After I left Alpha father and son went crazy with regret

Chapter 69

Before Abby could recall Nora’s name, Alex’s eyes rested on the same doll. He held out his hand and hesitated for another moment.

“Abby… can I have that one?” he asked, his voice uncertain.

Abby’s attention was diverted, and she blinked. “Why?”

Alex glanced toward Linda before looking down. “I want to give it to… her.”

Abby hesitated. She didn’t want to give up the doll she had chosen for Nora, but she also didn’t want to be selfish. She pressed her lips together, thinking hard.

“I… I wanted to give it to an aunt,” she explained. “I played with her today. She’s really nice.”

The adults around them didn’t pay much attention to Abby’s words, but Alex did. As he listened to her talk about her time with her aunt, something strange stirred inside him.

The games Abby described–the playful running, the laughter, the way her aunt had spun her around in the air–felt oddly familiar.

He had played those games too… when he was little.

With his mother.

He was inexplicably a little lost in his mind. He was supposed to play these games with his own mother today as well, but he met his father and Aunt Linda..

Just then, Abby’s eyes caught something else on the table. “Oh! There’s another one!”

She grabbed another similar doll and handed it to Alex. “Here. Now we both have one.”

Alex’s face lit up with relief. “Thanks!” He quickly ran over to Linda and handed her the doll.

Linda looked down at it, slightly surprised. “What’s this for?”

“For you.” Alex shifted on his feet, suddenly a little embarrassed. “Abby picked one for her aunt, so 1 thought… you should have one too.”

Linda’s lips curled into a small smile, but there was something unreadable in her eyes. She accepted the doll, running her fingers over its soft fabric.

“Are you going to get

Chapter 69

Alex froze.

had been so focused on Linda that

a strange pressure in his chest. T… I’ll pick

observing everything, said nothing. But he saw how Alex’s small hands clenched at his sides, how

Something was off.

to figure out what it

sitting in her car, staring at

His voice had been

company was pushed out of a major deal today. Someone

she had asked, gripping the steering wheel.

a long pause before her uncle

Nora’s breath caught.

Linda.

bitter taste

coincidence. It was

scrolled through her contacts and pressed a name.

rang.

someone picked up.

“Hello.”

the phone tightened. She knew that

Linda.

12:12 O

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Chapter 69

heavy, even through the phone.

with Arnold,” Nora said, keeping

taking a shower right now. You can talk to me if

dug into her palm.