The Daughter They Threw Away Came Back Wearing His Ring Chapter 07

The Daughter They Threw Away Came Back Wearing His Ring Chapter 07

“Eleanor, this is my fault for not watching Gina closely. Your father has already had people handle

the articles. I hope they did not cause you too much trouble. I’m sorry.”

It seemed to be from my mother.

I did not reply.

I locked the screen and turned the phone face down.

When I jumped from that bridge, I truly meant to die.

The filthy river water slammed into my nose and ears.

The pressure crushed me from every side.

The burning in my lungs was brutal.

Right before I blacked out, something wild inside me clawed its way up and refused to let go.

That desperate urge to live forced me to fight back to the surface.

The current carried me downstream and spat me out on a deserted bank outside the city.

I lay on my back in the mud, gasping.

Only two thoughts remained in my mind.

The river smelled disgusting.

Why should my life end in water that foul?

I was not willing to accept that.

Anger kept me alive.

With no money at all, I bounced between odd jobs and saved every cent.

I pinned my last hope on a working holiday visa to Australia.

Maybe heaven finally decided I had suffered long enough.

I got it on the first try.

¡ moved to a small Australian town, worked three jobs a day, and scraped together tuition in record

time.

Then I got into university.

In one night, Gina had dug up every step I had taken during those five years.

Yet in those same five years, my parents had never spent even one day trying to find me

From the moment I hit the water, they had decided I was dead.

They did not even need to see a body.

A bitter little laugh slipped out.

I added the number to my block list.

Before Spencer left for the office, he was still worrying about me.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay home with you for a few days?”

I straightened his tie.

“There’s nothing to stay for. I’m fine. I’m tougher than I look.”

Spencer kissed my cheek.

“Kids who are loved never need to be tough.”

Only after I insisted several times did he finally leave.

He looked back at me every few steps.

Five minutes later, the doorbell rang.

My mother stood outside with a thermal food carrier.

Her face was haggard and tense.

I told the butler, “Please ask her to leave. Tell her I’m not home.”

The butler soon returned, clearly embarrassed.

“Mrs. Hetter says she will wait at the door until you come back.”

¡ sighed.

After a moment’s thought, I opened the door and let her in.

For the first time, my mother seemed completely unsure of herself in front of me.

She half lifted the container toward me.

Then after two steps, she suddenly realized she had not changed out of her outdoor shoes.

Her eyes darted over me.

She lifted one hand, only to let it fall again.

“You put on a little weight,” she murmured.

“You look prettier too.”

“It was me who failed you.”

“We treated you badly for so many years.”

“Thankfully, you pulled through and managed to take such good care of yourself.”

“Get to the point.”

I cut her off.

“If you came here just to make small talk, you can leave.”

Flustered again, she hurried to the coffee table and started opening the containers one by one.

“I made these for you.”

“They are all dishes Spencer ordered for you last night.”

“Try them. See if they taste right.”

“You should take them back.”

“Meals from you are never free, and I can’t afford the price.”

I pulled my robe tighter around me and stood, ready to show her out.

She suddenly grabbed my hand and dropped to her knees.

“Addison, I’m here to apologize for Gina.”

She looked up at me with pleading eyes.

“You know she has aplastic anemia. Your father and I pitied her, so we spoiled her.”

“She never thinks about consequences.”

“No one understands that better than you.”

“Can you please not hold it against her?”

“Please. I’m begging you.”

“If you need someone to blame, blame me.”

“I’m the one who failed you.”