Perturbation brimmed in Lucas’ doe-like eyes.
It’s all my fault. I caused Mommy to be scolded.
Dabbing off the sweat on the child’s head with a handkerchief, Nathaniel reminded the former, “Don’t do it again. It’s fine if you had just broken the shelf, but what if the books had hit your head?”
“I’m sorry, Daddy,” said Lucas with a pout.
“You’re all sweaty. Come on. I’ll give you a shower.” Christina got to her feet and pulled Lucas along to the bathroom.
After the door closed, Nathaniel’s gaze moved up until it found the shelf’s topmost level.
The books were arranged neatly, but the sequence was incorrect.
Christina did not sleep well because of what she learned. Hence, she drove to the hospital early the next day.
Sharon looked much better compared to the last time Christina saw her. Clearly, the former had rested
well.
“Mom, I’m here. Do you want some grapes?” Christina approached the hospital bed and opened up the container filled with cleaned fruits.
Sharon was delighted to see her daughter, and a smile tugged at her lips. “Okay.”
Hearing Sharon’s response, Christina peeled the fruit’s skin and popped them into the former’s mouth. The bond between the two was strong after having to depend on each other for so many years. Hence, the news that the woman in front of her was not her biological mother put Christina at a loss.
She had no idea how to handle it.
“Christina, you dropped a grape. What are you thinking so deeply about?” asked Sharon with concern..
Only then did Christina realize the grape had slipped from her fingers.
“My hands slipped,” explained Christina awkwardly. She then picked up the grape with a piece of tissue and tossed it into the bin.
Christina’s strange behavior worried Sharon. “What’s wrong? Did you and Nathaniel get into a fight?”
Christina’s eyelids drooped to avoid her mother’s gaze. For a moment, she did not know how to answer the latter’s question. “No…”
Sensing the young lady’s hesitance, Sharon gently patted the former’s hand to comfort her. “Is Nathaniel giving you less attention because he’s usually swamped at work? It’s normal since men are the breadwinners. As a wife-”
“That’s not it, Mom,” Christina interrupted, still wondering where she should begin.
Will Mom get upset if I go straight to the point? I mean, no mother would want their daughter, whom they raised for over twenty years, to ask if they’re related by blood.
“What is it, then Tell me. Don’t keep it to yourself. Sharon grew more concerned the longer Christina kept her silence
Christina fiddled with her fingers and took in a deep breath. Maybe I should just ask her instead of making wild
guesses on my oten.
“Mom, was … adopted?”
Christina locked a nervous gaze on her mother as complex feelings like worry and suspicion sprouted in her heart, making her feel slightly overwhelmed.
Sharon was stunned by the unexpected question, and her pupils constricted.
“H-How did you know?” She subconsciously clenched her fists, her heart beating like a drum.
When Christina saw Sharon’s reaction, a guess formed in her mind, roughly confirming the suspicions she had been having for a while.
After a moment of silence, Christina took Sharon’s hand and stared at the latter intently. “Mom, no matter what happened in the past, you’re still the mom I love the most.”
Hearing that, Sharon could no longer hold back her tears. After all, she thought she could bring the secret. she had been hiding for many years to her grave.
“It’s been so many years. I can’t believe you found out about it so soon. I didn’t mean to hide it from you.
Christina felt her heart tighten at her mother’s words. It was as if the blood in her vessels had solidified from all the anxiety she was feeling. “Mom, what exactly happened?”
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