Miriam frowned as she watched Heath and Eleanor embracing in front of her.
These days, she had been clashing with her teacher, Laura, at every turn. Yet despite that, the lessons had unknowingly planted some clear–healed ideas in her mind. One in particular stuck, with her family came first, and that one should love their family, but not blindly.
Laura had once told her a story.
A married man became entangled with another woman, who forced her way into the household and drove out the wife. The mistress gave birth to her own child while relentlessly tormenting the first wife’s child endlessly.
However, that child never fought back. When the mistress grew old, he still cared for her, while completely abandoning his biological mother.
When Miriam heard that story, she first thought of her father and Eleanor.
Still, Eleanor was so gentle and kind to her. There was no way she would be the cruel stepmother in that story. So, Miriam had scoffed and paid no heed to Laura’s teaching. She
was convinced that she would never be the kind of foolish child who showed blind devotion.
As her classes continued, she had tried several times to beg Eleanor to take her away. Each time, the latter agreed right away, but when the day came, she would always say that she had to postpone because of a filming schedule.
Miriam began to develop a temper of her own. Now, seeing the scene in front of her, something unpleasant stirred in her chest.
“She fell, so I helped her up,” Heath said, his expression neutral.
Miriam studied him, a hint of suspicion in her eyes.
Indeed, Eleanor used to fall all the time, and Heath would help her up, but something about that day felt off. It was as if something else would have happened if she hadn’t shown up. She could not make sense of it, and her irritation only grew by the second.
Eleanor noticed her unease. “What’s wrong, Miriam? Are your classes over?” she gently asked, pulling herself away from Heath’s arm.
The mention of class made Miriam’s expression darken even further. She stomped over loudly and squeezed herself between the two adults.
She tugged at the hem of Heath’s shirt and asked, “Dad, where is Mom?”
Heath was a little surprised that she brought up Veronica on her own. He asked in return, ” What is it?”
Miriam pouted, her voice filled with expectation. “Didn’t you promise me that she’d return to
Chapter 69
take care of me? I just saw her go upstairs, Wheres she now?
This was the first time Miriam had ever ignored Eleanor in this mantier. Eleanor’s heart skipped a beat.
All this time, she had purposely dragged things out and refused to bring the young girl home so she could have more alone time with Heath. Who would have thought that Miriam would already start to pull away from her after just a few days apart?
Eleanor thought that Miriam was such an ungrateful brat. Still, she kept her expression calm as she gently patted Miriam’s head. “Your mom a ready left.”
“What?” Miriam shouted, yanking even harder on Heath’s shirt. “Dad, you said she was staying this time! You lied to me!”
Caught off guard by his daughter’s sudden outburst, Heath’s expression turned ugly. His mind flashed back to the last time he saw Veronica. The latter had said that she would no longer serve as his full–time on–call nanny.
Now, with Miriam acting like this, he could understand why she had said that.
His voice turned cold as he said, “Miriam Tate, are the housekeepers here not enough to take care of you? Your mother isn’t your maid. She has no obligation to be at your beck and call. It looks like your,teacher hasn’t been strict enough with you. I’ll talk to her.”
Miraim had never seen Heath speak to her so sternly like that before.
All she wanted was for her mother to be with her. She didn’t see anything wrong with that.
However, under Heath’s stern gaze, she could not get a single–word out in response. As soon as she opened her mouth, she burst into tears and wailed, “You don’t love me! Not a single one of you loves me! I’m just some unwanted kid! I hate you!”
“Miriam Tate!” Heath snapped, completely losing all patience.
Eleanor quickly pulled the sobbing child into her arms and patted her back soothingly. Then, she looked at Heath gently and said, “Heath, she’s still just a child. How can you talk to her like that? I don’t think that the teacher is being lenient. If anything, the pressure might be too
much.
“You’ve been so busy, and she hasn’t had her mother around to confide in. That’s why she’s lashing out like this.”
Miram buried her face in Eleanor’s arms, her small body trembling as she cried.
chapter 70:
Chapter 70
