The Camera I Installed for Our Baby Became His Love Letter to Her
Chapter 3
“I have to say, how does Rowena still look like a young girl after having a baby? Her figure hasn't changed, her skin is still perfect. I'm so jealous.”
I answered everyone with a smile, my eyes sweeping the room without giving anything away.
When I felt the hand at my waist loosen, I followed Donald's gaze to a girl in the crowd whose smile looked forced.
Fair skin, lovely face.
An employee beside her pressed a cup of coffee into her hands.
“Go on, take it. Rowena bought this to treat all of us.”
“Oh, right, you've been here less than a year, so you probably don't know Rowena yet. This is the boss's wife. Beautiful, isn't she?”
Something pained flickered through the girl's eyes, but she gritted her teeth and nodded anyway.
I turned to look at Donald beside me.
He was still smiling, plainly, but he couldn't hide the worry in his eyes.
Ten years of love between us. How could I not know him?
I looked around at everyone with a smile.
“All right, I just stopped by to see everyone since I was in the area.”
“I'll take my daughter home now and let all of you get back to work.”
Donald walked me to the elevator and waved at me with a smile.
Until the elevator doors closed completely and I couldn't see his face anymore.
The elevator dropped to the first floor, the doors opened and shut again, but I didn't step out.
I drew in a deep breath and pressed eighteen again, the floor where Donald's office was.
The instant the elevator doors opened, I saw Donald, his face anxious, pulling a girl into the stairwell.
No one noticed me.
I softened my steps and walked to the stairwell door.
Donald had the woman pinned against the wall, and the man who always had everything under control had nothing in his eyes but panic.
“Wanda Fox, don't get the wrong idea. I really had no idea why she came today.”
“Don't shut me out, okay? I'm really about to lose my mind.”
The girl kept her head down. I couldn't make out her expression, only saw her tears falling in fat drops onto the floor.
Donald drew in a deep breath, then, at a loss, gathered the girl into his arms and soothed her in a low voice.
Listening to Donald coaxing her, for some reason, I actually laughed.
But as I laughed, the tears fell before I could stop them.
I knew Donald. He was the kind of man who would never let a misunderstanding sit overnight.
Every time before, the moment I was upset, he never cared whether I was still fuming. All he could think of was soothing me right away.
“Rowena, my Rowena, don't you know me?”
“Please, don't shut me out. If you ignore me, I won't be able to sleep tonight.”
Back in the office, I had already pictured this scene, which was why I went down and then came back up.
But even with myself braced for it, the sight before me made my heart sink, and sink again.
I reached up and wiped the tears from my face, held my daughter tighter in my arms, turned, and walked into the elevator.
After I got home and put my daughter to sleep, I curled numbly into the couch on the balcony, watching the sky darken bit by bit.
When Donald got home, I was still holding that same position, unmoving.
Donald walked over and crouched in front of me, tilting his head up to look at me.
“What's wrong? You've been home this long and you still haven't changed?”
Only then did I come back to myself, and I let my gaze settle on him.
After we looked at each other for a moment, I stood up and headed for the dressing room.
“It's been so long since I wore makeup or new clothes. I can't quite bear to give it up.”
Can't bear to give up my daughter. Can't bear to give up this family.
Donald didn't catch the deeper meaning in my words.
He chuckled softly, came over to me, and pulled me into his arms.
“My Rowena, you look beautiful no matter what.”
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