My Future Dad Admitted He Abandoned Me Chapter 11

My Future Dad Admitted He Abandoned Me Chapter 11

Vaughn’s lips parted like he wanted to argue, but he swallowed every word back down.

He stayed quiet for a long time, then nodded slowly His voice was raw and broken.

“Alright. I’ll respect your choice.”

The next morning, Mom and I packed all our luggage to leave.

Vaughn showed up at the airport to see us off, holding two small gift boxes. He handed one to me,

one to Mom.

“Hazel, this is the eighteenth birthday gift I prepared for you. I never got to host your

coming-of-age party all those years ago, and this is what I owe you.”

I opened the box. Inside was a platinum necklace, its pendant shaped like a single star set with a

bright, clear diamond.

“I filed paperwork with the International Astronomical Union last year to name a star after you- Star Hazel Hale.” Vaughn said gently. “No matter where you go, if you look up at the night sky, you’ll

know I’m watching over you from above, protecting you.”

Tears rolled down my cheeks again. I nodded, my throat tight.

“Thank you.”

Vaughn held the second box out to Mom next.

“Elara, this one’s for you. I once promised you a real wedding, and I never got to keep that word.

This ring is my apology gift.”

Mom opened the lid and glanced at the simple plain band inside.

She closed the box and handed it back to him.

“Vaughn, I appreciate the thought, but I can’t take this ring. All those old promises belong to the

past, and we should leave them there.”

Vaughn stared at the returned ring, disappointment heavy in his gaze, but he nodded anyway.

“I understand.”

The boarding announcement echoed through the terminal, and Mom and I turned toward the gate.

Right before walking through, I couldn’t help glancing back.

Vaughn stood frozen in place, waving at us.

Snow drifted down all around him, his silhouette locking unbelievably lonely in the swirling white

snow.

The plane lifted off the runway.

I pressed my forehead to the window, watching his tiny figure shrink smaller and smaller until it disappeared completely from sight.

Mom laced her fingers through mine and spoke softly.

“It’s all over now, Hazel.”

I leaned my head against her shoulder and nodded

Yeah, everything was over.

All the love and hatred, all the grief and regret, stayed behind on that alternate world as our plane

climbed higher.

Back in our original real world, I kept studying and moving forward in my career.

Years later, I became a well-known defense engineer, designing countless important national

defense projects.

Mom’s design studio kept growing bigger and bigger, turning into one of the top firms in the whole

industry.

We traveled together sometimes, visiting scenic spots all over the world.

Even so, every quiet night when I looked up at the stars, I’d think of that far-off military base and

that gray-haired old man.

I knew he’d spend every remaining year of his life in that other world, paying for his mistakes alone.

Meanwhile, Mom and I would keep living happily in our real world, surrounded by love and hope.

Maybe that was the perfect ending we were always meant to get.