Chapter 33 : Why Had Things Changed?
Nigel had always believed he could control Allison for the rest of her life.
But now, he felt a distance growing between them. It bothered him more than he expected.
Part of him even wished Allison would smile at him again, grab his arm as she used to, and call his name. It had once been so natural. Why had things changed? But what exactly had changed?
Just as Nigel was lost in thought, Sherrie came running over happily and grabbed his sleeve. “Nigel, did Allison agree?”
Nigel lowered his eyes and looked at the hand gripping his sleeve. When he looked up again, Allison’s smiling face was gone, replaced by Sherrie’s.
When had it changed? When had the person pulling at his sleeve stopped being Allison and turned into Sherrie instead?
A strange feeling rose in his chest. He let out a sigh. “She refused.”
Then he asked subconsciously, “Sherrie, do you think Allison is blaming me?”
Sherrie was stunned. The moment she saw the frustration on Nigel’s face, alarm bells rang in her mind.
Is Nigel starting to feel guilty toward Allison?
She glanced toward Allison’s room. How did Allison suddenly become so sharp after just one stay at the psychiatric hospital?
“Nigel,” Sherrie said softly. “You did this for the greater good. Even if there was a mistake, it was for the sake of the Rogers family. Besides, this decision wasn’t easy for you either. What kind of sister would blame her brother for that?”
Yes. Did Allison really think he wanted to make this choice? If she had been more capable and taken on the family’s responsibilities, he would not have had to make such a painful decision. He was already struggling, yet instead of understanding him, she was blaming him.
The trace of guilt in Nigel’s heart completely disappeared. He straightened his back. “The family won’t fall apart without her. Even if she doesn’t help, I’ll handle this myself.”
Sherrie was shocked. If Allison did not take the blame, she would be exposed. That could not happen. But no matter what, Nigel refused to go back and beg Allison again.
Over the next few days, everything was silent. Allison remained in her room, reading through the notes her father had left behind. Ruth came by once.
She even apologized for trying to arrange a blind date for Allison. She admitted she had been wrong and promised not to interfere again. Before leaving, she squatted beside the box Allison had dug out and casually flipped through a few sketches.
They were drawings Allison had made as a child, mostly portraits of women. The women looked quiet and elegant, either sitting or standing with grace. It was the picture of femininity. Allison used to draw them whenever she missed Ruth, copying them from her photos.
Nova had treated those drawings as something precious and kept them safe all these years. But Ruth did not see them the same way. She casually placed the old drawings on the floor, then gently rummaged through the bottom of the box. When she did not find what she was looking for, a hint of disappointment crossed her face.
Noticing Allison’s cold glance, Ruth suddenly asked, “Ally, I remember your Dad left behind a few ancient medical scripts. You have them, don’t you?”
Worried that Allison might be holding a grudge, Ruth got up and gently sat down beside her bed. “I haven’t been sleeping well these past few days. I keep dreaming about your father…”
When she began to talk, she took Allison’s hand in hers. Her eyes were red around the edges. “I wish he had left even one thing behind so I’d have something to remember him.”
“Mom, didn’t you give your blessing when the rose tree Father left you was cut down?” Allison looked at her earnestly.
Ruth hesitated under Allison’s intense stare. For a brief moment, she really felt guilty. “I know you’re upset,” she said quickly. “But when you become a mother one day, you’ll understand. A child’s safety matters more than anything. I had no choice.”
“The book really isn’t with me,” Allison mumbled.
Then, without any warning, she leaned closer and rested her head against Ruth’s chest. “Mom, if you miss Dad, just hold me. I’m part of what he left behind, too.”
Ruth had never hugged her like this before. The moment Allison leaned down, she felt Ruth instinctively trying to push her away.
A parent’s love for their child is meant to be deep.
Yet even as her daughter, Allison had never received that love.
When hearts turn crooked, how could fairness ever exist?
The hug lasted only a few seconds before Ruth pulled back and stood up, clearly uncomfortable. “I’ll ask your brothers later. Maybe one of them has the book.”
Allison smiled and gave a soft hum in response, showing no sign of being hurt.
Ruth bit her lip. Anxiety clouded her face as she walked out of the room.
Seeing that look, Ella assumed Allison must have said something harsh to Ruth.
However, Ruth shook her head and muttered, torn, “I just keep wondering… am I too cold to Ally? But…” She glanced at Ella with her voice filled with disgust. “I want to treat her like my daughter, but every time she gets closer, I feel disgusted and irritated. I can’t stop myself from wanting her to stay far away.”
She let out a long sigh, regret written all over her face. “If only Sherrie and Allison had been switched. If Sherrie were the real Rogers daughter and Allison had stayed in that mountain village, I wouldn’t be stuck in such an awkward situation.”
The door wasn’t fully closed. A thin strip of Allison’s clothes peeked through the gap, unnoticed.
She stood there, leaning silently against the wall, listening to her mother’s rejecting words.
Sharp words like that should have made her angry. But they didn’t.
She simply tipped her head back and rested it against the wall, her face empty and tired as she stared at the ceiling.
Her father’s love had been enough. As for a mother, she had never had one. So what was there to lose?
It had only been a beautiful childhood dream. It shattered, and that was all.
Later that night, Nigel received a call about an emergency case.
As he drove out through the wrought-iron gates of the Rogers estate, he had just turned onto the asphalt when he caught sight of a familiar figure by the roadside.
He instinctively stepped on the brakes and slowed down. When he glanced out the window, he saw Allison.
She got into a taxi and vanished into the flow of traffic.
Nigel frowned hard. What was she doing out so late? He turned the steering wheel and followed her.