Chapter 2050

At the Smith residence, Meredith arrived with Dahlia in tow, chatting and laughing with Cecilia.

Barely past her first birthday, Dahlia already sensed adult moods. She toddled over with a slice of fruit, offering it to Cecilia in hopes of earning a smile.

Meredith's sigh slipped out. "A child this tiny shouldn't have to be so considerate. It breaks my heart."

"Yes," Cecilia murmured.

Cecilia, too, found the girl pitiful.

What baffled her most was how Cassandra-Dahlia's own mother-could be so cold to the child.

After playing for a while, Dahlia grew drowsy, climbed onto a velvet chaise, and drifted into sleep without a fuss.

A maid tried to lift her. Dahlia startled awake, eyes wide with fear, until they found Meredith.

Meredith stood at once and gathered the trembling child into her arms.

"It's all right," she whispered, voice soft as a feather. "We're at Cecilia's house, and Mommy is right here."

Only then did Dahlia relax, cheek pressed against Meredith's shoulder-still without uttering a single word.

When sleep reclaimed her, Meredith kept holding her, unwilling to loosen the fragile peace.

"Lay her on the bed," Cecilia urged. "It's tiring for you to hold her like this."

wakes the moment I let


I brought her home, she

hasn't

nodded, eyes shining with unspoken

pressed a gentle kiss to Dahlia's brow, a tiny gesture brimming with fierce

she said, slipping her bag over one shoulder. "Ceci, we'll head back

for good-byes. At the threshold, she paused, shoulders squared yet eyes tender, determined to escort this small piece of

next time, too," Elliot called, cupping his hands around his mouth as though

rippling in her voice

the back seat with Dahlia nestled against her chest. One arm steadied the child, the other pulled the door shut in slow motion, every gesture whisper-quiet so the sleeping girl would dream on

Dahlia felt rarer than starlight bottled-something no fortune could replace, something fragile enough

on the top step long after the car had glided down the drive. Brake lights winked, disappeared, and still he stood there, small hand raised in a lonely salute that finally dropped to his

that much?" she asked, tilting her

do. She's really, really cute," he replied, as though the statement were


you didn't look half this sad. Isn't she adorable,

features outshone most

alone, she should have every child's vote. Baffled, she waited for

but she's

sword-fighting with sticks. I guess like girls who behave more like

the preference were as natural as

belongs to s

sounded perfectly logical to him, a

a judge but the innocence of

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