“Owen, who told you this?” Vincent lowered his voice and asked him gently.
Owen thought for a moment, “I heard it last time when Miyamoto took Mom away!”
“Owen, Miyamoto is your father and I’m just your uncle. I’m sorry, dear!” Vincent surprisingly looked clumsy and did not know how to comfort the child.
“I’ve known it already!” Owen was not too sad, “Vincent, can I live with you and Leila? You let Leila be my mother, okay?”
“Owen, you’re my son! You aren’t allowed to acknowledge a bad woman as your mother!” Pippa shrieked hysterically out of the blue. This had severely scared Owen and his small hands wrapped around Vincent’s neck.
“I don’t want to be here, I want to leave, and I want to go back to my grandmother’s place. I don’t want to be here…”
“Pippa, calm down!” Miyamoto stopped Pippa’s hysteria.
“No! He’s my son! My son!” She pointed at Leila, “She has stolen Vincent away and is even also wanting to steal my son! Leila, I hate you~!”
Leila froze for a moment, what did this have to do with her? It seemed that Pippa really needed to do some detailed introspection! However, she could understand her too. After all, her own son was not with her and this definitely dealt a big blow to her!
Vincent gently patted Owen’s back, “Owen, why do you refuse to stay with your mother?”
Owen kept silent. He lay on Vincent’s shoulder and looked very pitiful.
Miyamoto took a step forward and said in a deep voice, “Owen, you know I’m your father?”
Owen did not answer.
“Owen?” Vincent called him again, “Why?”
“Mom hit Owen, and Miyamoto hit Mom! When Miyamoto hit Mom, Mom hit Owen. Owen doesn’t want to stay with them…”
The child’s immature voice stabbed everyone’s heart like a steel knife!
Was this the crux of the problem?
Instantly, Miyamoto seemed to have aged a lot as he staggered back. He lowered his head and said gently after quite a while, “Owen, if Dad no longer hits Mom, are you willing to stay with Dad?”
Owen did not say anything. His small hands were embracing Vincent as if Vincent was his harbour. His attachment to Vincent made Leila felt heartbroken. This child was just longing for warmth but he was so unfortunate as his father and mother gave him too little love. He was so dependent on Vincent. Leila thought that this person must be kind as he could get a child’s complete trust!
Mr White was the kindest! What else did she need to suspect? That video should be her mother-in-law’s conspiracy, right?
Seeing that the child did not utter a word, Miyamoto’s hand trembled and he walked out of the door.
Pippa flopped on the bed and cried.
Leila could not bear it and she followed Miyamoto out. In the corridor, Miyamoto drew out a cigarette with trembling hands and lit it.
“Owen just needs time, Miyamoto. Don’t be too sad!”
Miyamoto smoked and his mood was slightly relieved. He raised his eyes, looked at Leila and slowly blurted out two words, “Thank you!”
Leila shook her head, “Although I don’t know what has happened between you guys, the child is innocent. I hope you can be more patient with the child! Give him some time, and he’ll definitely accept you!”
The grief-stricken face was immediately stained with sorrow, “Retribution, this is my retribution, right!” Dazzled, Miyamoto gazed at one end of the corner. The retribution had come, right!
Vincent walked out while carrying Owen in his arms. The door of the ward was opened. Leila subconsciously looked inside and heard Charles saying, “Pippa, let Owen stay with Vincent for a while. It will be fine after a while. You shouldn’t be too afraid!”
“He’s my child. I don’t want that!” She could not lose her child anymore. Otherwise, she would have nothing left.
“If you can’t accept the consequence of doing that, then you shouldn’t do it.” Charles only had one sentence. This made Pippa instantly lost all her strength and the only thing left was her crying sound.
Vincent put Owen down, “Owen, men should be brave. Dad and Mom love Owen, Dad and Mom can’t be changed, understand?”
“Why they can’t be changed?” Owen’s delicate features were tangled together. He raised his little face to look at Vincent who was squatting, “I want you to be my father!”
“Dear, if you say so, Miyamoto will be very sad and crestfallen. He’s your father, it’s my fault, I should have told you from the beginning!”
“Owen…” Miyamoto called in a low voice. His heart was filled with agony. Was what he did wrong?
Owen ignored Miyamoto’s words and walked to Leila instead. His small hand was timidly reached out to hold her hand, “Leila, will you detest Owen too? Owen will be very obedient. Owen wants to stay with Vincent. You don’t drive Owen away, okay? Owen won’t fight with the younger siblings you give birth to in getting Vincent’s love. Owen will be very obedient, very obedient!”
Leila suddenly felt grieved. She squatted down and hugged Owen’s tiny body, “I won’t detest Owen. I like Owen very much. I welcome Owen to our home anytime!”
“Thanks!” Owen hugged Leila, “Owen won’t make you angry!”
Miyamoto’s hands completely sagged. Vincent sighed and just said, “Give the child some time!”
“Okay!” Miyamoto nodded and did not say anything more.
