Chapter 8
I curled up in Mom's arms and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Life went on for Mom and me.
I focused on my studies and worked hard in school.
Mom kept running her clinic with care.
Seven years had passed, and people barely remembered what happened anymore.
Back then, the police chalked Daniel's death up to suicide from severe depression, saying no one else was involved.
Mom's clinic was getting more and more patients, and everyone was raving about her.
She started planning to open another clinic in Seaview City.
Setting up a new clinic was a real hassle.
But then, almost offhandedly, she mentioned her status as Nicholas' wife.
And just like that, everything got a whole lot simpler and faster.
She kept her promise and never talked about romance with Nicholas.
But when it came to her own interests, she never hesitated to pull out the Nicholas card to make things easier for herself.
Nicholas was the illegitimate son of the Sanders family.
Marrying Mom was his ticket into the family, especially since the official heir of the Sanders clan turned out to be a useless playboy.
That was how he slowly worked his way up in Sanders Corporation, and eventually became the CEO.
Back then, Mom used to say she loved Richard, and that he was the one we could always lean on.
But now, she told me that nothing in this world could be counted on forever.
Even mountains fell, rivers dried up.
Only by relying on oneself and knowing what one truly wanted could a person be sure of never losing out.
I hugged her tight and said, "But Mom, you'll always be my rock."
Mom couldn't help but smile, her eyes a little red as she gently patted my head.
"Emily, you're always my support too," she said.
I snuggled even closer into her arms.
Mom's arms were always the warmest.
Adrian stood off to the side, tugging at my sleeve with a pout.
"Emily, I want a hug too," he whined.
Mom and I both burst out laughing.
Richard kept dropping by Mom's clinic, hoping she'd talk to him.
But Mom didn't hesitate at all, and she had security throw him out and refused to look at him.
Richard came to my school again.
He brought me a pink doll.
It was the one he promised to give me seven years ago, the night before he left for abroad.
Back then, my third birthday was just two days away.
Richard said he'd bring Fiona back and make her say sorry to Mom.
He promised he'd bring back the doll I wanted most and be there for my birthday.
It had been seven years.
He never showed up for my birthday.
He never brought me the doll he promised.
Even after all those years, he came back and saw me again.
And he still didn't remember the doll he had promised me.
It was only now.
It wasn't until he realized Mom and I wanted nothing to do with him anymore.
That was when he finally remembered the doll I used to want so badly, and tried to use it to win me over.
But seven years, over two thousand days and nights, had gone by.
The little Emily who was barely three years old had grown up.
Dolls just didn't mean anything to her anymore.