Even though Reginaâs words were as sweet as honey, Nolan still turned her down.
âDonât you underestimate me. Theyâre just clothes, not that heavy. Letâs get moving!â
Their banter didnât escape the notice of the shop assistant working behind them. She was struck by how well-matched they seemed, a perfect couple. She wondered why on earth they werenât together.
In the end, Regina still carried her nearly weightless necktie as she got into the car. Nolan was driving her home.
âHeading to the Tanner Mansion, right?â
Regina shook her head and gave him another address instead.
âOkay.â he said.
After a while, she asked, âArenât you curious why Iâm not going home?â
âThereâs nothing to be curious about. Youâre an adult, and you donât have to stay at home all the time.
Besides, from what Iâve seen, you seem to enjoy your freedom when youâre living alone.â
Regina laughed, âYou only visited once and youâve already figured it out. My dad and that mother-
daughter duo have lived together for years and he still canât see the reality. He actually think we get along great.â
Although Regina laughed, Nolan could sense the helplessness in her heart.
âMr. Tanner is quite stubborn. As people get older, they cling to the idea of a perfe family. Just like my grandmother â sheâs always urging me to find a wife and bring home.â
âNo, itâs not the same.â Regina leaned back in her seat, her gaze empty, and for some reason, on this tranquil afternoon, she felt a sudden urge to confide in someone. Her heart was racing, a warning that she was treading on dangerous ground. She couldnât g âIf you want to talk, Iâm listening.â
With a snap, the string in Reginaâs heart broke, âSometimes, I just donât know what my dad is struggling with. He says he wanted me to be taken care of, so thatâs why he brought me a stepmom. I once thought she would be another elder whoâd be kind to me like my mom was. But that was all just an act for my dadâs benefit.
Even as a kid, I felt the malice from her. Thanks to her and her daughter, I learned to protect myself early on. But I never imagined my dad would bring her daughter into our home too and let her take the Tanner name. Is our name that cheap?
Over the years, Iâve survived their little mind games. But sometimes, I still get so angry and I just canât understand why my dad seems to be so blind? When it comes to family matters, itâs like his intelligence just evaporatesâ¦â
Nolan glanced at Regina in the rear-view mirror. The more she spoke, the angrier she got; her voice even started to choke up.
He didnât know why, but he suddenly felt like pulling over and giving her a hug, telling her none of those was her fault.
Silently driving, Nolan eventually found his words, âNone of those is on you. You have every right to feel wronged.â
Regina felt a loud echo in her mind as she curled up slightly. As she turned away, tears began to slide down her cheeks. For so long, no one had ever said anything like that to her. She spoke of her anger, her disappointment, but she had never voiced her sense of being wronged.
Yes, she was wronged indeed.
That man was her father, yet he always spoke for others. She was the one being falsely accused, so why couldnât her father understand?