Chapter 3

A child's emotions were like a summer rainstorm, which was quick to arrive but just as quick to pass.

At the theme park, Nora was so excited that she was like a wild horse set free. Despite the cold winter weather, she played until her face turned red and broke into a sweat. I rummaged through my bag and realized that we had finished all the warm water we had brought from home.

"Let's take a break," I said, stopping Nora just as she was about to run toward the carousel for the eighth time. Holding her hand, I led her toward the convenience store.

As we passed by a souvenir stall selling accessories, I glanced at it instinctively. Then, my footsteps came to a halt.

Oscar was standing in front of the stall, one hand in his pocket, the other absentmindedly fiddling with a tiger-shaped mask. His expression was indifferent. Beside him stood Carol and Mila.

Carol was bent over, adjusting a pumpkin hat on Mila's head. Mila was excitedly gesturing, her cheeks flushed with joy, showing no signs of having a fever at all. She and Carol whispered something to each other, then both of them laughed with bright eyes. Even Oscar had a small smile.

The bullet comments appeared again.

[Oscar is smiling so gently. He must be thinking about the times he used to come here with Kathy and their daughter.]

[The only person who can make him smile just by thinking about them is Kathy.]

I ignored the comments and exchanged a glance with Mary, signaling her to take Nora another way. But before she could react, Nora had already spotted Oscar with her sharp eyes.

"It's Daddy!" she exclaimed.

Oscar turned his head, and the moment he saw me, his lips immediately pressed into a thin line.

[Haha, he is still sulking because Kathy brought up divorce this morning.]

[He actually didn't forget about family day. He agreed to come with Carol on purpose, hoping to run into Kathy. It is so heartbreaking how desperate he is!]

[Yes! He has been waiting for her to call him all day, but when she didn't. He had no choice but to come looking for her himself.]

I had no time to pay attention to the comments because, at that moment, Nora had already broken free from Mary and was running toward Oscar. She grinned, thinking her father had come here to surprise her.

But before she could reach him, Mila suddenly bumped into Nora and pushed her aside.

Nora watched as Mila threw herself into Oscar's arms and pointed at the pumpkin hat on her head. "Mr. Astor, I want this hat!"

Nora stumbled and fell to the ground. Her eyes instantly turned red.

In her memory, her father had never held any other child before.

Her small body tensed up as she struggled to keep her tears from falling.

"My daddy won't buy it for you!" she declared.

Nora got up, patted the dust off her clothes, and marched toward Mila, raising her voice. "You bumped into me! You need to apologize!"

Mila huffed and lifted her chin. "Why should I? You weren't looking where you were running! I didn't even ask you to apologize to me, and who are you to decide what Mr. Astor buys? You are so rude!"

Mila was about the same age as Nora but shorter, so she had to tilt her head up to glare at Nora.

Nora was furious at her shamelessness. "It was obviously you—"

"Apologize," Oscar suddenly spoke. His voice was indifferent.

Nora put her hands on her hips and swayed her head triumphantly. "Did you hear that? My dad told you to apolo—"

"Nora, apologize!"