Virginia must have thought I was upset because she hurried after me, explaining anxiously.
"Don’t misunderstand. He comes here often to sponsor activities. The kids in the home call him ‘Dad’ all the time. Once the adoption is finalized, I’ll make sure Cassie understands."
Watching her so desperate to reassure me, I almost wanted to laugh.
Just to give this child a legitimate status, she had gone as far as orchestrating a car accident that left me disabled.
Now that she had everything she wanted, what was the point of feeling wronged?
"Don’t worry. I’m not an unreasonable person," I said lightly. "Go finish the paperwork. I’ll wait in the car."
Relief flooded her face as she watched me leave.
As I sat in the car, every employee who passed by glanced at me with barely concealed ridicule in their eyes.
I ignored them and quietly pulled out my phone, canceling the documents online.
That evening, to celebrate Cassie’s arrival, the Stuart family hosted a family dinner.
I excused myself, claiming I wasn’t feeling well, and stayed upstairs.
But even from behind my closed door, I could hear Virginia’s parents downstairs, their mocking laughter seeping through the cracks.