Chapter 72

Leslie slowly lowered her head, eyes reddening like she was on the verge of tears. Broderick's chest tightened all of a sudden. Who said desserts could cheer people up? Looking at Leslie now-does she look cheerful at all? Plop- A teardrop slipped down and landed right on the back of her pale hand. Broderick felt a dull ache in his temples-and in his chest, too. It was a weird, unfamiliar feeling. He'd seen plenty of people cry before and never batted an eye. But now? His heart was doing somersaults. "Leslie, you..." Just as he spoke, Leslie looked up. Her teary eyes shimmered, her nose was slightly red. With her fair skin and flushed eye corners, she looked like a fragile spring blossom, making it hard not to feel sorry for her. "I'm okay... really. I'm just happy. Ricky, you're the only one who's ever truly cared about me. You're the only one who's genuine with me. I finally realized today, in their eyes, I was never family-I was just a tool. Just a dog they raised. I thought, after t