When There Is Nothing Left But Love

Ashton reached out to take the wineglass from me before placing it on the coffee table out of my reach. Mirth shone in his eyes as he replied, “Why should I be upset? Can’t you see how delighted I am?”

“Delighted?” I repeated, dumbfounded.

Do all men think bullying girls is a way to show their love?

“Ashton, you should take lessons to learn how to be a good father.”

Summer was still a child, so he shouldn’t express his feelings and expectations to her as though she were an adult. His harsh actions might backfire on an adult, let alone a child.

“Seriously? I don’t have to learn how to do that,” said Ashton smugly. “Didn’t you realize Summer has chosen us?”

“Did she?” I couldn’t understand what he was talking about. “But neither of you mention Jared, right?”

“Yes, we didn’t.” Ashton looked up and sipped on his wine. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed the wine. His lips stained red, he answered slowly, “Summer decided to stay silent when faced with a choice of defending Jared or go against us. No one urged or forced her to make that decision.”

study me momentarily as the smile on his lips broadened. “That means we are more important than Jared to her. Shouldn’t

to react. His words seemed to make sense, but not at the same time. More accurately, it was a

Jared still have

a mouthful of wine in his glass,

“But I’ll do Summer a favor by sending him

and I

Spend more time at home with the kids. They are still young, after all,”

make me take his words seriously. “Are you sure I’ll be spending time with the kids instead of the kids’ father?”

just benefiting from

in a festive mood. The streets were lit up with decorative

disinfectant lingered in the air, and there was

hospital and asked for a wheelchair. I then wheeled