Chapter 41
“I think you should let go of that thought. Remember when Mirabella came home the other day? You spoke to Summer, sounding so distant and formal, and asked her to call you Ms. Delillah from now on… Do you really think she didn’t pick up on that?” Shawn started to dissect the situation with a level head.
Delilah couldn’t help but let out a wry smile at his words. “The truth is, I was ticked off by the way she w
was talking, too. She knew Mira had just come back from the countryside, and she made a point of emphasizing that in front of her. If anyone else had heard her, they’d probably look down on Mira. How could I not be a bit harsh? How would Mira feel hearing those words?”
She paused, then continued, “Summer’s been with us since she was a baby, and even though this mix–up happened, I’ve always seen her as my own child. It hurts to see her upset. Do you think I don’t feel it, too?”
Despite her love for both, Delilah couldn’t deny that when it came to her biological daughter and the girl she’d mistakenly raised, her blood ties made her more sensitive to her own flesh and blood.
Delilah had raised Summer for seventeen years, and Summer had never suffered a moment’s slight in the Davis family. On the other hand, Delilah’s biological daughter had ostensibly grown up in an affluent household, but in reality. she’d been left in a remote town by the callous Gilberts.
The old lady who had raised Mirabella from infancy truly cherished her. Still, the tough environment and the loneliness of being a left–behind child must have weighed heavily on Mirabella’s childhood.
Every time Delilah thought about these things, her heart ached. Now that her daughter was back, she only wanted to make up for the seventeen years they had lost.
Shawn saw his wife slipping into guilt again and couldn’t help but wrap his arms around her shoulders, offering comfort, “Mira’s a sweet girl. Nobody could dislike her. Emmitt feels the same.”
That Saturday, Mirabella decided to visit Catherine with some goodies in tow.
Catherine lived in a senior residence in the city, set amidst a tranquil neighborhood without schools or large shopping centers nearby – ideal for the elderly. Mandy could be quite harsh and petty and loved putting on airs, but she was decent to her own mother.
Before heading over, Mirabella had called Catherine, so when she rang the doorbell, it didn’t take long before the door swung open. Catherine’s eyes reddened at the sight of her granddaughter, and she quickly ushered Mirabella inside.
The house was spacious and well–decorated, with all sorts of furniture and appliances. Despite this, there was a palpable sense of emptiness.
Mirabella glanced around briefly and then turned her attention back to her grandmother, who was fumbling with fruit and glasses of water in a fluster, much like a child.
“Grandma, come on. Let’s just sit down and have a proper chat,” she said, guiding Catherine to the couch.
Catherine’s gaze stayed on Mirabella’s face for a long while before she finally said. “You don’t look like you’ve lost weight. Seems like your birth parents are treating you well.”
“Yeah, they’ve been good. They wanted to visit you, actually, but I thought it might be an imposition, so I suggested another time,” Mirabella replied with a smile.
“Let’s do that soon. But today, it’ll just be us having a proper catch–up.” Catherine’s wrinkled face lit up with joy, though the dark circles under her eyes betrayed her exhaustion.
Mirabella reached out to hold her grandmother’s hand, casually checking her pulse under the guise of a gentle touch. “Haven’t been sleeping well?” she inquired casually.
“No, I’ve been resting just fine,” Catherine replied hastily, not wanting to cause any worry. But the truth was, ever since she’d moved to this place, insomnia had plagued her night after night.
Mirabella raised an eyebrow but simply asked, “Have you been taking your medication on schedule?”
Chapter 42
