Chapter 7 Daddy Must Kiss Aunt Alexis On The Lips

"There's no bruise ointment at home." After rummaging through the medicine box and not finding one, William said, "I'll go buy some and be back soon." I struggled to my feet and slowly made my way upstairs. "Charlie." I knocked on the door and asked hoarsely, "Can I come in?" I was only met with silence. I reached for the doorknob, only to realize the door was locked. Then, Charlie's angry voice erupted from within. "I don't want to see you! Go away! If Aunt Alexis hadn't asked me to give you the band-aid just now, I wouldn't have given it to you! Since you can't stand her, I won't stand you either!" Pain pierced through my heart and suffocated me. Tears rushed down my cheeks. "Charlie, you're still young. There are certain things you can't comprehend yet. Please open the door and let me explain to you. Or let's have lunch first, okay? You'll feel sick if you don't eat." "I'm not opening it! I would rather starve to death!" Despite everything I stated, he refused to open the door. I was concerned about his feelings but much more so about his health. Hence, I crawled over the window on the opposite side of his room. My ankle was already injured, so as I tried to balance myself, I could feel the pain shoot up my leg. Just as I was about to call his name, I saw him on a video call with William on his tablet. "Daddy, are you and Aunt Alexis together now?" Charlie sounded cheery as he lay on the bed, nothing like the anger he had shown earlier. "Yes. We're together." William's voice emerged from the speaker. "Keep your voice down. Don't let your mother hear this." "Don't worry. I locked the door." Charlie grasped the iPad excitedly. "Am I amazing or what? If I hadn't pushed Mommy, you wouldn't have been able to leave and meet Aunt Alexis. Today is your anniversary. Don't forget to bring me something tasty when you come back from celebrating!" Alexis' crisp laughter rang out. "I've always said that my little baby is the smartest." I stood frozen, unable to believe what I was hearing. My eyes burned, and tears welled up uncontrollably. Large drops of tears slid down my pale cheeks, blurring my vision. A sharp, wrenching pain twisted in my chest. "But Daddy, you scared me earlier when you yelled at me." "Who dares to scream at my intelligent little baby? I'll teach them a lesson!" "Do I get a reward for being so smart?" William laughed and asked, "What do you want?" "I want to see you kiss Aunt Alexis. You can't hide it from me." Charlie smiled happily. "A kiss on the cheek doesn't count. It must be on the lips!" So, everyone had been putting on a performance. But I couldn't believe Charlie was doing this to me too. My body started shaking furiously as my thoughts became blank. I watched as William stretched out to block the camera. Despite this, I could faintly see them kissing. "No, no! That doesn't count! Dad, you're cheating! Aunt Alexis, look at him!" Their laughter hurt my ears. I sank to the floor, unable to support myself any longer. It felt as if I had fallen into an icy abyss. The cold seeped through my bones as despair swallowed me whole. Memories of my father, my stepmother, and Alexis' laughter filled my mind. It was surprising how history always repeated itself. In the family I was born in, I was the one cast aside. But why was I still the one being cast aside in this new family that I had built? I couldn't believe I was foolish enough to convince myself to endure it all and stay with a cheating man for Charlie's sake. No one in the world could be more pathetic than me. Gritting my teeth through the searing pain in my ankle, I turned and walked away. At that moment, my heart had been completely ripped out of my chest.