CHAPTER 251: A HAND THAT PULLED HER

By the end of the dinner, Ashlyn was sleeping in Greyson’s arms. She curled herself up on his chest. She pursed her lips and clutched her grandfather’s shirt.

Hazel paused for a while when she saw this. The two of them looked serene, and Greyson showed the side that Hazel had never seen before.

He was a shitty father for Hazel, but he might be a loving grandfather for Ashlyn.

"We are going to leave." Hazel approached them.

Greyson was sitting in his armchair, facing the television that had been muted, showing a cartoon that he used to entertain the little one before she fell asleep.

The room was cool, and Greyson draped a blanket around Ashlyn’s body.

"Why don’t you stay for the night?" Greyson didn’t lift his head; the baby enchanted him. "Stay here for the night. You can use your room. Someone has been cleaning it up regularly." He caressed Ashlyn’s cheek. "It’s already so late."

"No. Ranon has something to do tomorrow. We need to go home." Hazel sat down on the opposite sofa from Greyson; she waited for him to hand over her baby. "We will come and visit again later," she added to smooth her refusal.

Finally, Greyson lifted his head to look at Hazel, but he still didn’t give the baby back to her. "Do you hate me?"

The question surprised Hazel, and she raised her brows questioningly. "Does it bother you if I do?" She saw how her answer messed with his head. Great. Because that was what she wanted.

Greyson was rather melancholic tonight.

"Seeing her is like seeing you again when you were around Ashlyn’s age," Greyson said, but it sounded like he was talking to himself. "You also look like your mother."

Greyson then reminisced about the time when he took Hazel back home from the hospital. He spoke about the pain he felt because he had lost his wife and how he raised two children and a baby while maintaining his career.

"I didn’t say this because I want excuses for what I have done to you." He then looked at Hazel. "I only want to say how sorry I am for what I have put you through. I wish I had done it differently. I am sorry. Will you forgive me?"

It was very emotional. His apology was sincere. Greyson regretted everything. He wanted to do better. This was something that the original Hazel might like to hear.

The real Hazel would have cried and told her father that she forgave him and that they should let bygones be bygones and start a new Chapter.

However, Hazel in front of him was not his daughter. It was too late for him to regret it. His apology wouldn’t reach his daughter.

And more importantly, the current Hazel was not a big fan of an emotional moment, so she didn’t show any emotion when she replied to him.

"It’s a good thing that you finally realized how terrible you have treated me. I can’t say that I forgive you when I don’t feel like it, but as long as you treat my daughter well, I will be fine to have you around."

Greyson was taken aback when he heard her answer, but he knew where she came from and tried to be more understanding, even though Hazel’s rejection hurt his ego. But he suppressed the feeling, telling himself that he deserved it after all the cruel things he had done to his daughter.

"I hope one day you will find it in you to forgive me," Greyson said. He handed over Ashlyn to Hazel carefully, afraid that the baby would wake up.

Hazel took her baby and cradled her in her arms, where Ashlyn curled up comfortably. "I don’t think I will," Hazel said. She looked at Greyson calmly. "The Hazel that you knew died that night when Dylan drugged her."

Greyson was stunned by Hazel’s answer. She sounded very callous. And once again, guilt washed over him, because he didn’t really punish Dylan for what he had done to his sister.

***

"Girl, sleep already. What’s this tantrum about?" Hazel sighed and pushed Ashlyn’s butt from her face.

Ashlyn was having a tantrum this afternoon. She had been very fussy since the night before and didn’t want to sleep in her crib. She only fell asleep when she lay on the bed with Hazel and Ranon.

Ranon had found three lovely houses that they would see after their return from Goscht Country, which they would leave for tonight.

Ashlyn would have her own bedroom there.

The plan was for them to meet at the airport because Ranon was going straight there from the office. She had packed two suitcases for them both.

