Chapter 163
I was lost in my own memories and didn't hear him calling me at all.
It wasn't until he reached out and touched my hand: "Sophia, what are you thinking about?"
I shook my head: "Nothing."
"What time is your flight?" he asked.
"Eight in the evening."
He glanced at his watch: "It's still early. Want to have dinner together? Consider it a farewell meal."
I hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
We had dinner at a very nice restaurant.
James didn't say much, and I had nothing to say either. The atmosphere felt a bit awkward.
After dinner, he took me back to the hotel room to get my things, then drove me to the airport.
"Take care of yourself over there." He stood at the gate and reminded me, "If anything comes up, call me anytime. My number will never change."
"You too, take care of your injury." I smiled slightly, "I don't want my child to have a disabled father."
James smiled too: "That won't happen."
"James, goodbye," I said softly.
"Goodbye, Sophia." He smiled, though the smile seemed forced, "Have a safe trip."
The day after I got back abroad, I threw myself into work.
A lot of things had piled up at the studio, and I was so busy I barely had time to think about anything else.
Time flew by, and four years passed in a blink.
I had a daughter. Her full name is Aurora Brown, nicknamed Aura. She's now over three years old, a lively and adorable little girl.
Her eyes and nose look like James's; everything else looks like me.
Aura inherited all the best features from James and me. When I take her out for walks, she instantly attracts a crowd.
Everyone wants to hold her and play with her. She's not afraid of strangers either. When she was little and couldn't talk yet, she would hold people's hands and smile at them.
When she got older and could talk, she would make people laugh with her sweet childlike voice.
During these four years, besides taking care of Aura, I didn't neglect the studio either.
The studio kept getting better and bigger. Now it's become a proper company.
James kept his promise and didn't disturb our lives too much. He just came to see Aura regularly and paid child support.
We maintained a strange kind of balance.
Andrew stayed by my side the whole time, taking care of Aura and me like a brother.
I knew how he felt about me, but I could never return his feelings.
This spring, Indigo's health suddenly got worse, and she was admitted to the hospital.
When Liliana called me, her voice was shaking.
"Sophia, the doctor says grandma's condition isn't good... She keeps talking about wanting to see you and Aura. Can you bring Aura back for a visit?"
I barely hesitated: "Okay, I'll book tickets right away."
The day I brought Aura back home, James came to pick us up at the airport.
Four years later, he looked more mature, with a gentler air about him.
"Daddy!" When Aura saw him, she happily rushed over.
James scooped up Aura and smiled gently: "Aura, it's been so long since Daddy saw you. Did you miss Daddy?"
Aura wrapped her arms around his neck and nodded hard: "Yes, I missed daddy so, so much."
James kissed her little cheek, then looked at me with complicated eyes: "Sophia, thank you for bringing Aura back to see grandma."
"What's going on with grandma? What's her condition?" I asked.
His face darkened: "Not good. The doctor says it's old age, organ failure, irreversible. Right now she's being kept alive with medication."
My heart tightened.
We went straight to the hospital.
In the VIP room, Indigo lay in a hospital bed, tubes all over her body.
Indigo was so thin she was almost unrecognizable. When she saw me and Aura, her cloudy eyes brightened for a moment. Her lips moved, but she couldn't speak.
"Grandma..." I held her hand, tears falling.
Aura hid behind me, a bit scared, and asked quietly: "Mommy, what's wrong with great-grandma?"
"Great-grandma is sick." I wiped away my tears. "Aura, can you say hello to great-grandma?"
Aura timidly walked forward: "Hello, great-grandma, I'm Aura."
Indigo's hand moved, trying to lift and touch Aura, but she didn't have the strength.
Her eyes kept looking at Aura, full of love.
Liliana was crying her eyes out beside us, "Aura, move a bit closer so great-grandma can see you better."
Aura stepped closer. Sensing that Indigo wanted to touch her, she took the initiative to hold Indigo's hand and touch it to her own face.
"Great-grandma, you need to get better soon, so you can see Aura every day and play with Aura."
Big tears rolled down Indigo's face, and she nodded slightly.
Indigo couldn't speak; she could only listen to us talk.
I slowly told her about everything that happened abroad over the years.
When Indigo heard about my difficult delivery and raising Aura alone, she looked at me with heartache.
I knew what she wanted to say: "Indigo, it's okay, really, everything's been good."
"Look, haven't I taken good care of Aura and myself?"
Indigo smiled with relief.
The doctor came in and told us the patient needed to rest.
We all left the room together.
"Sophia, where are you staying? Do you want to stay with me and bring Aura?" Liliana took my arm.
"Okay."
"You should stay at The Smith Mansion instead. It'll be easier for me to take care of you and Aura." James glanced at Liliana, "Besides, you're an unmarried single girl who doesn't know how to take care of people."
Liliana glared at him: "James, just say what you want to say. Why do you have to put me down?"
I thought about it, and he was right. Aura had always lived with me abroad; she'd never been back home, and I didn't know if she'd have trouble adjusting.
If something came up, I could handle it on my own, but having help would make things easier.
Liliana wasn't married yet and could barely take care of herself, so she definitely couldn't handle these things.
"Sophia, just stay at my place. We haven't seen each other in so long, I want to live with you."
I smiled: "Liliana, even if I stay at The Smith Mansion, you can still come over and hang out. It doesn't make a difference."
Liliana huffed: "You're choosing James over me. I'm hurt."
"When grandma gets better, we'll go out and have fun, just the two of us, without them."
Liliana looked at James and Aura, lifting her chin as if to say: See? I'm the most important one to Sophia.
Aura giggled: "Liliana looks like a proud peacock."
Liliana pinched her little face: "You dare laugh at me?"
Aura whimpered: "Liliana, don't pinch Aura's face. If you make Aura's face big, Aura will drool."
"Stop talking nonsense."
"Liliana, if you keep messing with me, I'm going to get mad."
Liliana poked Aura's puffed-up cheeks: "You're pretty cute when you're mad."
James swatted her hand away: "Okay, stop teasing her."
"Daddy, Liliana is mean." Aura acted cute, "You pinch her face for me."
Liliana covered her face: "I'm leaving now."
Watching Liliana rush away, I got in James's car with Aura and went back to The Smith Mansion.