Love Me Back (Amelia and Daniel) novel Chapter 399

The door, left ajar, was nudged open by a tiny hand. Ruby’s round, adorable face peeked in, catching Daniel off guard.

“Uncle, why are you in Mommy’s room?”

All the coldness Daniel carried melted away in an instant, replaced by the warmth Bunny brought with her. He walked over and scooped her up with one arm. “I wanted to sleep with your mommy, but she won’t let me.”

In Bunny’s world, sleeping was just that—simply falling asleep.

“Mommy doesn’t sleep with anyone else. She only sleeps with me.”

Daniel lifted an eyebrow, testing the waters. “She’s never slept with Robert either?”

Ruby tilted her head, confusion clear in her eyes. “Why would Mommy sleep with Uncle Robert? They never lived together.”

The pieces of Daniel Campbell’s shattered pride, crushed earlier by Amelia, were slowly glued back together by Bunny’s innocent answer.

Ruby said Robert and Amelia never lived together. That must mean they split up after Ruby was born—maybe even earlier.

Doing the math, Robert and Amelia were together for about a year. Time-wise, Daniel came out ahead.

Amelia might look gentle on the surface, but her heart was steel. Three years ago, she’d left Daniel without a second thought. That year with Robert no doubt ended the same way—cold and final.

Oh, abandoned men, all of them. No one was better off than the rest.

…

Amelia had expected Daniel to storm out—after all, when had Mr. Campbell ever tolerated this kind of humiliation? But when she came out of the closet, fully dressed, she found he hadn’t left at all. In fact, he and Ruby were playing together.

Daniel leaned an elbow on the table, completely absorbed in the childish game of Connect Four. Ruby, too short for the table, was practically sprawled across it.

A checker clattered down into a slot. Daniel’s brow arched. Ruby mimicked his reaction, then they both relaxed at the same time, eyes crinkling in laughter.

Blood ties really were mysterious. Even when two people didn’t look much alike, their tiny gestures and expressions could be mirror images—what people call a family resemblance.

Amelia walked over. “Ruby, why aren’t you in bed?”

Ruby, clutching her little blanket, looked up at her mom with wide, clear eyes. “Mommy, won’t Mr. Daniel be lonely if he’s all by himself outside?”

“He’ll be fine,” Amelia said, patting Bunny gently on the back. “He’s just getting what he deserves. Now close your eyes and go to sleep.”

Outside, Daniel stared at the firmly closed door, debating whether he could get someone to take the door off its hinges—and how likely it was Amelia would hit him for it.

A mocking laugh rang out nearby.

In the old house, only one person dared to laugh at him—consistently and gleefully.

Daniel turned to the old lady and held out his hand. “Key.” If he had the key, there’d be no need for door demolition.

Daniel: “…”