Seeing that I wasn’t asleep yet, she seemed to recall what she had done that day and softened her tone.
“I went too far today, but you hurt Zayden too. Let’s call it even.”
When I still didn’t respond, she brought up Percival.
“I haven’t seen Percival in days. I really miss him.”
She said she wanted to go to the bedroom with me to see Percival.
I sneered and pointed to the urn on the shelf.
“Go ahead. Percival’s right there.”
Aria turned her head, catching sight of the box.
Her face twisted in rage as she knocked it over.
“You dare fool me with fake ashes? I already lowered myself to make peace, and you still don’t know what’s good for you?”
“Percival, too, he was always so disobedient. He must have joined you in lying to me. I haven’t seen him for so long, and he hasn’t even called to ask about me.”
The more she spoke, the angrier she grew. She kicked Percival’s ashes across the floor.
At that moment, looking at the furious woman before me, I felt nothing at all.
Percival, did you see it?
She wasn’t your mother. She never loved you.
So come with Daddy. Let’s leave together.
I clutched the charm pouch over my heart that held Percival’s baby hair, guarding it as if it were my last breath.
After she had vented all her anger, Aria pointed at me and ordered, “I won’t hold today against you. Tomorrow, you’ll sign the contract with the research institute. You know exactly what you’re supposed to do.”
Without another glance, she picked up her bag and left.
I gathered Percival’s ashes piece by piece and placed them gently back in the box.
Then I picked up my suitcase and walked away.
At seven in the morning, I met Professor Achilles and the other colleagues from the research institute.
An hour later, the plane took off.
In the conference room, as she waited for the research institute staff, Aria began to grow anxious.
When she realized I still hadn’t arrived, she started calling me frantically.
But all she heard was, “The number you dialed is currently unavailable.”
Zayden sat beside her, constantly soothing her while belittling me.
The longer she listened, the more restless she became, her fingers tapping the table as she dialed my number again and again.
When the conference room door finally opened, she thought I had come to my senses and rushed in to beg forgiveness.
But it was only the research institute director who stepped inside.
The moment he sat down, Aria quickly forced a polite smile.
“Apologies. Our General Manager, Calix Jarrett, hasn’t arrived yet due to some issues. Please wait a moment.”
Unexpectedly, the director didn’t seem displeased at all.
“Can’t blame him. He just lost his son. Anyone would be in pieces after that.”
He paused as if recalling something, then added, “But didn’t he already join the overseas project? He left on the eight o’clock flight this morning, didn’t he?”
