The Unveiled Rose
Chapter 181

I randomly pointed to words, and Willow, with both little hands clasped behind her back, answered quickly and confidently. After going through everything we had learned today, I realized she had mastered all the words she needed to learn the spelling of in just one day. Looking for praise, Willow snuggled into my arms. "How did I do, Mommy? Did I get anything wrong?"

"Not a single one!" I praised her wholeheartedly. "You got everything right, Willow!"

Willow blinked. Her face lit up in surprise. "Am I really that good?"

I cupped her cheeks in my hand and gently squeezed. "Yes, you are!"

She smiled shyly, then grabbed her book and nestled back into my lap. "Then, let me see if I can read them out."

I watched her intently. "Go for it."

Willow leaned over the table, her chubby little finger pointing to each letter as she enunciated them. After spelling out the word, she read it out loud.

Worried she might have pronounced it wrongly, she looked back at me and asked, "Is that right, Mommy?"

I nodded and answered with absolute certainty, "Yeap!"

Willow didn't expect to get everything correct, and she beamed with pride, feeling even more motivated.

Seeing how focused she looked, my heart softened.

This was my daughter. She wasn't perfect and had her own little quirks, but she was trying her best to be better.

And that was enough.

...

Willow kept reading the letters and words out loud.

After a while, I noticed her voice growing hoarse, yet she kept flipping through the pages. I reached out and gently closed the book.

Willow looked up at me in confusion. "Mommy, what's wrong?"

"If you keep reading out loud like this, you'll wear out your voice," I explained softly. "Your health matters more, Willow."

When Willow heard this, she slid the book away. "You're right."

Then, she leaned back against me and said happily, "I guess all this practicing and exercising is actually paying off. When my body gets stronger, my mood gets better, too. And I've been practicing in front of the mirror every day and studying, so it feels like speaking to others won't be so hard anymore."

Willow paused, then added with a shy smile, "It's just that I still can't actually say anything yet."

I reached out and gently tapped her nose. "At this rate, it won't be long before you conquer autism, huh?"

Willow cupped her face in her hands, her eyes sparkling. "When that happens, I'll have lots of kids coming up to me and wanting to be my friend."

After saying that, she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

I held her close and said, "I really hope that day comes soon."

"Me, too," Willow agreed.

...

Zachary arrived at Chloe's house. Chloe looked at her grandson in disbelief.

"Why are you here?"

Zachary grinned and replied, "I missed you, Grandma."

Chloe's expression brightened with joy as she quickly ushered him to the table. "Have you eaten?"

Zachary shook his head. "Not yet."

Hearing that Zachary had come on an empty stomach, Chloe hurriedly said, "I'll make you some food."

"Thanks, Grandma," Zachary's gaze wandered toward the kitchen.

Before his parents' divorce, whenever he came home and said he was hungry, no matter how busy Annalise was, she would always stop what she was doing and make him something to eat. However, since Annalise had been kicked out and Jessica moved in, he never enjoyed the same treatment again.

The thought of it made Zachary feel a lump in his throat. Before he could stop it, tears welled up in his eyes. Chloe heard him sniffle and rushed back to his side. "What's wrong?"