The mother and daughter stared at each other for several seconds, their eyes brimming with unshed tears. It was as if they were traversing through time and space, silently communicating their inner sorrow.
Annie Anne, in a daze, reached out to touch Olivia Thompson’s warm cheek and murmured, "Annie... my little Annie."
On the other hand, Olivia pursed her lips, raised her hand, and gently wiped away the tears on Annie’s face with her soft fingers. In a soft, tender voice, she said, "Mommy, don’t cry. Annie is here with you."
Upon hearing this, Annie’s eyes widened in surprise and delight. She quickly held onto Olivia’s hand, her voice trembling, "Annie... What did you call me?"
She started crying again: "Annie, are you not mad at Mommy?"
"I’m sorry, my dear. Mommy shouldn’t have forgotten you."
"I’ve cruelly left you alone for so many years. Don’t you hate me?"
Each word she spoke felt like an admission to a crime, an attempt to apologize.
Charlotte Thompson rolled her eyes, her tears flowing uncontrollably. She held back her sobs, raised her hand, and silently wiped away her tears.
Hearing all this, Olivia shook her head earnestly, "Annie knows that Mommy didn’t mean to leave me. Aunt Charlotte told me that Mommy forgot about Annie because she was ill."
She carefully looked at Annie and asked: "Will Mommy forget about Annie again?"
As these words fell, Annie shook her head vigorously, raised her hands haphazardly to wipe away her tears, and said: "No, my love. Even if Mommy forgets herself, she will never forget you again."
Upon hearing this, Olivia’s eyes widened, and a hint of joy flashed in her gaze.
Annie choked back a sob and hugged Olivia tightly, but didn’t dare to hold her too hard, treating her like a rare treasure.
The little girl wrapped her arms around Annie’s neck, a look of satisfaction spread across her face.
Behind them, King Samuel felt his emotions stirring. He casually wiped away a tear from the corner of his eye and chuckled.
The grip around the handbag in Charlotte’s hand tightened for a moment. After just a few seconds, she relaxed and a faint smile appeared on her face.
Finally, things were starting to get back on track.
After a few seconds of thought, King Samuel walked over to Charlotte and quietly said, "Thank you, Miss Thompson."
This gratitude was one that he had never before expressed so sincerely in his life.
He opened his mouth, at a loss for words. He simply lowered his gaze and softly said, "Let Annie stay here. Annie’s emotions are not quite stable at the moment, and being with her might help her." The rightful source is novel✦fire.net
Charlotte’s hand, hanging by her side, tensed slightly. Then she exhaled a heavy breath and nodded with a smile: "That’s fine. Just remember to take good care of the two of them - mother and daughter. They’ve had it tough."
Watching King Samuel nod solemnly, Charlotte left the room feeling reassured.
The sky started to darken. Glancing at the time, Charlotte realized it was indeed getting late - it was time to pick up the kids from daycare.
She got into the car, but she felt strangely hollow.
Charlotte rolled down the car window and refrained from driving off immediately. Instead, she looked up at the hospital building through the window.
She was unsure if she felt more glad or sorrowful. Olivia had been recognized by Annie and her family was finally reunited, which she found genuinely heartening.
However, what saddened her was that over the years, she had regarded Olivia as her own child. Once Olivia returned to Annie’s side, her role in the family would change.
Now, she was just Olivia’s godmother.