He Never Loved Me, Until I Left Chapter 08
The hammer of truth mercilessly struck Richard’s chest, completely crushing his long–pretended defenses.
His already exhausted legs instantly lost their strength, and with a “thud,” this once arrogant man knelt down in front of me on the streets of Chicago.
“It…it was me?” He trembled violently, clutching his hair tightly, tears streaming down his face. “I hurt.
you…and then, because of my mistakes, I spent six years punishing you and our child…”
He cried out in a desperate, bone–deep despair, like someone starving.
“I’m sorry…I’m so sorry, Claire! I beg you, hit me, scold me, anything! Please forgive me, please give me a chance to atone!” He knelt on the ground, reaching
out to touch the hem of my trench coat.
Don’t touch my mother!”
Leo, who had been hiding behind me, suddenly ushed out, shielding me like a protective cub.
The six–year–old looked at his father kneeling on the ground, weeping, his eyes filled with deep fear and defensiveness.
“You’re a bad person! You always make Mom cry, and you gave my prize to that weird aunt! You don’t deserve to be my father!!”
Leo’s words were the final straw for Richard.
He stood frozen in place; his outstretched hand still in place, looking at his son whom he had hurt so deeply. His world collapsed completely at that moment.
“Forgive you?”
I looked down at him coldly. “Richard, the moment I learned the truth, even hating you felt like a waste of time. You not only insulted my love, but you also insulted my character. There can never be anything between us again in this lifetime.”
took Leo’s little hand and turned around without hesitation.
“Let’s go, Leo, Uncle Ryan is waiting for us to have a celebratory dinner.”
Yay!”
My son and I strode towards the SUV parked by the roadside, bathed in the golden sunset. Behind us,
Richard, like a soulless shell, collapsed on the cold street, clutching the illusion of the family he had destroyed with his own hands, letting out a desperate wail.
But none of that mattered anymore. My new life had already blossomed brilliantly the moment I left him.