My Husband Stayed With His Childhood Love—Our Daughter Called Him Stranger Chapter 09

My Husband Stayed With His Childhood Love—Our Daughter Called Him Stranger Chapter 09

Autumn was warm in the Southern Hemisphere.

My signing table stood in the center of the exhibition hall.

Behind me, a huge banner displayed the cover of The Silent Star.

A tiny star hung in the night sky, but it couldn’t shine on its own.

So all the little animals gathered around it, lighting the darkness with their own glow.

This book was Grace’s. Or rather, she was the one who taught me how to make it.

The signing event began at ten in the morning.

The line of readers stretched across the hall.

Many had brought their children. Some even carried fan art they had drawn themselves.

“Sylvie, this book is just so healing. My daughter asks for it every night.”

“Sylvie, could you write a little something for my daughter? She just started elementary school.”

I smiled and signed one book after another.

Grace sat on a tall stool beside me, her feet dangling above the floor and swinging gently.

She didn’t speak. But she talked to me in sign.

Mommy, the flowers outside are so pretty.

Her eyes sparkled as she signed.

“When I’m all done, I’ll take you to see them.”

She nodded and smiled.

The last person in line stopped in front of my table.

I was in the middle of signing and didn’t look up right away.

“What should I write?”

No answer came.

I lifted my head. A gaunt man with an unshaven beard stood across from me.

He’d lost so much weight. Faded gray hoodie, cuffs worn to threads.

Was that really Nathaniel? I almost didn’t recognize him.

But I recognized what he was holding. A hand-carved wooden bracelet.

The one he had spent three sleepless nights making for Grace’s third birthday.

A tiny rabbit was carved into the wood. Grace’s favorite animal.

“Sylvie…” His voice was hoarse.

His lips trembled. In the end, he managed only few words. “I’m sorry.”

I didn’t get up. I set my pen down, looked at him. Then I turned to Grace.

Grace was looking at him, too. No fear in her eyes. No hate. Nothing familiar at all.

She tilted her head slightly.

Then she turned around and calmly signed something to the security guard standing behind her.

I caught every word.

I don’t know him.

Nathaniel swayed. He took a shaky step forward.

With trembling hands, he held out the wooden bracelet toward Grace.

“Grace… this is the little rabbit I carved for you.” His voice cracked.

“Do you remember it?”

Grace stepped back at once. Then she ducked behind me and clutched the hem of my sweater.

Her hands moved, small and quiet.

Mommy, this man is weird.

I stood up. Across the signing table, I faced him.

For a moment, I just looked at him. Then I smiled.

“My daughter can’t speak, so she isn’t able to respond to you.”

My voice was very soft. “But I don’t think you need her to answer you.”

The smile faded from my eyes.

“After all, you never needed it before, did you?”

Nathaniel’s lips trembled. He opened his mouth, but no sound came.

And then, finally, the tears spilled over.

A security guard stepped forward and positioned himself between us.

“Sir, please leave. You’re disrupting the event.”

Nathaniel was stopped behind the security barrier.

Grace tugged gently on my sleeve. Her hands moved.

Mommy, the next person’s waiting.

“Okay.” I looked down and kept signing.

As I signed the last book, my eyes drifted past the barrier.

Nathaniel was still there, in the corner. Motionless.