It was extremely tense and uncomfortable, and it was not a pleasant little family reunion.
Kai couldn’t believe Meilei had told her about Yuelin. He wondered how much she had told her, though. Half-truths that painted her as a victim or innocent, most likely.
“Mommy said she was an angel up in the heavens. That if I was good, she would be smiling up there because I have her name. She was my mommy’s best friend.”
Kai could barely breathe. His breaths were shallow and raspy, and he realized he was clutching the edge of his jacket in two white knuckle fists. His heart was racing as fast as Meilei’s was, and he knew this topic was not doing him any favors. He rotated his shoulder to loosen the tight muscles across his neck and back and placed his hands on the table to lean in and engage with Yue on a more personal level. Trying to shut out Meilei beside her.
Kai was stunted in moving forward by that one little word that shocked them all. Meilei closed her eyes as pain sliced through her heart, and Ling became stoney-faced.
It was by Yue’s own volition, without coaxing, that Yue called him daddy. He had to swallow a lump in his throat and look away while he cleared it. Tian shifted in his seat and gestured to Ling that they should give them room while Ling narrowed her eyes at him.
“So she knows more than I gave you credit for.” It was aimed at Meilei, bitter yet raw with painful emotion. Finally, engaging her and raising a brow with question.
It went against her gut instinct to leave Meilei here, but one day, they needed to do this, and it was better off sooner than later.
“We’ll be back soon.” Ling got up, for once not finding a reason to argue with Tian, and followed him despite Meilei’s panic eye gesturing to stay. Taking Yue by the hand and leading her to the counter around fifteen feet away before she caved. Within view but far enough not to listen in.
Tough love. That’s what Ling needed to do right now. So Meilei would find her backbone.
Meilei didn’t want to be alone with Kai. They sat in tense silence, watching them walk off before Meilei broke it. Her nerves bubbled over to insane levels that had her blurting out words in panic mode.
She needed to draw that line and show him he couldn’t blackmail her anymore. She wasn’t as willing as before to pay any dues to him her guilt had felt she owed.
Meilei knew that Yue’s existence changed their power imbalance a lot. Everything he held over her in OTS was useless now. It would reflect badly on him. He couldn’t take her to court if she continued showing she was willing to compromise and give him access. She had to be seen as being communicative and keen to ensure Yue stayed with her. Kai’s hands were tied until she tried to deny him visitation or did something he could question her care skills over.
Kai stared at her long and hard, so many thoughts racing through his head, yet that underlying anger when she was near him never left. Looking at her made him agitated. He hated that she looked like she just walked right out of his memories despite it being five years.
Kai sighed, seeing his cute little girl smiling their way in return. He wanted one-on-one time with her but knew it was too soon, and Yue had to be the one to want it first. Right now, to her, he was a nice man and had no deeper emotional bond. She didn’t understand the huge impact the word daddy had. She had never known a male presence in her life in any way.
It frustrated him on so many levels that this would be a slow process, and Meilei would shadow her until Yue wanted to see him alone.
“What?” Meilei brought back his wandering focus. She twisted her fingers under the table, unable to look at him.
Meilei’s eyes misted over, and she gazed after Yue, using her as a focus instead when the painful topic was killing her. Some scars had never healed.
Kai swallowed that response with a pinch of salt, sure she probably knew that question would arise. She was probably prepared with her touching little reason.
Meilei was silenced by it. How could he not understand why she had never contacted him? He had broken her soul and abandoned her. Hating her for something she didn’t do and refused to believe the girl he had loved who stood before him begging. All he knew of her. He had dismissed all of it and tarred her as a liar and murderer. He wasn’t the only one who felt betrayed and broken or lost all trust in the person he loved. He had been her world, and he shattered it and let it all come crashing down around her.
Meilei blinked rapidly to stop the tears from forming and picked at the corner of the menu in nervous agony.
Dragging herself out of a black hole of despair back then had taken all her energy. Giving birth had been hell on earth, and she had mentally no space or ability to factor in Kai. He had gone, leaving her hollow, and she knew seeing him would have been a replay of the funeral over and over. She buried his name for her sanity and tried to forget him.