Chapter 18
Aaron charged over and threw a punch at Bruce.
Bruce easily caught it and shoved him back.
“Aaron, my girlfriend and I haven’t said anything about you. Show some class.”
He bent down and pinched the child’s cheek. “Uncle will teach you skiing! Got your snow gear ready.”
Ashley nodded, swinging the child’s hand as they walked inside laughing together.
“Ashley!” Aaron shouted the name with every ounce of strength.
Ashley turned, her smile still lingering.
“Relax, the child and I are still going back with you. Just playing with Bruce for a bit – no big deal. Don’t you and Nicole hang out all the time?”
Aaron watched the backs of the three of them and suddenly remembered last year when he had a cold. Ashley, who always put work first, didn’t go to the office but stayed home to make soup and feed him medicine.
His little one also hugged him with chubby little hands and said in a baby voice: “Daddy, holding me for a while will make you feel better.”
He also remembered when Nicole first came back to the country this year and Ashley fell ill. Nicole volunteered to take care of her, and after he returned from a business trip, he took Nicole to eat at that restaurant she had always wanted to try.
Because Ashley hadn’t recovered yet, she didn’t go with them.
At that time, when she watched him and Nicole leave together, was it the same feeling he was having now?
Aaron walked in slowly, searching for their figures in the crowd.
He watched them, almost masochistically, playing and laughing in the pure white snow.
On the ride home, Ashley and Nicole talked about where to go next time, but no matter where, Bruce was always in- cluded.
Aaron was almost breaking down.
When getting off the car, he grabbed Ashley.
“I know you hate me and resent me, but I’m not the same person I used to be! I had someone prepare a room full of snakes, and I’ll stay in there for a night.”
He smiled, a pale smile.
“There’s a venomous snake inside. If I come out alive, give me a chance, okay?”
Ashley looked down at the ground, where the melted snow was stained with mud.
Who’d want mud after seeing immaculate snow?
Anyone with a brain knows how to choose.
She withdrew her hand. “Nothing you do will change Nicole and my choice. The moment you abandoned us, we gave up on you. Do whatever you want-that’s your business. Suit yourself.”
Aaron didn’t show up for dinner.
The next morning, Ashley was woken by ambulance sirens.
She looked down from her window. Aaron was being loaded unconscious into the vehicle, his exposed arm covered with puncture wounds from animal bites, blood already crusted over.
As the ambulance sped away, Ashley closed the curtains and went back to sleep.
The next morning, Aaron returned.
After just one day apart, he looked more gaunt than before.
“Ashley, I’m back safely.”
“Oh, congratulations.”
Aaron blocked her path, his voice edged with desperation:
“What else must I do for you to forgive me? I’d give my life! Just say the word, and I’ll do it.”
“Let me and Ruirui return to Australia. Stop bothering us.”
Aaron stiffened, blurting out: “Impossible.”
“Fine, suit yourself. Bruce should be telling Ruirui a bedtime story now. Goodnight.”
She gave him a soft smile and went upstairs.
Aaron collapsed onto the sofa, staring blankly into space.
The next morning, Ashley woke up to find the living room packed with luggage.
“Since this place isn’t fun, we’re going home. We need family time just for us, without any outsiders interfering.”
Aaron turned at the doorway, his expression calm.
