Chapter 98
John fixed the blanket so Tommy’s head was out and he could breathe.
Looking at the way the boy squeezed his eyes shut, clearly refusing to acknowledge him, John didn’t try to wake him. As always, his voice stayed gentle and patient.
“Get some rest. Stop thinking about everything else. No matter what happens between your mom and me, we won’t love you any less.”
Tommy ignored John; he kept his eyes closed and pretended to be asleep.
John bent down and planted a goodnight kiss on his small forehead. “Goodnight.”
Tommy stayed silent.
John turned off the light and pulled the door closed. The moment the room went dark, Tommy opened his eyes. The clear eyes that used to be bright and pure were now clouded with something complicated.
John left Tommy’s room and went to check on Sierra.
Sierra was still lying in the same position as before. She was quiet, still, and fast asleep.
He sat down on the edge of the bed and watched her sleeping face, her breathing even and steady.
She looked very calm. Very docile.
Without thinking, his warm hand came to rest against her cheek, his palm tracing along the contour of her face.
One thought slipped through his mind. ‘Why can’t she be this docile when she’s awake?‘
He didn’t leave right away. Even though he knew she was drunk enough that she’d sleep straight through until morning, he couldn’t quite relax. Part of him worried something would go wrong.
Still in his shirt, he sat there from a little after nine at night until past four in the morning.
Only when Sierra’s brows frowned and she showed signs of waking did John quietly get up, take his jacket from the couch, get out, and head downstairs.
Maybe Tommy’s words had really gotten under his skin. A heavy restlessness pressed on his chest as he left, refusing to disappear.
John didn’t go back to Lakeside Villa. Instead, he called Kenneth and told him to come out.
“Bro…!” Kenneth yawned, “Do you have any idea what time it is? I can stay up until four, but getting up at four is something else. What can be so urgent?”
“It’s nothing. Go back to sleep.” John finally registered the time and was about to hang up.
Kenneth snapped awake. Normally, if John dragged him up for nothing, he would never forget it.
But… Did he just say there was nothing?
“What happened?” Kenneth stayed on the line. “Did something happen?”
John’s tone stayed nonchalant. “No. Go back to sleep.”
Then, he ended the call.
Kenneth didn’t get to finish his question before being cut off, so he called again. The phone buzzed in John’s hand, but his thoughts were so messy that he didn’t feel like lifting his arm, much less answering.
Chapter 98
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He hadn’t felt like this in a very long time. Not since that incident back then.
Kenneth didn’t keep dialing after John did not pick up the first time. He got his legs out of bed, put on some clothes, and drove
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