Frightened, Karina clung tightly to my embrace.
I lifted her up and glanced at the woman in front of us.
The woman returned the gaze, asking, “Who are you, and what do you want here?”
Her expression had softened a little compared to earlier.
I pushed my messy hair back and revealed my entire face. “Aunt Violet?” I called out.
Upon hearing the beautiful young girl in front of her address her, Aunt Violet took a closer look. “Oh, it’s you, Anya. It’s been a few years, and you’ve grown even more beautiful. I almost didn’t recognize you. Thought you were some big star coming in,” Aunt Violet exclaimed.
I smiled shyly in response.
Aunt Violet continued, “Sorry, I thought it was my useless son who came back, so I threw the basin. Are you two okay?”
“We’re fine.” My mind wasn’t focused on this; I looked towards the courtyard behind Aunt Violet. “Where’s my dad? Doesn’t he live here anymore? Or…”
A surge of extreme fear suddenly overwhelmed me, causing my voice to tremble.
“Your dad is doing well,” Aunt Violet quickly assured me, seeing how pale my face had become. “He felt this house was too big for one person, so he moved to a small house at the end of the alley. Since our family has many people, I asked him if he’d rent it to us, and he agreed.”
Aunt Violet chuckled, her face betraying a hint of guilt.
Although she said it was a rental, she hadn’t paid any rent to him until now. My father didn’t press her, and she pretended nothing happened.
I didn’t have the energy to dwell on this. I pleaded, “Can you take me to see my
dad?”
“Of course I can.” Since they were living in someone else’s house, helping out was only natural.
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36
Aunt Violet led me to the end of the village.
There, a small shop facing the street stood.
It was dilapidated and simple, without even a signboard.
“Your dad is inside.” Aunt Violet pointed to the shop.
I looked at the shop.
Not only was it run–down, but it was also pitifully small in size.
The backyard was cluttered with various odds and ends, most of which were toys I had played with during my childhood.
Small bicycles, skateboards, rollerblades…
Looking at these nostalgic little things, tears welled up in my eyes and streamed down my cheeks.
Aunt Violet was about to call my father out, but I stopped her. “I’ll go by myself.”
Holding Karina’s hand, I walked step by step into the shop.
Passing through the dark and old alley, I finally reached the inner room.
The inner room wasn’t any more spacious than the outer one; it was filled with shoe samples.
Various types of shoes were exquisite and beautiful.
Karina stopped to look at the colorful and novel shoe designs, reaching out to touch them.
Not finding my father, I looked further inside.
In the backyard, there was a person with his back to me, sitting in front of an ancient shoemaking machine. He hunched over, using both hands and feet to operate the machine.
His movements were slow.
His hair was all white.
I stared at him in a daze.
Imala’s Wife Now
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I recognized at a glance that the person in front of me was my father, Arthur.
But I also hesitated to confirm it.
In my memory, my father’s hair wasn’t this white. When I got married, it was still black, with just a few strands of white hair occasionally.
His back wasn’t so hunched; he was a fully middle–aged man with broad shoulders and a sturdy
figure.
His movements weren’t this slow…
“Dad…” unable to contain my sadness, I called out softly.
The laboring person noticeably paused for a moment.
Then he slowly turned around, revealing a weathered face filled with wrinkles. Engaged in delicate craftsmanship for years, his features appeared calm and gentle. A pair of large black–framed reading glasses covered his face, exuding an air of studiousness.
He slowly took off the glasses and finally recognized me. “Sa…lly.”
“It’s me, Dad, it’s me.” I walked a few steps to stand in front of Arthur, my eyes brimming with tears. I was eager to embrace him but couldn’t move my feet, still sobbing.
Arthur hurriedly approached me and took both of my hands. “It’s really Anya who came back. No wonder the magpies outside were chirping so often this morning.”
He carefully examined me, wiping away the tears on my face. “Child, why have you become so
thin?”
In Arthur’s memories, I had baby fat on my face, unlike now with my pointed chin and slim figure.
Not only did my father not hold a grudge against me for marrying into the Quinn family and neglecting him, but he also worried about my health. This only made me feel more guilty.
I increasingly felt like I wasn’t worthy of being called human.
I wished I could slap myself in the face.
“It’s good that you’re back; it’s good that you’re back.” Arthur seemed genuinely happy about my
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return. He didn’t ask many questions and led me outside. “Daddy will make you something to eat. Just tell Daddy what you want.”
Arthur had always doted on me, treating me like a treasure from a young age.
Whatever I wanted to eat, even in the middle of the night or through life and death, he would make
it and bring it to me.
Although I had a loving father who cherished me, I still chose to go to the Quinn family and suffer
there.
Instead of wholeheartedly repaying my father’s love and care, I wasted my heart and time on the Quinn family.
Once again, regret filled my heart, and I hugged Arthur tightly.
Arthur patted my back, just like he used to do when I was a child, comforting me.
For a long time, the two of us walked back inside together.
When we reached the room, we saw Karina.
“This child…” Arthur’s eyes lit up as he looked at the adorable little girl standing by the shoe rack.
I quickly went to Karina’s side and pushed her towards Arthur. “Dad, this is my daughter, Karina.”
I nudged Karina again. “Quickly, call him Grandpa.”
“Hello, Grandpa,” Karina said in a sweet voice, imitating John’s mannerisms she had picked up from being around him for so long.
“Good, good, good,” Arthur responded enthusiastically, bending down to pick up Karina. “This little girl looks so handsome, just like you when you were little.”
Tears welled up in his eyes.
I knew he was reminded of the days when he raised me alone.
According to my father, my mother passed away not long after I was born.
I had no memory of my mother’s existence, but I was not dressed in tattered clothes like other
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children raised by a single father. On the contrary, from childhood to adulthood, my father always dressed me neatly and beautifully.
“Grandpa is also very handsome,” Karina said sweetly, imitating John’s honeyed words.
Hearing his granddaughter praise him like that, Arthur burst into laughter, and his old face suddenly looked several years younger.
At noon, Arthur went to the market and bought a lot of groceries, cooking up a delicious feast.
Karina couldn’t resist and ate until her little belly bulged.
She licked her lips contentedly. “Grandpa’s food is delicious, just as tasty as Mommy’s.”
Karina spoke the truth, but Arthur suddenly froze and looked at me.
My heart trembled, and I lowered my head.
At home, Arthur always pampered me.
I never bothered with household chores, and by the age of twenty, I didn’t even know how to cook
noodles.
After marrying into the Quinn family, I not only learned how to cook but also took on the responsibility of cleaning the house with my sister–in–law.
“Dad, I’ve grown up, and I should learn to do these things,” I comforted Arthur in a soft voice.
Arthur replied with an “Okay,” but tears shimmered in his eyes.
Though he turned his face away, I still noticed the pain in his eyes, stabbing my heart like needles!
Taking the initiative, I handled the dishwashing, and Karina sensibly brought a small stool to help
- me.
When we were in the Quinn family, Karina used to help me with this too.
However, back then, the atmosphere was oppressive, as we were always afraid of being scolded, and we didn’t even dare to breathe too loudly.
Now, we didn’t need to worry about anything and could chat and laugh freely.
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After finishing the dishes, I couldn’t find Arthur anywhere.
I asked Karina to stay at home and went out to search for him.
I looked around but couldn’t find him. Just then, I met Auntie Violet coming out of the alley, huffing
and puffing
Auntie Violet immediately grabbed my arm and said urgently, “Anya, hurry and follow your dad. Something’s not right with him; he might be in trouble!~
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