Bitter Smile

A bitter smile was crossing his lips as he slowly opened his mouth to speak. "You are still such a sweet girl, my child," the old man started. 

"When you suddenly disappeared, your father…" His eyes slowly turned sad as he looked directly into her eyes. "He had been stressing himself with working, unable to accept what had happened to you and your relationship with him. He chained himself with workload until he ended up sick in bed." 

Her heart sank at the words Mr. Gaston said. She couldn't believe that her father had been suffering all along because of her. Guilt started to creep up to her system, unable to bear what she heard. 

She bites her lip for a second and with a stunned look, speaks the words, "What do you mean?" 

"My child, your father had been dying inside as though you were his world that slowly disappeared from his sight," he explained. "He only comes home to