The Sign Language He Faked, The Family He Hid Chapter 02

The Sign Language He Faked, The Family He Hid Chapter 02

I made it home before they did.

The next morning, Grant made breakfast for me as usual.

He set a glass of milk in front of me and signed carefully.

[Something came up at work last night.]

[I’m sorry I left you to sleep alone again.]

I lowered my gaze and gave a quiet nod.

That afternoon, Mom and my brother showed up with Camille and Stella.

Mom signed to me.

[Camille just came back after getting divorced overseas.]

[Stella is from that marriage. They don’t have anywhere to stay right now.]

I looked at the little girl who had Grant’s eyes and pretended I knew nothing.

At dinner, Grant peeled shrimp for Stella with practiced ease.

After deveining each one, he used kitchen shears to cut it into small pieces before putting it on her plate.

Stella ate happily and called out without thinking.

“Daddy, I want more.”

Grant froze with the kitchen shears still in his hand.

Instead of explaining anything to me, he looked at me first.

Only after confirming I hadn’t reacted did he pull Stella into his arms and quietly remind Camille of what they’d agreed on.

“Didn’t we agree on this?”

“Around Elise, just have her call me Grant for now.”

Before Camille could answer, Mom brushed it off.

“It’s just what she calls him.”

“Elise can’t hear us anyway.”

My brother laughed too.

“Besides, she’s going to have to accept Stella sooner or later.”

They discussed it right in front of me as if I were just another piece of furniture at the table.

After dinner, Mom took out a small charm bracelet.

She signed that she wanted Grant and me to formally make Stella our goddaughter.

Stella was already in preschool.

Once she was publicly known as our goddaughter, Grant could openly attend her preschool events, family days, and birthday parties.

Camille could also return to everyone’s lives as the friend I’d supposedly forgiven.

I didn’t reach for it right away.

Camille’s eyes immediately welled with tears.

“If Elise doesn’t want this, I can take Stella and leave.”

“I’ll never cause her any more trouble.”

Mom immediately grabbed her hand.

“Elise is already his wife, and Grant has taken care of her for three years.”

“You’ve spent three years hidden away with Stella, with neither of you having any public place in Grant’s life.”

“Now all we’re asking is for Elise to accept Stella as her goddaughter. Why is that too much to ask?”

My brother scoffed.

“If Elise hadn’t suddenly lost her hearing, Grant should’ve divorced her three years ago.”

“That crash is the only reason she still has this marriage. She can’t expect you and Stella to stay hidden forever too.”

After that, they switched back to sign language as if nothing had happened.

[We’re only doing this to protect Stella.]

[It won’t affect your marriage to Grant.]

Grant crouched down in front of me.

His expression was as gentle as ever.

[It’s only a label. It won’t change anything between us.]

[Stella is innocent.]

I looked at them for a long moment.

In the end, I took the bracelet and fastened it around the girl’s wrist myself.

Stella looked up at Grant, delighted.

“Daddy, once I start calling her Aunt Elise, does that mean you can pick me up from preschool every day?”

The entire table went silent.

Everyone instinctively looked at me.

Seconds later, they relaxed again.

They were certain I couldn’t hear a thing.

Grant stroked Stella’s hair and answered right in front of me.

“Yes.”