When There Is Nothing Left But Love

“Are you saying that you’ve never tried to find out what happened to Macy back then?” I asked. My heart ached for Macy. If Jared really cared about her, why didn’t he even try?

The obvious answer was that he didn’t care. Otherwise, Jared wouldn’t have given up just like that. Not only had he never tried to look for Macy, he never even asked after her.

It made me even more fearful of handing Summer over to Jared.

He remained silent, biting his lip.

I’d calmed down. Looking at Jared’s troubled face, I vowed, “No matter what the Crests have planned for Summer, I will never give her up to you.”

I then stalked the rest of the way back to the table.

Ashton had been engaged in casual chit-chat with Joe. When he said me, he reached out in concern and asked, “What took you so long?”

“It’s nothing. Have you finished eating already?” We’d all gathered here today under the pretext of having dinner, but nobody had taken more than a few bites.

Ashton continued looking at me. “You’re not hungry?”

I shook my head vigorously. “Nope.”

Upon hearing this, Ashton pushed back his chair and stood up. Politely, he said to Joe, “It’s getting late. We’ll get going then.”

Obvious displeasure was written all over Joe’s face. He demanded, “Didn’t we agree to this get-together? Are you leaving before we’ve even gotten to say anything?”

Ashton repeated firmly, hauling me along with him. Jared was smoking near

car. “Ashton, do you think it’s right for me to keep Summer

In a mellow voice, he

my head. “I just feel that whatever I do for her won’t be good

if I should tell Summer everything, all those times that Jared had visited her at the villa. But what would I tell an innocent child of four, five years old?

else was right. Summer would

with his. His gentle gaze soothed me. “How about this? Let Summer and the Crests get to acknowledge each other, but she continues to stay with us. They can come over every once in a while to see her. Would you be able to accept

would mean a bigger family and more love showered upon her. She had nothing to

a while before replying uncertainly, “Can that be

took my hesitation for agreement. “Of course!” he agreed

when we got back. When she saw Ashton and me enter, she came running and

you!” Summer announced, putting

contain his laughter, Ashton asked, “What is

her pocket, hiding it in the palm of her hand. It

instructed, “Give

did so. A sweet encased in a

laughed in spite of myself. Children often derived

hands and carried her over to the sofa. Patiently, he asked, “Why did you suddenly want

gave it to her aunt when they got married. It’s a lucky sweet! If you eat it, you can marry Mommy. Then I’ll

heading towards the kitchen. My ears pricked up at her last sentence and halted immediately,

made