Clariana was a little scared of her, so she was hiding behind me.
I’ve said what I should say. There’s no point staying there.
Taking Clariana away, I didn’t want to get involved in them.
Back in the neighborhood, I heard someone coughing just as I reached the door.
It was familiar.
Knowing it was Dennis, Clariana smiled, “Mom, it’s uncle Dennis!”
Then she ran straight to the stairwell.
I followed her and found Dennis, who had just extinguished his cigarette, looking haggard.
Clariana had hugged his lap calling him.
Picking Clariana up, Dennis noticed the bruise on her forehead. He seemed a little unhappy. “Anything happened in your kindergarten?” he asked.
Clariana said, “They cursed mommy so I fought with them.”
Pursing his lips, Dennis said in a low voice, “Well, honey, it is okay to fight, but do nou hurt yourself. You need to learn to protect yourself.” But judging from his eyes, he was pretty angry.
Clariana nodded, “I will protect myself in future fights.” She seemed happy, probably because she thought what Dennis said was right. Plus, he didn’t blame her.
I could not help but looked at Dennis, “Have you ever seen anyone who taught their daughter to fight?”
Raising his eyebrows, Dennis seemed in a good mood, “Sometimes fists work better than reason. I will ask Toby to find a coach. Clariana will soon be five years old. It’s time for her to learn taekwondo.
I didn’t reply. After all, he always has reasons.
After entering the house, he was playing with Clariana and I was cooking. Nobody mentioned Bernice.
It was after eating, then Clariana falling asleep, that he looked at me and hugged me suddenly.
His sound was a little hoarse, “Where did you go?”
I leaned into his arms, letting him hold me tightly, and was silent for a while before saying, “I went to the Gibson Group to find Hank.”
He stiffed slightly, “Why?”
“Just to have a talk.” I couldn’t find proper words, so I didn’t say too much.
He didn’t force me to say more, but was silent for a while. Then he said, “Wherever you go, keep your cell phone with you and remember to keep it open.”
I suddenly remembered that my phone ran out of battery today. As a result, it was turned off after I arrived at the Gibson Group.
Looking up at him, I smiled, “Okay!”
Wrapping his arms around me, he said in a low voice, “I’ll handle the matter of Bernice. Clara, I want you to remember, no matter what others say, I am always your husband and father of your daughter.”
Realizing his sudden seriousness, I said after a pause, “Actually, I don’t care that much about what people say. I’m just worried about Clariana. She is a sensitive girl. The nonsense words she heard in the kindergarten would have an influence on her.”
Dennis put his head on my shoulder and said with remorse, “Such thing will never happen in the future.”
I smiled slightly. Being a people standing on the top, one can receive praise, but should also withstand gossip, which is inevitable.
The matter of Bernice was suppressed a few days later. After all, it doesn’t matter. No one wants to waste too much time on gossip of others.
In mid September, Dennis rearranged the villa in the southern suburbs. Besides, in order to ensure a better environment for Clariana, he transferred her to a new kindergarten.
It was after that that I knew the previous kindergarten of Clariana was stopped by the Education Bureau.
All those had nothing to do with me, but a matter of Dennis saying a word.
He asked Toby to move for me on a weekend. Almost all the things of Clariana were moved there.
I didn’t have much stuff, so it was basically changing a place to live for me. I didn’t have much feeling.
In the evening, Dennis called me, “Toby will send food over later, can you cook?”
I said okay. The nanny had been dismissed by Dennis because of the unexpected visit of Yara.
Usually the cleaner would clean up, occasionally cook. Both Dennis and I could cook, so we would do that as long as either of us was free. We spent a leisure time.
He said after a pause, “Maybe we need to cook more. I’m still in a meeting so Toby will help you. Someone will have dinner with us tonight.”
I asked, “Is it someone we know?”
He said yes and smiled lightly, “Some normal food is okay. They are all families.”
I was a little confused after hanging up the phone. Who would come over for dinner when we had just moved to a new house?
Toby brought some food and pastries. Seeing lots of books in the living room, he asked as he was moving, “Madam, are you preparing for the post-graduate entrance examination?”
I nodded, “I’ve wanted to take it before, but it was delayed because of many things. Now I have time to take it.”
He smiled, “Well, doing something you like is pretty good.”
I was a little shocked. Toby, who had always been a cool man, would say such words.
I had just finished washing the vegetables and was about to cook when Dennis came back. He came back altogether with Clariana.
Seeing me in the kitchen, he wrapped his arms around me from behind and looked at me, tenderly, “Every time I see you in the kitchen, I am always thinking that I should be the happiest man in the world.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, “Aha, who is coming over later?”
“Leo and his fiancée, that is, your sister-in-law.” said Dennis, smiling. Seeing me turning my head and looking at him, he kissed me.
Feeling a little speechless, I dodged, “Clariana and Toby could see us!”
He said with his low voice, “Just for five seconds.”
But five seconds wasn’t enough for him! I’m afraid it would have taken several more five seconds if the food in the pot wasn’t mushy.
After the meal was prepared, Leo was also arrived. The energetic Clariana ran outside once she heard him.
Seeing Leo coming down from the car, she jumped on him and greeted, “Uncle Leo!”
Leo picked up Clariana, then he opened the door on the passenger seat.
I did not expect that woman to be Karina.
I hadn’t seen her for too many times before. She was still as gentle as she was four years ago, and was wearing a dress instead of her usual preferred cheongsam.
She was an acquaintance for me.
She smiled to me, “Long time no see, Miss Clara.”
I froze for a moment and then walked up, inviting her to come inside, “Long time no see. Dinner is ready. Let’s eat first.”
We sat down. Leo looked at Dennis for a moment, then he looked at me, “Don’t move if you’ve used to living in that house downtown.”