?Chapter 913:


    But the next moment, he ran back to her, crouched down, and lifted her onto his back.


    “I’ll carry you,” he said, his voice steady. “Silly, if you can’t reach me, just say the word. I’m always here for you, ready toe closer.”


    In the weeks that followed, Brian seemed to grow increasingly distant, absorbed in his busy schedule. Meanwhile, Rachel’s schedule became more manageable, giving her a bit of time to breathe.


    One evening, after reading a bedtime story to Dora and preparing to tuck her in, Dora looked up at her, eyes wide with curiosity.


    “Mommy, can I ask you something?” she asked, her voice soft and sincere.


    “Of course, dear,” Rachel replied, brushing a strand of hair away from Dora’s face.


    Dora hesitated momentarily, then spoke, her innocent words carrying an unexpected weight. “Why are you and Daddy different from other parents? Other kids’ parents live in the same house and sleep in the same bed. But you and Daddy don’t.”


    Dora didn’t fully understand theplexity of it all, but she could sense the difference. She expressed it in her simple way.


    Rachel paused, her thoughts swirling before she answered, “Because your dad made mistakes, and I haven’t forgiven him yet. That’s why we don’t live together.”


    Dora nodded thoughtfully, as if absorbing her words. “Oh, I see. So if you forgive him, we can all live together?”


    Rachel remained silent, the weight of her daughter’s innocent question hanging in the air.


    Sensing her hesitation, Dora continued with surprising rity for someone so young. “Mommy, it’s your fault then. You once said that if we fix our mistakes, things can still turn out okay. If Daddy apologized to you, wouldn’t you forgive him? He’s the best dad in the world. And he… um…” Dora paused, her brow furrowing as if she were deep in thought, trying to articte something important.


    “What’s in your mind?” Rachel asked, sensing her daughter’s hesitation.


    After a moment of contemtion, Dora suddenly made up her mind. “He told me to keep it a secret. I promised him. I think you did something wrong, so I’m going to tell you! That way, you’ll know what to fix.”


    Rachel’s heart skipped a beat. “Alright, let me know what I did wrong.”


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    Dora looked at her mother with wide eyes and said, “A few days ago, it was Daddy’s birthday, and you didn’t even get him a gift. You forgot his birthday.”


    Rachel’s heart sank as Dora’s words struck her. A whirlwind of thoughts rushed through her mind. Only days before, she had visited An’s grave on his memorial day, as she had done every year, bringing flowers and talking to him.


    But Brian’s birthday? It hadpletely slipped her mind. She hadn’t even realized that An’s memorial day coincided with Brian’s birthday. She hadpletely neglected it, and it stung deeply.


    Over the past years, Brian had always gone out of his way to make her birthday—and Dora’s—special, filling them with love and thoughtful gestures. Yet, he had never once mentioned his own birthday, and she, distracted by everything else, had let it slip by unnoticed.


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