Cecily handed me a tissue and asked, confused, “Are you okay today? You don’t seem like yourself. Tyrell’s just a kid, why take him so seriously?”
My son looked up at me, clearly upset.
“Dad, you were kinda scary today…”
I forced myself to relax, gently patting his head.
“Alfie, it’s good to help people, but we have to know who we’re helping. Some people are grateful, others bite the hand that feeds them.
“You’re still young, but you’ll get it one day. Everything I do—it’s to protect this family.”
Seeing the doubt in Cecily’s eyes,
I told her everything from my past life like it was just a news story.
How someone adopted an orphan out of kindness, only to have that kid destroy their whole family.
She frowned deeply and said, “There’s actually people like that? I’m sorry—I shouldn’t have questioned you.
“You’ve got a point. Alfie’s our priority. We should focus on him. Other kids… They have nothing to do with our family.”
Hearing her say that, I leaned back in the passenger seat and closed my eyes.
But inside, I was still uneasy.
Tyrell, at such a young age, already knew how to fake a disability just to survive.