“Can we go now? Charles, let’s go now! Go to their house with Dad and Leila!” Owen shouted at Charles.
“Coming!” Charles directly walked out. His face was still with an evil smile.
“No!” Pippa ran out barefoot as if she was crazy. She pushed Leila away and hugged Owen in her arms. Ignoring the child’s struggle, she hugged him tightly. She looked slightly crazy as if she had really gone crazy, “No, Owen is my son, he isn’t allowed to go anywhere! He isn’t allowed to go anywhere!”
With Pippa being like that, Leila was not so polite. But, she was the mother of Owen who was a child who would make others feel sorry for him. She was really quite sympathetic towards the child.
“Pippa, nobody will steal your child. Don’t be like this!” Vincent persuaded.
“Let go of him!” Miyamoto said in a deep voice but his tone was unusually strong as if he was giving a command.
“No!” Pippa screamed.
Owen was a little scared and he cried all of a sudden.
“Owen, don’t be afraid, your mother is sick. Your mom is just sick. You go and comfort your mom to let her recover quickly, okay?” Vincent’s big hand wiped away Owen’s tears.
Vincent’s words let Owen gradually stop crying. While choking, his small hand caressed Pippa’s face, “Mom, are you very sad? Don’t be afraid, Owen will protect Mom when I grow up!”
“Owen!” Pippa cried out in mourning out of the blue. She indeed owed her child too much. Oh, he was her child, was she really wrong?
Miyamoto’s face darkened at once. Too much pain and sorrow came up together. As if he had decided, he gritted his teeth and after quite a while, he said in a deep voice, “Pippa, you are freed! I won’t disturb you anymore! Owen is my son so I respect his choice. I have no problem with whoever he lives with! I just want him to be happy!”
Pippa was stunned for a moment. Freed! He said she was freed! Inexplicably, she felt an emptiness in her heart as if a big hole was made upon an explosion and there was blood dripping around! She could not help but let go of Owen.
Miyamoto squatted again. His big hand caressed his son’s little face and he smiled despondently, attempting to show it to his son but that smile was so strange as his face was tangling severely, “Owen, Dad loves you. Dad just doesn’t know how to love you. Forgive Dad! Dad is wrong!”
“Is it?” Owen was still a little uneasy. He glanced at Miyamoto who was in front of him and once again looked at Vincent expectantly. His fair hands also uneasily pulled his clothes.
“Dad is wrong!” Such a proud man admitted his mistake in front of his son.
Owen’s face flashed with a trace of doubt as if he did not know Miyamoto.
Miyamoto said to Vincent again, “I’ll stay in F City for some time. I’ll go to your house every day to see the child, is that okay?”
Vincent nodded, “Anytime!”
“Owen, Dad will never hit Mom again. Dad will go to see you when I’m free!” Miyamoto gently stroked Owen’s head, turned around and left.
He just left like that!
Pippa lowered her face and did not look at his back.
But, Miyamoto’s figure when leaving looked so forlorn and would make others feel sympathetic.
“Pippa, let Owen stay with me first!” Vincent carried the child, “After you’re discharged from the hospital, adjust your mood well. I hope you pull yourself together!”
“I’ll carry Owen downstairs first!” Charles had already carried Owen and they left first!
“Vincent!” Pippa’s tears welled up in her eyes that were raised.
However, Leila did not know whom her tears were shedding for.
“Brace up yourself, you’re freed!” Vincent sighed.
“Can I talk to Leila?” Apparently, Pippa had really calmed down.
Vincent met Leila’s eyes and inquired about her will.
Leila nodded, “You get up. The floor is cold!”
Pippa was still squatting on the floor and she looked very pitiful. The two people walked into the room and after Pippa closed the door, she flung herself onto her knee.
“What are you doing?” Leila was shocked, “Get up now!”
“Leila, I hope you can return Vincent to me.” Pippa’s sincerely gazed at Leila and her body was quivering continuously. It seemed that she had taken some time to gather enough courage before speaking.
“Return to you?” Leila stroked her head as if she was having a headache, “Pippa, didn’t you understand what I said that day? Vincent is my man, why should I give him back to you? What is your relationship with him?”
“But I love Vincent, I’ve loved him for so many years! I can’t live without Vincent. I didn’t have freedom before but now I’m already freed. Vincent, Owen and I will be together as a family, we’ll be always together!” Pippa sobbed and on the verge of tears, she pitifully gazed at Leila.
Leila raised her eyes to gaze at Pippa who was in front of her and said coldly, “Do you think Vincent will love a woman whose son does not trust and help her? You say you’ve loved him for many years but how would you be together with Miyamoto? Pippa, even a blind person can see that Miyamoto loves you. Just now, the moment he said that you’re freed, do you think that we didn’t see the disappointment you had in the twinkling of an eye? You really don’t love him at all? You’re absolutely wrong. You love Vincent, so what? He totally doesn’t love you.”