Shea’s eyes brightened at Layla‘s words. Previously, Layla had always ignored her. At that moment, Layla was the one who had made the first move. Shea felt a little delighted.
“I am an idiot!” Shea blinked her sparkling eyes and said honestly, “Averie is not lying.”
Everyone in the room fell silent.
In the living area. Elyette‘s body stiffened. His eyes were red, and they looked watery. He looked at Averie, heartbroken, “Averie, you can hurt me, but you can‘t say that about Shea!”
His every word was laced with hatred and disappointment.
Averie was just about to apologize, but she swallowed her words. “Take Shea and leave!” she spat coldly before striding into her bedroom.
Averie slammed the door and locked it from within.
Mike saw that the argument had ended. He immediately took Shea out of the children’s room.
“Hey! Foster!” Mike had initially wanted to stand up for Averie.
Elyette glared at him warningly, “Shut up!”
Mike held his tongue. He saw Elyette walking over to Shea and taking her away.
It was drizzling when they exited the villa. Elyette took off his jacket and draped it over Shea’s head.
When they entered the car, Shea was hugging his jacket. She looked at the villa.
Elyette put on the safety belt for her and said hoarsely, “Shea, stop looking.”
“Big Brother, I‘m sorry…” Shea said. Tears streamed down her face.
“Shea, you did nothing wrong. You don‘t have to apologize to anyone.” Elyette raised his hands and wiped the tears away from the corner of her eyes.
Shea cried, “Big Brother, it was me. I was afraid of the surgery, so I ran away. I was the one who begged Hayden to take me away…”
She had not dared to tell him the truth earlier on, however, at that moment, she had finally found the courage to tell the truth.
Elyette’s mind was suddenly filled with Averie‘s cold gaze. Why did she not explain herself? Could it be that she felt pleasure by infuriating him?
“Big Brother, don‘t blame Averie. She treats me well. I was feeling terrible when I was sick. She was the one who cared for me.” Shea choked. She remembered the scene from that night.” She gave me an injection. Averie is amazing…”
Elyette took a tissue to wipe her tears away. He swallowed. “You got Hayden to take you back to his place, then you got sick. Averie treated you. What happened then? Was she the one who sent you to the hospital?”
Shea looked at Elyette with tears in her eyes. “I don‘t remember anymore. I only remember that Averie treated me very well. She was not like tonight. She is not a bad person.”
“She called you an idiot, aren’t you angry?” Elyette‘s eyes were pricked with tears. The thought of it still broke his heart.
He knew that Averie was not a bad person, but what she said hurt him deeply. In the years they were children, Shea‘s condition was not as bad as it currently was. Her current condition was a result of the abuse she had suffered at the hands of their father.
He would never let anyone else bully Shea!
Shea’s eyes were red. She shook her head. “You got Dr. Sanford to treat me. Isn‘t that because I’ m an idiot?”
Elyette hugged Shea tightly. He choked, “Shea, no! You‘re not an idiot. I‘m asking Dr. Sanford to treat you so that you can experience more of the beauty of this world—“.
“Because I’m an idiot, I‘m not smart enough. Big Brother, I‘m an idiot. Averie is not wrong. I’m not angry. You don’t have to get angry too, please?” pleaded Shea.
When Elyette heard his sister‘s soft and gentle pleas, he caved in. He gripped the steering wheel with one hand. He looked out the window. Tears fell silently from his eyes.
“There‘s nothing wrong with being an idiot.” Shea hugged his jacket and took a deep breath. She said to herself, “As long as Big Brother is with me all the time, I can always be an idiot.”
Elyette‘s lips moved a little, but he said nothing. He must cure his sister. She will not stay an idiot forever!
In the villa, Averie was lying on her bed in pain. She felt as if there were no difference between living and dying. She should not have been this agitated. She could have properly explained it to him, but she did not do it!
She had failed to do so because he had not confronted her with the right intentions. From the moment he had entered her house, he had never looked her in the eye, nor did he have the patience to listen to her explanations.
He had come over this night only to find fault with her! This was her house, why did she have to be wronged here!
Averie picked up her pillow and covered her face. She was filled with regret! She should not have called Shea an idiot. How was that any different than Elyette immediately assuming that she kidnapped Shea? How could she insult Shea because of Elyette‘s hurtful words? However, it was too late. She heard the sound of the car roaring to life outside her window.
Averie came out of her bedroom. Everyone looked at her at the same time. No one said anything. The atmosphere was extremely awkward.
“Did I cross a line just now?” Averie walked to the sofa and sat down. “I shouldn’t have said that about Shea.”
“No! It was that jerk Elyette who yelled at your first. The moment you said anything he asked you to shut up. I feel like you should have really given it to him! If I were you, I would have yelled him to death! Not only would I have called Shea an idiot, but I would have said that their entire family was a family of idiots!” said Mike, hoping to comfort her.
Averie was slightly stunned at Mike’s comments.
Laura also chimed in comfortingly, “Averie, you were angry. If he had any sense in him, he would know that you did not do it on purpose.“|
“I don’t care what he thinks of me. I‘m afraid that Shea would be sad.” Averie lowered her gaze and sighed.
She did not care what Elyette thought. She was afraid that her words spoken out of spite would hurt Shea.
“Shea is not angry. She said that she is an idiot anyway,” Mike comforted her.
“And that is why I‘m feeling guilty.” Averie was antsy. She got up from the sofa and returned to her room once again.
Layla and Hayden saw how their mother blamed herself, and they felt terrible too. Tonight, Hayden finally understood how truly different shea was from them.
Although Shea looked like an adult woman, she did not have the intelligence of an ordinary person. If a young child were to be called an idiot, they would cry and resist the insult. Thus, it seemed pointless for him to be so hostile toward Shea.
Returning to their room, Layla took out her watercolor pens and started drawing.
Hayden went over to have a look.
“Hayden, can you give this to Shea tomorrow?” Layla drew a flower on a piece of white paper.
Hayden was reluctant, but he did not refuse Layla. “I just feel sad for Shea!” Layla‘s eyes were red. She pouted. “Who would want to be an idiot? Only an idiot would not mind being an idiot.”
Hayden accepted her painting and placed it in his bag.
“Let‘s not bully Shea too much in the future, okay?” Layla took Hayden’s hand and said to him, “We can hate our dirtbag dad, we don‘t have to hate Shea.”
During recess the next day, Shea went to Hayden’s classroom as usual. Hayden turned around
Shea was delighted to be given the painting. It was as if last night‘s incident had no effect on her.
“I like it!” Shea hugged Hayden. Hayden was speechless. He had decided that he would not be so hostile toward her, but he still could not take her being so emotional!
Hayden pushed her away with all his might and quickly returned to the classroom. He closed the door.
Soon, Shea‘s nanny came over with a basket of fresh fruits and snacks. The nanny handed the basket to Hayden’s teacher.
“Shea got me to give this to Hayden,” the nanny said. She glanced at Hayden. Coincidentally, Hayden looked up too.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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