When Love Turns Cold

“Who’s there?”

Lionel heard the knocking and hurriedly wiped his hands on his apron. He glanced at the grilled sea bass he’d just plated and carefully brought it to the dining table before answering the door.

Mindy was watering the plants in the room when she heard the knocks as well. She looked out to the yard and said, “Who is it? Justin?”

*Justin sent a text this morning saying he’d only be back tomorrow. I think it must be Mrs. Yates from next door. You haven’t been well lately, so I asked her to get me some organic eggs-”

Miranda stood at the door, looking up at her father.

She hadn’t seen him in six years. Lionel’s hair had mostly turned gray, and there were also many wrinkles on his face.

When Miranda was little, she used to love riding on Lior

shoulders. Now,

Lionel wasn’t as young as he used to be anymore. His back was also a little bent than before. However, his eyes were still bright and sharp, just like how they were six years ago.

“Dad…” Miranda greeted lightly.

Lionel was stunned at first. Then, a dumbfounded look came on his face before he finally looked at her solemnly. “Why are you back here?”

It grew silent for a while. Mindy waited for a bit and thought that something must be wrong. So, she came out of the living room and went out into the yard.

While walking, she still called out to her husband and said, “Lionel, why aren’t you saying anything? Who is it?”

However, when Mindy caught sight of the person standing outside the door, she dropped the watering can she was holding onto the floor with a loud thud.

Miranda’s eyes were red and teary. Her mother, Mindy, was still as pretty and elegant as ever. The years didn’t seem to have had an effect on her at all.

*28 BONUS

When Miranda met Mindy’s eyes, she couldn’t stop herself from calling out to her. “Mom…”

Mindy’s hand shook when she heard her beloved daughter’s voice calling out to her. Her lips fell open, but she couldn’t even manage to put a full sentence together.

A full minute later, she finally said in a hoarse voice, “Lionel, let’s go back inside and talk.”

The tension was high in the living room, stuffy like a rainy summer day. Lionel was seated on the couch with an expressionless look on his face.

“What are you doing here? Have you forgotten everything you said back then?”

Miranda had forgone the offer to continue her studies with the combined Master’s and Doctorate program, all for a man. Lionel had been the last one to know about it, and it made him so mad that he had to be hospitalized for his hypertension.

Since she was young, Lionel had been teaching Miranda anu yuiding her to do well in her studies. He never once thought that she would give everything up for a man.

He also remembered traveling all the way to find her and interrogate her about her decision. At that time, Miranda had confidently told him that she’d made up her mind about her studies and love life, and that she would never regret her decision.

Lionel felt his chest tightening as he recalled the past.

“Haven’t I told you before that you’re free to pursue whatever love life you want from that day onward while your mother and I will just go about our daily lives pretending like you never existed?”

“Dad…” Miranda’s tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Don’t call me that,” Lionel said, turning away so that he wasn’t facing her anymore. “I’m not your father. And I don’t have what it takes to be your father.”

Perhaps Miranda’s sudden appearance had given Lionel quite the shock, causing his emotions to be in turmoil. His blood pressure was rising at an

alarming speed, and Mindy sensed it.

She quickly patted Lionel on the back and said, “Alright, that’s enough. You know you’ve got hypertension, and yet, you still speak so loudly!”

After Mindy was done chiding Lionel, she turned around to face Miranda.

Miranda was one stubborn child.

Back then, they’d done everything they could to get her to change her mind, but she had been adamant about her decision.

Mindy had written plenty of novels, and all of her female protagonists shared the same stubborn yet straightforward trait. However, she hadn’t been prepared for how stubborn her own daughter would be, compared to the protagonists, when it came to matters of love.

At one point, Mindy even thought that Miranda had let love get to her head, rendering her unable to think properly or make rational decisions anymore. © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Mindy hardened her heart and said in a cold voice, “See, your father’s health has deteriorated and he can’t afford to get upset agai f you still think of us as your family, then stop upsetting him and leave now.”

Miranda felt a huge lump in her throat. Her nose tingled as tears started streaming from her eyes, blurring her vision completely.

“Mom, Dad, I’m sorry. I was wrong, I know what I did was wrong, and I’m sorry…

“Dad, I know that you’ve always had high hopes for me and wanted me to

pursue further in my studies, but I let you down.”

Miranda inhaled deeply and continued, turning to look at Mindy as she said, ” And Mom, you always taught me about independence and preserving my dignity, but I’m sorry, I failed after all…”