Two years later, I saw Aiden and Skyla again.
I took Chloe to the hospital to visit Mrs. Holmes, who sprained her ankle. As we walked out, we ran straight into Aiden and Skyla.
They were in the outpatient lobby, yelling at each other at the top of their lungs.
I held Chloe’s hand, standing among the crowd watching the scene. The drastic change in their appearance startled me.
Skyla was now thin and haggard, and her face was etched with bitterness. Her lips were shriveled into a thin line, and the corners of her mouth were permanently turned downward.
Right now, her features were twisted as she cursed furiously, “Bullshit! Your family is completely useless! My parents are the ones breaking their backs to raise that kid, and yet your family still acts all high and mighty in front of us! They even have the audacity to insult me. Those two old fools!”
Aiden’s face was dark, and his expression was grim.
He was wearing the old jacket I bought him years ago. At just 35 years of age, his hair already had gray patches, making him look exhausted and aged beyond his years.
He refused to back down. “Bullshit! Your whole family is full of bloodsucking leeches! Am I not enough for you that you want to drain my family too? Do you have any idea how expensive the kid’s treatment is?
“Your whole family lives off me and keeps their damn retirement funds untouched. Yet, you still dare to say I don’t make enough? I-”
He turned his head sharply and met my gaze.
Instantly, he fell silent.
His lips trembled slightly, and his expression flickered with complex emotions, ranging from panic to embarrassment and shame.
Chloe softly called out, “Daddy.”
Aiden’s body tensed. Slowly, he reached out a hand as if wanting to touch Chloe, but it stopped midair.
A low, guttural sound escaped his throat, and suddenly, he spun around and bolted out of the crowd.
