nothing to do with her.”
His tone became more and more annoyed.
“It’s so late, you didn’t even remember to send Isaiah to kindergarten, the place wasn’t cleaned and breakfast wasn’t made. You’re not even as good as a nanny.”
“What am I letting you stay here for? To spend real money on you?”
He said these things with no control.
But when he turned toward Aurelia, his tone softened, as if he were another person.
Isaiah couldn’t help but complain, “Mom, we’re having a paper-cutting activity today. You didn’t bring me to kindergarten, so I can’t cut paper with the other kids. It’s all your fault.”
“You can’t say that, she’s your mother.”
It was Aurelia who spoke up for me.
But I felt no thanks at all.
She quickly smiled at Isaiah and said, “Do you want to do paper-cutting? I can’t move on my own right now, so I’ll teach you. Whatever you want to cut, I can show you. I’ll cut better than the other kids.”
Aiden watched them talk, his face full of smiles.
Then he turned to me and said, “What are you still standing there for? Go make food. I haven’t eaten anything since morning, I’m starving.”
After saying that, he walked into the master bedroom to wash and change.
