Chapter 3 Michelle's resentment against Frederick

At 5:15 pm, Precious returned, encountering Frederick as she walked into the living room. As in the morning, she chose to ignore his presence and headed towards the staircase before Frederick finally called out.

"Precious, dear."

Precious stepped on the staircase and took a breath for a few seconds before turning to face him.

"Can we talk?" Frederick requested, walking towards her.

"We have nothing to talk about," she replied impudently.

"Please. Even just for a few minutes" he begged.

"What's the point? So you can justify your mistakes? Well, sad to say, I don't need your explanation" she snapped.

Michelle hurried down the stairs after hearing the argument. "Precious, honey, I didn't know you were back," she said as she approached and placed a comforting hand on Precious's shoulder.

"Don't be like that, dear. You should hear me out at least" Frederick said.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I've heard everything I needed to hear. Not anymore" she said grumpily.

"Honey," Michelle said, rubbing her palm against Precious's shoulder to soothe her anger.

"What the heck is wrong with you? I'm trying to talk to you properly. How have you become this cold-hearted?" His voice trembled with concern.

Precious eyes reflected a mix of pain and resentment. "Oh, wow! You don't like the way I'm acting? Congratulations, you successfully made me the way I am, thanks to you."

With a heavy heart, she walked away, her footsteps echoing as she ascended the stairs.

"I'm so sorry, Frederick. I apologize on her behalf," Michelle said, feeling a deep sense of embarrassment.

Frederick sighed, disappointment etched across his face. "How did she turn out this way?"

Michelle took a moment to compose herself before responding. "Please try and understand her. Ever since you left, she has been more like a forlorn figure. Whenever she would ask about you, I would ignore or divert the topic. Sometimes, I would lie to her, giving her false hope that you would soon return. I can't blame her for becoming cold. If I had not been understanding enough, do you think I wouldn't have felt the same way?"

"But I did call you several times, didn't I? It's not like I abandoned you. I even sent you gifts just to make you feel happy," Frederick said, a hint of defensiveness in his tone.

Michelle nodded, acknowledging his efforts, "I agree, you did call me several times. But what about your daughter? You always called so late when she was already in bed. Doesn't she have feelings too? And as for the gifts, did you know she never accepted any of them? It's you she wanted to see, not the gifts. I lied to you, saying she accepted them because I didn't want you to feel bad. I didn't want you to be distracted from your work," she revealed.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know she felt that way. I truly believed she understood the demands of my job," Frederick admitted, his guilt evident in his eyes.

"How could she have understood? She was just a child. Despite the lies I fabricated, she still had her own emotions and reactions to deal with," she emphasized.

Frederick's face softened as he realized the magnitude of his mistake. "I accept that I made a mistake, but I won't let this mistake ruin my family. I won't let this happen ever again. I promise to rebuild my family and ensure it never falls apart."

"And I will help you achieve that. Just give me some time to handle it," she offered. Then Frederick nodded appreciatively.

"Thank you," he said.

A few moments later, Michelle came over to check on Precious in her room. She opened the door a crack and peered inside, only to find Precious sitting on the bed, tears streaming down her face.

Her heart was filled with empathy upon seeing her daughter in such a state. It felt like history was repeating itself all over again. It was like a scene from the past. She recalled the times when Frederick was away and she had to be there for Precious, rendering a shoulder to cry and lean on.

However, this time was different. Frederick had returned, but it appeared that Precious had not yet healed from her previous wounds. She felt utterly baffled and unsure, grappling with a sense of helplessness at not knowing how to assist her daughter in this situation.

"May I come in?" she requested.

It was at this time Precious came to the awareness that someone else was present in her room other than her. She wiped her tears with her index finger and looked out of Michelle's sight.

Michelle has lived with Precious for over 22 years, so she knows every action her daughter takes to express herself. The silence is more like a gesture for Michelle to enter the room. Or better yet, a 'Go Signal'.

Michelle walked into the room with a slow and deliberate pace, taking a seat beside Precious on the bed. "Honestly, honey, I didn't like the way you yelled at your dad earlier."

Precious's anger flared up immediately upon hearing her mother's words. "Even you, Mom?" she exclaimed, quickly standing up. "I can't believe you're saying this too. After everything he did to us... to me?" she accused, her voice filled with frustration.

