บททั้งหมดของ The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1): บทที่ 31 - บทที่ 40

✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧I was driving home, the road dimly lit now that it was well past seven. Unlike before when I’d always be home by six, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was that I’d finally bought Poppy the gift she wanted for her birthday.Last week, when Summer asked her what she wanted while we were at Mommyla’s, Poppy had initially refused. She said she didn’t need a gift, that just being with us on her birthday was enough. That hit me hard, almost brought tears to my eyes. Out of all of us siblings, I’m the one whose most easily moved.But Summer didn’t take no for an answer. She insisted that Poppy deserved a gift. When Poppy finally opened up, she said she wanted a dog. She missed her old dog from when she was little—Juana. That dog had been her constant companion whenever she was left alone in the mansion. Juana had even slept beside her when she was moved to the annex because she was too young and scared to sleep alone at night.Juana had become her family. So, when she

✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧"Are you sure?" Chloe asked with a hint of doubt, her gaze lingering on me. We’re sitting across from each other at a restaurant. She just got back yesterday but didn’t come to see me right away, needing some time to rest.Poppy is already back at their house. I called her last night to check how her sister’s return went. She said everything was fine, no confrontations, thankfully. But now, Chloe is grilling me, asking if there’s something between me and her sister, Poppy."Chloe, I answered this in our messages. You didn’t believe me then. Now I’m telling you in person, and you’re still suspicious? Don’t you trust me?"“Because I saw the way you looked at her, Faith. Even before I left for Singapore, I noticed that you looked at Poppy differently. It's something you never did when you looked at me.”I swallowed hard. “Chloe, I don't know what you mean. You're the only one thinking that way. Poppy is like family to us. My parents treat her like their own daughter, a

POPPY Five years old."Here’s more. These are all for you, Chloe."One by one, Dad pulled out brand-new toys from the big shopping bag, handing each of them to Chloe. I sat there, sprawled out on the cold floor tiles in the living room, keeping myself busy with my old puzzle toy."And this iPad, this one's for you too.""Wow!"I kept watching, hoping Dad had bought something for me too. But no, the bag was emptied without him giving me anything. When he noticed me looking at him, he shot me a glare, and I quickly lowered my gaze, focusing back on my puzzle.Ever since Chloe came to live with us, she’s the only one Dad pays attention to and talks to. As for me, he’s always scolding me, even when I haven’t done anything wrong. Even Mommy Jody yells at me all the time now.Dad has changed so much towards me. I don’t know if I did something wrong to make him ignore me. But I can’t think of anything. I’ve always been a good kid. We used to get along so well.When Dad left the living room,

✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧THE room was small and musty, but it was dry and relatively warm. I flicked on the light, casting a dull glow over the threadbare carpet and worn furniture. Poppy stood in the middle of the room, dripping water onto the floor."Poppy," I called, grabbing a towel from the bathroom and handing it to her. "Dry off first. I’m just heading downstairs to ask the clerk for something real quick."She accepted the towel with a thankful smile, and I stepped out of the room to give her some privacy. Outside, the storm still raged on—wind rattling the windows while the rain hammered relentlessly against the roof.“Good evening, Sir,” the woman at the front desk greeted me as I approached.“Hi. Do you happen to sell any shirts here? Or anything we could change into?” I asked, hoping for a simple solution.“Sorry, Sir. We don’t have any clothes for sale. But you can request a bathrobe for an additional charge, if that works.”I nodded quickly. “That’ll do. I’ll take two bathrobes

✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧Despite my conversation with Poppy and assuring my family that we wouldn’t abandon her, she still refused to go home with us. She was scared. Even after I repeatedly reassured her, her fear lingered.She said she wouldn’t feel safe because she knew her parents were waiting for her eighteenth birthday. If I took her back to our place, they would undoubtedly send someone to retrieve her, forcing her back to the mansion whether we liked it or not.“What are we going to do now?” I asked Mommyla after a heavy sigh. I was still on the phone with her, standing in the hallway of the motel. I had intentionally stepped out of our room with Poppy so she wouldn’t overhear my conversation with my grandmother.Mommyla knew we were still at the motel. I had already shared with her why Poppy was reluctant to go home, which surprised her. She hadn’t realized how the Heralds treated Poppy.“How about... you stay at your daddylo’s vacation house for now? It's far from here. The Herald