"Why are you throwing a tantrum? Gosh!" Hazel was annoyed when Ashlyn kicked her on her jaw and then rolled her body over to cry some more. "Ashlyn!" She couldn’t believe it; her own daughter had kicked her.

Hazel then sat down and picked up her daughter. They were both on the bed. Hazel was trying to put Ashlyn to sleep because it was her nap time.

"Stop it." Hazel kissed her daughter’s face as she cradled her in her arms. Ashlyn twisted her body and cried even more. "What’s going on?"

Hazel then put her down on the bed; she also lay down next to her and pressed her cheek against hers. The miracle happened. Ashlyn stopped crying, and she fell asleep in the next second.

The baby was sleepy. But somehow, she was throwing a tantrum to fight back her sleepiness. Hazel couldn’t understand this little human.

"Gosh. You are a handful." Hazel kissed Ashlyn’s forehead and then took a nap as well.

She and Ranon decided not to put Ashlyn in the Rose family house because she was not comfortable with the way Dylan acted during the dinner two nights ago.

Hazel called Greyson this morning to let him know about the decision. He sounded disappointed, but he didn’t say anything. He only asked for permission to visit Ashlyn from time to time, which Hazel agreed to.

When she fell asleep, Hazel dreamed about the cold water under the bridge. It had been a while since she had dreamed about it.

And even when she knew it was only a dream, she was still paralyzed, as fear gripped her heart tightly and didn’t let her go.

Hazel told herself to wake up. Yet, it was not that easy. Her body couldn’t move, and the coldness seeped through her skin; it felt like a thousand needles that pricked her.

Fuck. Not this dream again.

Whenever she felt a fraction of happiness, this dream would pull her back, reminding her of her vengeance.

She didn’t forget about it. She would never forget about it, but her life was getting more comfortable, and she liked it.

Hazel was screaming in her head for someone to wake her up, and when she did, the last thing she saw was a hand that pulled her up.

Her eyes were open, and she skimmed her surroundings, as if she was looking for any threat or danger, but there was none, aside from Ashlyn’s leg that rested on her neck. This baby had a bad sleeping habit.

Hazel pushed her leg away and then sat down. She rubbed her face roughly, and sweat covered her forehead.

"What was that?" She shook her head to clear her mind and then looked at the clock. "Oh, shit."

She was going to be late if she did not hurry to the airport.

***

"Bring this food to Arlo; make sure he eats everything," Becca said.

Because of Arlo’s condition, he went back to live in the Barlowe family’s house. This was also because Becca insisted. She wanted to take care of her son and be close with her grandson, but all she did was order Aubrey around.

"He is not a child; he can eat whatever," Aubrey said under her breath, but it was loud enough for Becca to hear that.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing." Aubrey continued to put the plates on the tray so she could bring them for Arlo. She felt like a servant. She was a servant in this house.

"I heard you say something. Say it to my face!" Becca was fuming.

From the corner of her eyes, Aubrey saw Darren walk toward the dining room. He was far enough not to hear what they were saying, but he could see the tension between the two women.

"I said nothing," Aubrey replied. She lifted her head and glared at Becca, which provoked her. She knew what came next, but Aubrey had prepared herself for this.

A harsh slap landed on her face. Fuck. The slap was harder than she expected. Her head was spinning, and her vision was blurry because of tears that threatened to stream down her cheek.

"You ungrateful bitch!"

Aubrey fell to the floor. She crawled away from the enraged Becca as she cradled her cheek. Her voice was small and weak. "I am sorry. I am sorry..."

From the corner of her eyes, she saw that Darren was stunned. He stopped walking and stared at them. When Aubrey thought he wouldn’t do anything and just stayed put, he approached Becca and held her hand before she could hit Aubrey for the second time.

"Mrs. Barlowe, calm down." Darren’s grip was firm, and Becca was no match for a trained assassin like him. "She still has a public event. You can’t hurt her; people will talk."

The last words successfully softened her resolve.

"Why did Arlo choose you?!"