He Comforted Their Child While I Recovered Alone Chapter 04

He Comforted Their Child While I Recovered Alone Chapter 04

Right as I was about to leave, my bad leg buckled and my shoulder knocked into a vase in the hallway The vase shattered, and the noise brought everyone running out of the room.

The door swung open. Grayson was standing right in front.

The second he saw me, the smile froze on his face.

“Addie?”

My parents and Piper followed him out.

Mom’s first instinct wasn’t to ask how long I’d been standing there. It was to shield Piper and the boy.

“I thought you weren’t coming. What are you doing hiding out here eavesdropping?”

I didn’t answer.

I just looked at Beckett, half-hidden behind Piper.

The boy stared at me, wary, and suddenly asked, “Mommy, is she the mean lady who won’t let us come home?”

Piper clapped a hand over his mouth. “Beckett, don’t say that.”

But everyone’s face had already changed.

A four-year-old doesn’t say something like that out of nowhere.

For four years, while they’d all gathered around this boy sharing every ordinary family moment, they’d also been telling him, over and over.

That I was the reason his mommy couldn’t come home.

That I was the one hogging his daddy.

That I was the one who refused to let their family of three be.

Piper’s eyes went red instantly.

“Addie, don’t blame Beckett. He’s just seen me sneaking around every time I come back into the country, so

he got the wrong idea about you.”

Grayson stepped in front of her immediately.

“Take it out on me if you need to. Don’t scare the kid.”

Without even thinking, he pulled Piper and Beckett in against his chest.

Just like he had five years ago, right after the crash, when he’d held me while I was covered in blood.

Back then he’d said he’d make whoever did this pay, whatever it cost.

Now, he’d finally gotten me my justice.

And then walked over and stood beside the person who’d hurt me.

I asked him, “Did Piper actually spend five years in prison?”

Grayson said nothing.

Dad cut in, impatient. “She might not have been locked up the whole five years, but she was stuck overseas, unable to come home. How is that any different from prison?”

“You want her to have actually suffered in a cell before you’re satisfied?”

I looked at him.

“But overseas, she had you. She had Grayson. She had a son.”

“When I was in surgery, who was there for me?”

The hallway went quiet.

Mom’s eyes welled up again fast.

“Why do you only remember your own suffering? Piper was pregnant, alone overseas, that wasn’t easy either. We just went to check on her once in a while.”

Once in a while.

They’d been there for every single photo, from the day that boy was born to his fourth birthday.

But through three surgeries, through endless rounds of rehab, not one of them had shown up. Not once.

I lowered my head and asked, almost punishing myself with the question. “Why did you use my baby’s

name?”

Grayson frowned.

“It’s just a name. That baby’s gone. Does that mean the name can never be used again?”

My whole body swayed.

So in his heart, our baby was already dead. Which meant the name, the bracelet, the title of father could all

be handed over to someone else.

I was the only one still stupidly holding onto the past.

Beckett started crying, scared by the fight.

Grayson scooped him up instantly.

My parents closed in on either side of them, shielding.

And I stood there, alone, on the other side of everyone, dragging the leg Piper’s car had crippled.

Not one person came toward me.

Mom looked at me, disappointed.

“Your sister just got back, and it’s Beckett’s birthday. Do you really have to ruin this for everyone right now?”

Dad’s voice went cold too. “We raised you for years. We didn’t raise you to be this heartless.”

Even Grayson said, “Addie, I never divorced you. That’s already me doing everything I can to make this up to

you.”

“You don’t get to make everyone else miserable just because you lost your baby.”

Suddenly, I felt so tired.

I didn’t even have the energy left to argue.

“And if I can’t accept it?”

Mom’s face went completely cold.

“Then leave. But think hard about it. Walk out that door today, and don’t ever come back. Don’t call us your parents again.”

Grayson’s voice turned just as cold.

“If

you

leave now, I won’t come after you. Come back whenever you actually figure things out and apologize.”

They all looked at me.

Certain I had nowhere else to go.

Certain this ruined leg of mine couldn’t carry me past the life they’d already drawn out for me.

I nodded.

“Fine.”

No one stopped me.

Mom turned to go comfort Piper.

Dad crouched down to pick up the birthday hat that had fallen on the floor.

Grayson carried Beckett back into the room without giving me another look.

The door swung shut in front of me, slow.

The birthday song started up again inside.

I dragged my bad leg into the elevator.

Back home, I signed the divorce papers and set my wedding ring on top of them.

I only packed a few clothes, my passport, and my painkillers.

At 11:40 that night, I boarded a flight out of the city.

As the plane taxied onto the runway, Grayson finally texted.

[Come home once you’ve had your tantrum.]

[Mom and Dad didn’t mean it. Don’t actually think they’d give up on you.] –

I didn’t answer.

I just powered off my phone and pulled out the SIM card.

They all thought I was just throwing a fit.

None of them imagined that “don’t ever come back” would turn out to be exactly true.