Chapter 452 You Can Leave Now, Mister
Ever since news of Courtney and Alexander’s relationship came out at the hospital, the former had been experiencing quite a bit of teasing.
Fortunately, partly because no one had that much free time on their hands and partly because Courtney got along well enough with her knowledgeable coworkers, they stuck only to teasing and didn’t try to cause her any trouble.
On this day, upon returning home after finishing up an evening shift, Courtney noticed an unexpected figure leaning against a car at the entrance of her apartment building.
“What are you doing here?” Glancing down at her wristwatch, she noted that it was already past midnight. “It’s in the middle of the night. What are you doing here?”
Accordingly, Alexander stood up straight. “Why haven’t you come to see me these last two days?”
“You’re healed,” Courtney pointed out, matter-of-fact. “The final dressing change was a couple of days ago. The wound has already begun to scab, so it doesn’t require treatment any longer and you can wait for it to naturally fall off.”
“So, now that my wound is healed, you have no intentions of seeing me any longer?”
“Not necessarily. I’m not cursing you or anything, but I think we all fall ill every once in a while. We might see each other again in the future. Still, I hope that’s not the case, since it’s more important for you to be safe and healthy.” With a second glance at him, she added, “It’s getting late and I’m going home. Tina is waiting for me. You should go home as well.”
Unfortunately, before she could take more than a few steps, he asked anxiously behind her, “My wound might be healed, Courtney, but what about my heart?” As she paused in her tracks, he stepped right up behind her and continued, “Aren’t you intending to address the fact that you sent Kelly away and ruined the only beautiful thing I’ve had in my life for the past five years? Now I’ll have to be alone for the rest of my life.”
When Courtney heard that, she turned back in astonishment.
It seems he cares quite a bit about Kelly, after all.
Somewhat unhappily, she told him, “I never intended to send her away. She was the one who came to the hospital to find me out of the blue and spout a bunch of nonsense. Besides, you could’ve urged her to stay.”
“If I was able to urge anyone to stay, I wouldn’t have let you leave five years ago,” Alexander admitted a little dully as his eyes glimmered. His suddenly regretful expression succeeded in making Courtney’s heart clench.
By now, it was deep in the night and there wasn’t a single person walking around the neighborhood. All around them was darkness, apart from the dim lights emanating from the street lamp above their heads.
Just like that, the atmosphere changed subtly.
Dodging both his gaze and the charged statement, Courtney told him, “Kelly was the one who went to my hospital. It’s good enough that I haven’t taken you to task for the fuss she threw, but what do you expect me to do about how things have turned out?”
“I’ve been waiting here for you for three hours. Won’t you invite me upstairs for a drink?”
“Tina is asleep.”
“I won’t disturb her.”
Knowing that Alexander wouldn’t leave without a drink and having no other solution, Courtney could only compromise and invite him upstairs.
The moment she entered the door, she pulled a pair of disposable slippers out of the cabinet by the door and tossed it onto the floor for him. “I’ll make you some tea. What do you want to drink?”
“Anything will do.”
“Jasmine tea, then.” She pulled a box of tea out of a cupboard and boiled some water. After making some tea, she carried the two cups to the coffee table in the living room, whereupon she put one in front of him.
Ever the polite guest, Alexander picked up the cup and took a sip before appraising concisely, “It’s good.”
Upon hearing that, Courtney eyed him and drawled wryly, “As the president of Sunhill Enterprise, you can have any tea you want. Why do you feel the need to come here for cheap tea?”
“Nothing suits my appetite like the tea you make.”
“It’s all flower tea, anyway. It tastes the same no matter who’s making it.”
“There is always a difference in the color, warmth, and fragrance.”
“I didn’t know you were such an expert on tea now,” Courtney commented with finality, lowering her head to take a sip.
Alas, Alexander didn’t have the intention of dropping the subject. “You know what I’m talking about.”
“I don’t.”
“In that case, allow me to make things clear.” He put down his cup. “If you truly didn’t still have me in your heart, you wouldn’t care whether my dressings got changed or not, let alone coming to Sunhill Enterprise every day to do it yourself. There is no way that we could have a clean break after all our years together, not when we have two children—Jordan on my side and Tina on yours.”
“And where are you going with this?”
“I’m saying that since we can’t have a clean break anyway, you might as well consider being with me again.”
Before Courtney could say ‘no,’ Alexander interrupted, “If you’re hesitating because I didn’t treat you well, I had a defect in my personality or I was so possessive that I couldn’t give you the freedom you wanted, then I can promise you I have changed.”
Never had Courtney seen him being so sincere.
All those years ago, she would have been hard-pressed to even get an apology from him. Five years later, however, he was speaking to her so gently that it was as if he had all his rough edges sanded off.
“I don’t agree,” a young voice said from behind Courtney, making the both adults in the living room pause.
Turning around, Courtney asked, “Josie? Why are you still awake?”
“Grandma says we must go forward and not back, Mommy. I don’t want a daddy I don’t know.” Wearing cow-patterned pajamas, Josephine walked out of her bedroom and stood next to Courtney in a dignified manner before watching Alexander with some wariness. “You can leave now, mister.”
Stunned, Alexander stared at the adorable little girl before him for a long time. “Who…”
Not knowing how to explain, Courtney rested her forehead against her fingertips.
“Did you just call her ‘Mommy’?” he pressed.
“What else?” Josephine saw through him at a glance. “There’s no need to wonder. My name is Josephine Somerfield, but I’m Mommy’s daughter. If I’m not wrong, you’re my biological daddy.”
As if hit in the head by an unexpected object falling from the sky, Alexander remained dazed for a long time before finally turning numbly to Courtney for confirmation. “So, you were pregnant when you left five years ago? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Why would I have? With the situation being what it was at the time, my pregnancy would only have complicated matters. There was no point in telling you.” Frowning, Courtney pulled Josephine into her lap and explained as she stroked the little girl’s hair, “If I can raise Tina by myself, then I can raise Josie by myself too. You needn’t overthink it.”
Despite trying his best to suppress his joy, Alexander could not refrain from staring in wonder at the little girl. “So, your name is Josie? And you know I’m your daddy?”
Glaring at him with her mouth tugging into a disdainful frown, the little girl answered, “Tina always talks about how rich and handsome you are. I have no choice but to know.”
“And where is she?”
“Asleep. She sleeps like a pig, so don’t think you can wake her up to help you.” Struggling to sit up in Courtney’s embrace, Josephine continued sternly and maturely, “I know what happened between you and Mommy, mister, so I think you should leave my mommy alone. We just want to lead a quiet life.”
