Tabitha's POV
Ayla pointed to the figures in the drawing and explained in a childish voice, "Mommy, Wilmot, Helios, and me. We're family."
I lightly pressed my lips together and opened my mouth but found myself at a loss for words, unsure how to explain the complex relationships to her.
This was probably the inevitable challenge that single-parent families face when it comes to their children—a problem that no mother in the world could easily solve, and I was no exception.
After a long hesitation, I slowly said, "Sweetheart, Wilmot is just an uncle. You and I are the real family. Wilmot is with us to protect us, like a godfather. He can only accompany us for a while. One day, when we reach our destination, he will leave."
The usually well-behaved Ayla became upset at my explanation.
She immediately started to cry, "No! Don't leave! I like Wilmot!"
"I know you like him, sweetheart. But you have to understand that in the future, you will meet many, many people. Not everyone can stay with us until the end. Wilmot also has his job and his things to do. He can't revolve around you forever, right?"
Looking at her, my tone was filled with helplessness and heartache.
Large tears hung on her long eyelashes, ready to fall, and it pained me to see her like this.
"But, but..." she sobbed, seemingly unsure how to express her feelings, only knowing that she didn't want Wilmot to leave.
I gently held her in my arms and soothingly said, "In this world, besides parents, no one can always be with you. You know? Wilmot will have his own family and his own babies, and he will have to take care of his own children and live his own life. I promise you, if you miss him in the future, we will go to see him, okay?"
Ayla sniffed, looked up at me with tearful eyes, and asked, "Where's my daddy?"
I was taken aback and didn't know how to answer.
Seeing my silence, she repeated the question, "Where is my daddy?"
"He..." I hesitated, then slowly closed my eyes.
Unbidden, Derek's face appeared in my mind.
I knew that if he knew the children were alive, he would be overjoyed.
However, an insurmountable blood feud lay between us.
Even setting aside the hatred, his relationship with Daphne and Kyrian complicated everything.
If the children knew their father had another family, wouldn't the image of the father they had been looking forward to collapse in an instant?
After much thought, I decided to leave a beautiful memory for Ayla.
So, I took a deep breath and said, "He's dead."
"Dead?" Ayla's eyes widened in disbelief.
But once the lie was out, it was like an arrow shot from the bow, unable to be taken back.
I could only continue to fabricate, "He had an incurable disease, and there was no medicine in the world that could cure it. In the end, despite the doctors' best efforts, they couldn't save his life, and he left this world forever."
"Wah, Daddy..." Ayla burst into tears upon hearing the news.
I gently patted her back and softly said, "Don't cry. Your daddy loved you very much. It's just that he didn't get to see you grow up."
Once, John told me over and over again that my mother's departure was just because she had a better choice, not because she didn't love me. In fact, she loved me more than anyone else.
It was because of his words that I was able to grow up in a healthy environment.
Now, the umbrella that John held for me had been passed to me, and it was my turn to shelter my children from the wind and rain.
I kissed Ayla's little face tenderly and said, "Daddy loves you, and I love you, too. You are the most precious gifts from heaven. Having you by my side, I'm truly happy."
"Mommy..." Ayla hugged me tightly.
I sighed helplessly, my heart filled with guilt.
'I'm sorry, baby, for bringing you into this world but unable to give you complete love.'
A deep sense of powerlessness spread from the bottom of my heart. I could strive to earn money and find ways to cure illnesses, but when it came to emotions, once broken, it was like spilled water that couldn't be retrieved.
'Derek and I, it seems, will never be possible again in this life.'
The only thing I could do was to do my best and raise my children.