My Pretty Sweetheart (Arianna)
Chapter 574

He knitted his brows and felt a little helpless, "Why are you so stubborn? Things have come to this, so it's useless to keep struggling. Do you think about Anne every time you push all of us away like this?

I looked up at him and said calmly, "Yes, things have come to this. All I want is to be left alone to get my bearings straight and to calm myself down. Why can't I do this?"

He was left astounded and speechless for a moment. After a long while, he sighed helplessly, "Okay, I'll give you some time to calm down."

I came to Jarold city because of the Al product for the Granger Group I'd been following up all this time. If I suddenly left, it wouldn't be good for me to not inform them.

I also had to say goodbye to Charles. I would live in Hovell in the next few years and I wouldn't be able to take Anne around for a while.

Four years had passed.

Time passed in a blink of an eye. I had bought an old house in an alley in Hovell, though it wasn't right calling it an old house. After all, it had been renovated and looked as good as new.

The house was not big, with only two floors and four rooms, but the yard was relatively large and there were walls between the houses. The environment and weather in Hovell were great. Most residents were retired expats and came here in hopes to live an idyllic life.

The yard was large and there was plenty of space for children to run around in. I watched Anne go from swaying side to side unsteadily to learning to walk. Now, she was able to walk quickly. She grew little by little with each passing day.

The more time passed, the easier it was for me to start letting things go.

When I first came to Hovell, Anne was not used to the environment. She always woke up crying in the middle of the night. I couldn't make her feel better no matter how hard I tried. I could only cry with her whenever she cried.

After that, I fell seriously ill. Anne who was one at the time and had become more sensible and well-behaved as she understood my emotions.

Hovell was a remote place. I looked for a job when Anne turned three.

On the first day she was sent to the kindergarten, she grabbed my hand and said, "Mom, you must pick me up tonight. I'll wait for you."

In three years time, Anne had cured me. She helped me let go of my lost baby and of everyone in Jarold City and Ucrebury.

It felt like my life had nothing to do with them anymore.

I hugged and kissed her, "I will definitely come on time!"

My heart and this child's heart were now beating as one. I couldn't be separated from her anymore.

Hovell had no listing companies nor any advanced technology companies. I was a single mother, so my first job was a dishwasher at a small restaurant.

In a corner of the kitchen in the restaurant, I would wipe plates and cutlery dry. There was a hubbub of voices around me and I enjoyed the softness of the bubbles quietly.

The vibrant street life was always comforting to see and be around in. Although it wasn't as prosperous as Jarold City, I lived in ease.

At five in the afternoon, I would go and pick Anne up. Then, I'd take her to the restaurant and she'd keep me company as I cleaned the dishes in the kitchen.

She would always ask me, "Mom, do I have a father?"

I asked her, "Do you want a father?"

She was more sensible than I thought she would be. "Mom, do you want one?"

I grinned softly. When the streetlights were lit, we would begin our journey back home and I'd give her a small steamed bun on the way back.

Then, we would go to our backyard and sit on the stone bench to enjoy the buns which always tasted heavenly.

In the dead of night, everything would be quiet. Occasionally, I would dream of Monique. She would look young as she came to look for me with a few green mangoes in her arms.

We would cut the green mangoes into pieces in the yard and mix them with chili powder. Both of us always liked eating them like this and we would spend whole afternoons eating away. After Anne grew familiar with Hovell, I began to sleep better. I often slept until dawn.