Michelle tried to calm the situation. "Look, honey, I'm not denying the fact that your dad made a mistake, but it was just that-a mistake. I want you to understand that... Besides, he's back now. Let's not dwell on past incidents. Let's forgive and move on," Michelle explained, hoping to bring some resolution.

"I'm sorry, Mom. But I can't do that. As long as I see him around, things will never be okay. It's like you're asking me to forget all the pain he caused me. Have you forgotten 'The Father and Daughter Camp'? I had no father to accompany me. I became a laughing stock among my peers when they saw you there instead. Some even thought I didn't have a father... How can I possibly forget that?"

Michelle's voice softened as she responded, "I haven't forgotten any of that, honey. But it's not right to dwell in the past, especially when it's a painful one. I want you to know that everything happens for a reason, just like the situation with your dad. Like they say, forgiveness comes before repentance. How can you expect him to change if you can't find it in your heart to let go of the pain and anger?"

"Well, I don't care about that. I don't give a damn if he wants to change or not. As far as I'm concerned, I don't need him in my life anymore. He can go wherever he wants," Precious responded fiercely, her anger fueling her words.

Michelle couldn't help but feel her own anger rising. "Don't be like that, honey. What does your father have to do to earn your forgiveness?" she asked.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I genuinely don't care what he does with his life. From now on, I don't even care if he lives or not," Precious replied bitterly, further intensifying Michelle's anger.

The sudden surge of emotions compelled Michelle to raise her hand in frustration, but the fear of hitting Precious overwhelmed her, causing her to abruptly stop mid-air. Tears welled up in Michelle's eyes as she realized the gravity of the moment.

"I'm sorry, honey. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean for that to happen," she uttered, her voice filled with remorse. She gradually lowered her hand, her eyes welling up with tears as regret washed over her.

"No, Mom, you don't have to apologize. Just hit me. That's what you intended to do anyway. So go ahead, hit me. But it won't change how I feel. Things will never be okay between us... The conversation is over, Mom. You can leave," Precious blurted out, her words filled with a mix of defiance and pain.

Michelle gazed at her with her watery eyes and paused for a while. Then she turned away and walked towards the door. She opened the door and glanced back at her.

However, Precious deliberately avoided making eye contact. Once Michelle had gone, Precious collapsed onto the bed, unable to control the flood of tears that streamed down her face. Try as she might, she couldn't stop the tears from flowing.

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Kayden maneuvered his luggage down the neighborhood path, alongside an elderly woman. They halted in front of a particular residence. With a practiced hand, the woman fished out a set of keys from her bag and selected the right one, unlocking the door.

"I hope you find it pleasant, handsome," she ventured as they stepped inside.

The room wasn't expansive, but it was cozy, especially considering he was the sole occupant. It mirrored most features of his real home, except for its smaller size.

"Certainly, ma'am. It looks wonderful," Kayden replied graciously.

"Alright then, I'll leave the keys with you now. Just tidy up, and you are good to go," she said, handing over the keys.

"Thank you very much, ma'am. I promise, I'll take care of this place as if it were my own face," he said, offering a smile.

"I trust you on that, handsome," she replied, emphasizing the word with a grin before departing.

(A few minutes later, his phone buzzed.)

"Hello, Mother," he greeted, a grin spreading across his face.

"How's everything, son?"

"I'm settling in just fine, Mother. I've just moved into my new place."

"I'm glad to hear that. I hope your first day at school wasn't too stressful?"

"It was, Mother. The first day is never easy. Luckily, I made a new friend. She helped me a lot today," he said.

"Is she pretty?" Claire's voice chimed in from the background.

Kayden chuckled. "Was that Claire?" he questioned.

"Yes, it was," Isabella confirmed, both of them smiling on the other end of the phone.

"Could you please pass the phone to her?" Kayden requested.

"Hello, brother," Claire said, her voice cheerful.

"How are you doing, sister?"

"Now that I can hear your voice, I'll be just fine," she replied.

Concern crept into his tone. "What do you mean? What happened?" he asked.

"Oh, don't mind your sister, Kayden. Can you believe she got a fever after you left?" Isabella chimed in, her voice closer to the phone.

"Come on, Claire. I haven't been gone that long. Do you want me to start worrying?"

"I'm sorry, brother. I won't let it happen again, I promise. I'll take care of myself from now on. "

"Is that a promise?"

"Yes, brother," she nodded, her voice meek but earnest.

"Alright, you two take care. I have to go now," Kayden said.

"Alright, son. Bye," Isabella said as she ended the call.