Chapter6
Dinner was a feast. A rich, fragrant fish soup, shrimp, beef, bacon with broccoli, and pickled cabbage–five dishes in total, barely fitting on the small coffee table.
Dewey’s eyes sparkled with excitement. He loved shrimp, but they only had it on holidays–and never ones this big.
Dora, who’d grown up surrounded by fine dining, didn’t think much of the food itself. But she could clearly feel the care and effort that had gone into preparing it.
Under Chris’s expectant gaze, Dora picked up a piece of beef and took a bite. She nodded approvingly.
“Mom, your cooking is amazing. You could open a restaurant with this.”
Chris beamed, glowing with happiness. She eagerly started piling food. into Dora’s plate. “If you like it, eat more! And if there’s ever something you’re craving, just tell me–I’ll make it for you.”
Looking down at the little mountain of food in her plate, Dora froze for a moment–then smiled softly. “Thanks, Mom.”
Dinner ended on a warm, cheerful note, and the awkwardness from earlier had all but disappeared.
Alberto gathered the dishes and started washing up, while Chris went to find clean sheets. In the shared bedroom, Rhoda and Keith were busy clearing out the belongings Linda had left behind.
When Dora arrived, she brought nothing with her but a bit of money. Planning to pick up a few essentials, she decided to take a walk and shop
2017
for some clothes.
Dewey insisted on tagging along, saying he could show her the way, so she took his hand and brought him along.
Just five minutes from the apartment was a local market. Beyond it, the street came alive–lined with coffee shops, snack stalls, and a string of small clothing boutiques.
For Dora, shopping like this was a whole new experience. In the past. buying clothes meant sitting in a designer store’s private VIP room. sipping coffee and sampling pastries while models walked her through new collections. A few taps on a tablet, and the outfits were hers.
Other times, she didn’t even need to go out–her measurements would be sent to a designer for fully customized pieces.
Now, she picked out three or four comfortable outfits and a pair of sneakers–simple and practical.
On the way back, they passed a stall selling candy. Dewey glanced at the glass display several times but never said a word, clearly trying to be considerate.
Noticing this, Dora smiled and bought him a strawberry one.
His face lit up with the pure joy only a child could show. “Thank you, Dora!”
Beaming, he held up the candy toward her. “Here, you have one too!”
The first bite was always saved for someone special. That was his way of showing affection.
Dora paused, then reached out and gently tousled his hair. “I don’t really like sweets. You eat it.”
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Dewey blinked and gave a small “oh,” then began counting the candies. His smile widened, full of innocent delight. “There are six! I’ll give one to Keith, Rhoda, and Dad. Since you’re not eating any, Mom can have two!”
“Sounds perfect,” Dora said with a soft laugh.
Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Keith felt like his heart was being sliced. open, piece by piece.
Alberto had called earlier to tell them Linda was actually the Hendrix family’s daughter–and that she’d already been taken back by them.
Even after hearing it, Keith had still clung to a bit of hope. Maybe she’d come back. After all, they’d lived as a family for seventeen years. That had to mean something.
If Linda didn’t want to stay with the Hendrix family, surely they wouldn’t just let Dora–someone they’d spent a fortune raising–walk out the door. One of the girls had to stay.
But the moment he saw Dora walk into the house, he knew. Linda wasn’t coming back.
Even now, he could hardly believe it. The little sister he’d adored for seventeen years had walked away–no hesitation, no goodbyes–like those years meant nothing.
He spotted the raccoon plushie lying in a cardboard box beside the trash and clenched his jaw, his chest tightening painfully.
He had given her that toy when they were little. Back then, Linda couldn’t fall asleep without it in her arms.
She used to love that plushie. Just like she used to love this family. But ever since the Acosta family went bankrupt, everything had changed.
Chaptee
From a distance, Dora saw Keith picking up the toy from the pile of things they’d planned to throw out. He gently brushed the dust off it, holding it as if it were something fragile and precious–like he was salvaging a shard of happiness from a wreck.
In his eyes, sorrow shimmered–deep and unspoken.
Of everyone in the family, it was Keith who had taken Linda’s departure the hardest. He was the most disappointed. The most heartbroken. And the least willing to let go.
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