He Brought Me Home, But Never Made Me Family Chapter 03

He Brought Me Home, But Never Made Me Family Chapter 03

At midnight, when I left, the ballroom was still loud and lively.

I wandered back to the apartment alone.

Tyler suddenly called.

“I heard they threw you a graduation dinner. How was it? Did you have fun?”

I stayed quiet for a long time.

Dad took the phone.

“If you’re unhappy, just come home. We sent you back because we wanted you to have your biological family and a better life. Not so you’d suffer.”

“About the residency and enrollment you mentioned, Uncle Ray already looked into it. We have people working on it. You’ll get into that school.”

I stared at the family photo of the four of us on my nightstand.

Then I thought about the Whitmore house I was never allowed to call home.

Aside from being allowed to visit my birth parents’ graves at a different time from Isla, I was not even allowed to touch any of their keepsakes.

The locket my birth mother left me was still with Isla, who cherished it as her own.

My chest ached, but something inside me finally settled.

“Then I want roast chicken when I get back. And mashed potatoes and apple pie.”

I heard soft crying on the other end.

“Okay. Come home and you can have as much as you want. Mom and Dad will make it all for you.”

After I hung up, someone knocked on the door.

It was Adrian.

His eyes were red.

“Tonight was my fault. I’ll throw you a better one tomorrow.”

I had heard that promise too many times.

“No need. I don’t even know those people.”

He opened his mouth.

“They’re our relatives and family friends. You’ll get to know them eventually.”

I stopped packing.

“They’re your and Isla’s family. Not mine.”

“In three years, you never once let me meet them.”

He looked at me, his eyes pleading.

“Willa, just give me a little more time.”

He was always like this.

Every time I got disappointed, he said he had no choice.

But he was the one who had begged me to come back.

Was it really that hard to choose?

In the end, he could not bear to lose Isla, but he did not want to let me go either.

That was not a good enough reason for me to keep stepping back.

I looked at him calmly.

“It’s late. I need to sleep. You should go back too. Isla will panic if she doesn’t see you.”

A tear hit the floor.

He quickly wiped his face and sat down on the couch.

“She’s not a kid anymore. She’ll be fine sleeping alone. Besides, she’s exhausted today and already asleep.”

“I’ll stay here with you tonight.”

It was a one-bedroom apartment.

When I rented it, he had never imagined he would end up staying here.

He took off his coat and shoes and sat on the sofa.

“I’ll get you a bigger place later. I’ll take the couch tonight.”

I did not say anything.

Because I knew he would leave eventually.

At two in the morning, his phone rang by the door.

He answered fast, keeping his voice low, but I still woke up.

“Tell her I have something at the company and can’t come back.”

“She’s not a kid. She can’t sleep if she doesn’t see me? You’re all there. What could happen?”

“Hang up. Handle it yourselves.”

The call ended quickly.

The tight knot in my chest finally loosened.

I already knew I was nowhere near as important as Isla in his heart.

But in that moment, even if he chose me only once, it was enough.

At least I would not have too many regrets.

I rolled over, sleep slowly pulling me under.

Just as my eyes closed, I heard footsteps and a soft knock.

“Willa, are you asleep? Something came up at the company. I have to go.”

I knew it was a lie.