Saved a Hundred Goodbyes

It seemed like Andrew was trying to get in Carl's good books. However, after glancing at the pastry box, Carl simply continued to play with his Lego bricks.

Immediately, Andrew's expression darkened, and he turned to blame me. "Just what have you been teaching the kid? He didn't even greet me when I came in!

"Not only that, but now he's ignoring me and won't even speak! Is he a mute?"

Worried that his usage of the word "mute" would hurt Carl's feelings, I closed the lid of my laptop and got ready to run over to protect him.

However, before I could stand up, Andrew, in a rare show of conscience, realized that he had been wrong to say that. He crouched down to apologize to Carl.

"I'm sorry."

He was about to speak up again, but then his attention was caught by something on the nearby coffee table. It was the bottle filled with candy wrappers and the note pinned underneath it.

A throb of pain shot through his heart, as though an invisible hand was squeezing it.

Just as he was about to pull the note out and read it, the ringtone he used specifically for Jennifer's number blared loudly.

Staring at Carl's back, he hesitated briefly. Nonetheless, he still ended up answering his phone.

"Hello? Jenny, what's wrong with Jordan? Don't panic. I'll be right over."

The moment Andrew heard that something had happened with Jennifer and Jordan, he anxiously set down everything he held before dashing for the front door.

Right before he stepped out, he abruptly stopped, which was something he had never done before. He turned to glance back at Carl.

"Carl, remember to eat the cake, okay? I'll be back before you know it."

This time, however, Carl was no longer heartbroken to see his father leave. He also did not bother to respond to Andrew's words. Once Andrew had left, Carl tossed the cake in the trash.

…

The day before our flight out of the country, I took Carl to the hospital for a check-up.

The doctor informed me that Carl was recovering nicely. Combined with the advanced treatment methods he would receive overseas, he might recover even further.

Thanking the doctor, I left with Carl happily.

…

Meanwhile, in the consultation room next door, another doctor was speaking to Andrew and Jennifer in an impatient tone.

"What is it this time? I already told you that your son is very healthy and that there's nothing wrong with him. He's just deliberately pretending to be sick because his father left."

Frowning, the doctor then turned to Andrew. "Let me cut to the chase. I think you're a terrible father. Why can't you just spend more time with your kid? Why are you always away from home?"

Andrew's face flushed red at the rebuke.

He was already spending most of his time with Jennifer and Jordan, yet somehow, that still wasn't enough to the doctor. In that case, what sort of father and husband could he be to Carl and me, whom he had neglected all this time?

That made him pause, causing him to be lost in his thoughts as he exited the consultation room. Just as he was about to call me and ask how we were doing, his fingers suddenly brushed against a piece of candy in his pocket.

Most likely, this was the piece of candy that he had forgotten to give to Carl before he left previously.

It was as though a bomb had gone off in his mind. He abruptly recalled the glass bottle back home, filled to the brim with 100 candy wrappers.

Andrew had already let Carl down that many times, or maybe even more. Just how disappointed must Carl be with him?

Anxiety rose in him at the realization. He hurriedly dialed my number, but the call refused to go through.

Just then, he happened to turn his head and spotted Carl and me walking down the corridor. He chased after us, wanting to stop us, but we had already stepped into the elevator.

In the next second, we vanished from his sight.

Subsequently, Andrew charged back down the corridor and burst into the consultation room we had been in earlier to ask the doctor.

"Doctor, what illness does the kid who just left have?"

The doctor stared at Andrew, shocked at the sudden intrusion.

When the doctor didn't reply, Andrew hastily explained, "I-I'm the child's…"

Perhaps worried about Jennifer and Jordan overhearing him next door, he changed his choice of words at the last minute. "I'm the child's relative…"

Letting out an "oh", the doctor then shot him a sympathetic look.

"That child sure is pitiful. He's still so young, yet he's already suffering from mutism. It's all due to the trauma of his father abandoning him on the highway. If you know his father, please tell him to stop doing such heartless things, or he truly will ruin the child's entire life!"

"What?"

Andrew's mind went blank, and his ears rang loudly. He couldn't stop himself from stumbling back a few steps before slumping to the floor.