Chapter 6

When the door was gently pushed open, Cameron instinctively reached out to switch off the light. The room was instantly swallowed by darkness. As Cameron untied the belt of his robe, he said, "It's late. Let's get started. I still have things to deal with afterward." Light from the hallway seeped in through the open door, casting a blurred silhouette at the entrance. Hearing Cameron's words, Brenda froze. She didn't dare step further inside and softly reminded him, "Mr. Langdon, it's me." Cameron paused at her voice. Once he realized who it was, he reached out to turn the light back on. Looking at Brenda, he asked in a puzzled tone, "Teresa isn't back yet?" Sweat glistening on her skin, Brenda nodded. "Not yet." The air in the room seemed to grow heavier instantly. Brenda knew Cameron was displeased. There was nothing she could do, so she tried to reassure him. "Mrs. Langdon usually comes home very early. Last month, she was back before 6:00 pm almost every day. Since she isn't back today, I guess something must have held her up." Cameron caught the implication in her words and offered a brief reply. "Got it." Brenda was about to remind him to get some rest, but before she could speak, he suddenly sat up straight on the bed. The words she was about to say died on her lips. Five minutes later, Cameron got changed and left Willowbrook Garden. Brenda walked him downstairs to see him off, a faint feeling nagging at her, as if she had forgotten something. It wasn't until Cameron's car disappeared from view that she finally remembered that Teresa had mentioned the things in the study. In the car, Cameron had barely driven out of Willowbrook Garden when Cecilia's call came through. "What's wrong?" he asked. Under the dim glow of the dashboard lights, his features were soft, devoid of their usual sharpness. Cecilia's voice drifted softly through the phone. "Cam, I have a really important concert tomorrow, but Rosie's kindergarten is holding a parent-child event for their first day of school. I'm afraid—" She didn't finish, but Cameron already knew what she was trying to say. "I got it. I'll have Teresa go." Upon hearing this, Cecilia let out a sigh of relief. "I've already talked to Rosie about it. You just need to let Ms. Sutton know." "Alright," Cameron said. "Just focus on your performance." After hanging up, he pulled the car over to the side of the road. He scrolled through his call history, but that familiar number was nowhere to be found. Only then did it hit him that Teresa hadn't contacted him on her own in a long time. Back when she was taking care of Rosalie full-time, she would call him every day to ask whether he'd be coming home for dinner. He didn't go home often, and when he did, it was only to spend time with their daughter. After she mentioned wanting a second child, she would still occasionally ask whether he was coming home, but he didn't answer every call. Sometimes he would reject the call, but sometimes he would let it ring out. Yet whenever he wanted to reach Teresa, her number was always easy to find. But now, no matter how many times he scrolled through his phone, that familiar number was nowhere in sight. He wasn't sure how long he searched before he finally found it, but the last call record was from three months ago. Had it really been that long since they last spoke? Cameron couldn't even remember whether he had answered Teresa's last call. Without thinking too much, he dialed her number—only to be met by a cold, automated voice saying the call couldn't be connected. Cameron had never encountered this before. Momentarily stunned, he tried again. The result was the same. He called four or five more times in a row, still unable to get through. In the end, he gave up. He considered video-calling Teresa on WhatsApp, but when he checked his contacts, she wasn't there. Finally, he sent a text message: "Rosie has a parent-child event for their first day at the kindergarten tomorrow. She wants you to go with her. 2:00 pm, East Street Kindergarten." Once the message went through, Cameron drove off. He figured Teresa was simply busy, which was why she hadn't picked up. Once she saw the text, she would follow his instructions and go with Rosalie to the event. With that thought, Cameron finally eased up. … Meanwhile, in the countryside, it was 9:00 pm. Teresa finished her last shift at the small-town elementary school and clocked out. She lived in the teachers' dormitory, and after a long day, she washed up and went straight to bed. Her phone was on silent, and she set it aside without a glance. She then fell asleep immediately. The next morning, Teresa was jolted awake by the sound of her phone. Still half-asleep, she reached for it—only to realize it wasn't her alarm. It was a calendar reminder. The following day would be William Langdon's birthday. Every year on this day, she would get up early to visit the morning market, buy fresh ingredients, and then prepare a scrumptious meal. She would busy herself from dawn until dusk, all for the Langdon family's dinner gathering that night. But things were different now. This year, Teresa wouldn't be that foolish again. After turning off the calendar reminder, Teresa went back to sleep for a while. It was Friday, and she would be off work by 2:00 pm. In past years, she had focused only on William's birthday, completely overlooking the fact that it was also the birthday of her own father, Jonathan Sutton. But not this year. She planned to head home tonight and cook a lavish dinner for Jonathan and the rest of the family the next day. As for Cameron's text from the night before, it had long been pushed out of sight by the flood of notifications. … It was 6:00 pm when Teresa arrived at the Sutton residence, right at dinnertime. As she stepped into the living room, she saw the whole family gathered. Jonathan, her mother, her older brother, his wife, and their daughter. Melinda Sutton, absorbed in her puzzle, jolted in surprise when someone suddenly stepped in under the eaves. But when she looked up, she realized it was Teresa—someone she hadn't seen in a long time. Melinda immediately set aside her puzzle, sprinted over, and wrapped herself tightly around Teresa's legs. "Aunt Teresa, you're back!" Teresa crouched down, pulling Melinda into her arms and kissing her cheek. "Yes." That single word made her chest tighten, her eyes instantly filling with tears. Melinda threw her arms around Teresa's neck, kissed her back, and shouted toward the kitchen, "Dad, Mom! Aunt Teresa's back!" Zachary Sutton and Wendy Tink hurried out from the kitchen at the sound of her voice. When Zachary saw Teresa, the surprise in his eyes vanished instantly. Wendy noticed his stiff expression, gently nudged his elbow, and gave Teresa a warm smile. "It's good to have you back. Dinner will be ready soon." Melinda dashed over to Wendy, looping her arm through hers. "Mom, Aunt Teresa loves smoked bacon! Last time I asked for some, and you said I had to wait until she came back. Well, she's back now, so—" Wendy playfully pinched Melinda's nose and said indulgently, "You little foodie. If you want it, I'll make it for you." Melinda leaped with joy, clapping her hands, her two ponytails bouncing wildly. Zachary, however, didn't glance at Teresa once. With an icy expression, he snapped at Melinda, "Stop trying so hard. Some people just aren't interested." Teresa had a very happy family—her parents, Zachary, and Wendy all treated her well. Yet she had poured all her energy and love into the Langdon family, even sacrificing for them selflessly and without complaint. However, the sacrifices she had made didn't move the Langdons. Instead, they ultimately hurt the hearts of the Sutton family. In truth, she didn't really have the face to come back tonight. But when she thought about it, this family bond was real. Her brother and father, who were stubborn but soft-hearted, her mother who cried for her every night, her gentle and understanding sister-in-law, and her adorable, lively niece. Teresa realized she should seize the warmth surrounding her. As for those cold-hearted people, she should have let them go long ago.