Trouble in Paradise



Chapter 0660

Wendy gasped, covering her mouth in shock. She had never seen Tabitha interact so closely with other children before- usually, she kept her distance, even at kindergarten.

This was the first time Tabitha allowed another child to approach her and make such a personal gesture.

Tabitha turned her head, her gaze meeting mine from across the room. Slowly, she raised her hand and pointed her finger toward Cory, as if tattling, and called out, "Mommy."

It was only then that Wendy and I seemed to snap out of a spell. She took Cory to his new room to show him around, while I stayed behind to accompany Tabitha.

Cory had stopped crying by then. His round eyes stayed fixed on Tabitha until Wendy led him out. Just before leaving, he turned back and said, "Goodnight, Ms. Ariana. Goodnight, Tabitha."

Tabitha remained seated on the floor, absentmindedly fiddling with her toys, her gaze already drifting toward the darkened window.

I had always felt that Tabitha loved the night, perhaps because the stars in the sky felt like her companions.

Not wanting to disturb her as she immersed herself in her own world, I stayed silent. Yet, Tabitha spoke first. "Who is he?"

I gently stroked her soft hair and sat beside her by the window. Our reflections appeared side by side in the glass, and I felt an overwhelming sense of happiness with Tabitha by my side.noveldrama

"How about letting Cory live with us from now on?" I asked gently. "He'll be Mommy and Daddy's child too, just like you. He'll be your big brother."

I knew how smart Tabitha was and spoke plainly, confident she would understand.

Tabitha didn't even blink. Her lack of enthusiasm showed that she didn't care. To her, what difference did it make if there was one more or less person in the world?

She didn't seem interested in continuing the conversation, and I felt a pang of disappointment. As she grew older, she was becoming increasingly quiet, and I rarely got much response from her.

"Do you like him, Tabitha?" I asked.

Tabitha shook her head.

"Do you dislike him?"

She shook her head again.

I realized I wouldn't get a clear answer tonight. Just as I was about to give up, Tabitha spoke again, "He's not afraid of

me."

Those four simple words almost brought me to tears. I pulled Tabitha into a tight embrace and reassured her, saying " Tabitha is so lovable. Everyone likes you they can't help it. Cory told me he really likes you.

"Tomorrow morning, when you see him, can you say 'good morning' to him? I bet he'll be so excited he'll jump up and down."

Tabitha tilted her head to look at me, her expression contemplative as if trying to understand my words. Then, she yawned and fell asleep without giving me an answer.

After putting Tabitha to bed, I quietly left the room.

I noticed that the light in the study was still on. So, I pushed the slightly ajar door open, and Nicholas immediately noticed me. He closed his laptop, took off his headphones, and strode toward me.

There was an uncharacteristic awkwardness in his expression, but he quickly forced a smile, so fleeting it almost felt like an illusion.

"I thought you and Tabitha had gone to bed. I wanted to say goodnight to you, but the lights were already off," he said, taking my hand.

His deep, dark eyes seemed even more tender in the quiet night. "Having trouble sleeping?"

I nodded, taking a seat in a chair near his desk, deliberately keeping some distance between us. "Tabitha spoke just now.

"What did she say?"

"She said Cory isn't afraid of her."

Nicholas fell silent.

"When Tabitha was younger, she loved making friends but didn't know how to interact with them. If someone got too close, she'd feel nervous and scared.

"That fear would lead her to cry out, and the teachers would quickly calm her down and tell the other children not to upset her. Over time, the other kids started avoiding her altogether...

"To Tabitha, it must feel like no matter what she does, everyone eventually leaves her. Even the nannies who looked after her only attended to her basic needs, never playing with or talking to her.

"That's probably why she started believing that everyone is afraid of her. No wonder Wendy gets along with her so well Tabitha likely sees Wendy as someone who isn't afraid of her either."

I lowered my head and pressed a hand to my cheek, tears streaming uncontrollably. "Nicholas, was I wrong? Am I a terrible mother?"