Chapter 23
The next day was Saturday, so Maverick brought Bella to the grave.
Bella pulled a stack of letters from her bag.
Several thin ones with one thick one sandwiched between.
I couldn’t help sighing: “It’s really obvious, Bella.”
Maverick looked at Bella a few extra times, then asked casually.
“Bella wrote so many letters to Mommy?”
He reached to take Bella’s envelopes.
Bella clutched the envelopes tightly in her hands.
“Yeah, I miss Mommy.”
Bella nodded somewhat stiffly, her words coming out dry.
Maverick didn’t forcibly take the letters, just asked normally.
“This letter’s pretty thick–what’s inside? A test paper?”
Bella looked at him with some surprise.
“Need a parent signature?”
Maverick’s tone carried amusement.
Bella’s eyes widened another circle, her thoughts practically written on her face.
“How did you know I was going to say that?”
I read Bella’s expression aloud.
“Same expression I had when Maverick caught me back then.”
Should I marvel at how strong genes are?
Maverick patted Bella’s head, smiling gently.
“Your mom did the same thing. But you didn’t do badly on this test–why so nervous?”
Bella honestly confessed everything.
Maverick didn’t know whether to laugh or be exasperated, looking at me on the tombstone, then at Bella.
Sighing helplessly, he said: “When we get back, I’ll help you work through it slowly. I’ll teach you what you don’t understand.”
We lived days like this as a family.
Bella’s worries gradually shifted from problems she couldn’t solve to which university she wanted to attend.
From choosing subjects to what major to pursue.
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My Murderer Hubby vs. My Regretful Sugar Daddy!
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Chapter 23.
I also discovered Bella had someone she liked–her desk mate.
The two kids had good grades, chasing each other’s test scores.
Gradually, they often studied together, chatted together, and met during holidays.
Maverick usually just watched them interact, privately investigating the boy’s family situation.
I thought it was pretty good.
The day the SAT scores came out, I stayed by Bella’s side, watching her fold her test admission ticket until it was covered in sweat stains of all shades.
Next second, the doorbell rang. Bella quickly turned around.
“Dad, that should be him. I asked him to come check scores together.”
Maverick led the boy in to sit down.
“Hello, Uncle. I came to check scores with Genevieve.”
His voice was low, but couldn’t suppress the tremor in his tone.
I leisurely floated to Maverick’s side, chatting as usual about things that would get no response.
“This kid obviously likes our Bella.”
Maverick left the two kids alone in the living room, turning to the kitchen to cut fruit.
A faint smile hung at the corners of his mouth.
Maverick brought the prepared fruit plate to the coffee table–the silver spoon clinked against glass with a crisp sound.
Bella looked up, her ears red as blood, but her voice low and firm.
“Dad, I want to go to Princeton.”
Beside her lay a neatly folded piece of scratch paper with “together with you” written in the corner.
The boy glanced at Bella, then pulled his gaze back as if burned, his ears red as sunset clouds.
Sitting beside Maverick, I suddenly remembered the flutter of first love at sixteen.
Maverick nodded at Bella.
“I respect your decision.”
I heard him chuckle softly, then went to his study, leaving them space.
Two application forms slowly moved closer together.
I reached out wanting to touch Bella’s head, my fingertips passing through her hair.
“My Bella won’t miss out like I did. How wonderful.”
I followed to the study, staying by Maverick’s side to reread the letters I’d left behind.
“Paisley, Bella’s as brave as you were. She’ll be happy, won’t she?”
He pointed at the photo in the frame on his desk–two young faces.
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My Murderer Hubby vs. My Regretful Sugar Daddy!
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Chapter 23
That was a photo of Maverick and me at my coming of age ceremony–one of our few formal photos together.
“Maverick, you have wrinkles now, and gray hair too.”
I ghosted my arms around Maverick’s neck, my fingers passing through the fine lines on his face.
“Paisley, all these years, I still haven’t dreamed of you.”
“I miss seeing you so much. I want to tell you I love you in person. I want to propose to you again.”
Even now, Maverick’s eyes still grew moist talking about these things.
“Paisley, when that day comes, will you come get me?”
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