Chapter 97: Charlotte’s Grievances, and Settlements
“Wait, Charlotte. Stay here. There’s something I want to discuss with you.”
Upon hearing this, Charlotte was slightly startled and cast a puzzled glance at Leon.
However, rather than probing further, she simply retreated to her original position, maintaining a calm and curious expression as she continued to observe Leon.
Leon didn’t initiate the conversation immediately; instead, he calmly sipped his tea, his eyes closed.
After a moment, he set his cup down on the saucer and opened his eyes.
“Charlotte, are you upset with me?” He inquired softly, turning his gaze directly toward her.
Caught off guard by the sudden question, Charlotte was immediately taken aback and shook her head briskly in response.
“No, Daddy. I couldn’t possibly be upset with you,” Charlotte replied firmly, dismissing his inquiry.
“Are you certain?” Leon asked once more.
“Yes, Daddy! I’m certain! I’m not upset with you,” Charlotte affirmed, blinking earnestly.
Leon fell silent for a moment, appearing lost in thought.
Shortly after, he collected himself and turned his gaze back to Charlotte.
“Well, what if we rephrase the question?” Leon spoke softly, his tone gentle.
“Have you harbored any grievances against me in the past few days?”
At the question, Charlotte’s expression immediately shifted, a desire to deny rising within her.
Yet, her mouth only opened and closed, as if she couldn’t produce a sound, causing her to lower her head, avoiding Leon’s gaze out of fear.
Leon nodded slightly, sensing he had touched on the right nerve.
To be honest, when Fiona explained the reason why she and Charlotte were upset with him, Leon himself was skeptical and didn’t believe it.
Fiona, that smelly girl, had been sneaking into his bedroom frequently over the past few days.
It seemed unlikely that she would be angry or sulking just because she couldn’t come in and sleep there last night.
Furthermore, over the past two days, he has devoted a considerable amount of time to Fiona, teaching her to read and write and accompanying her, despite being preoccupied with researching the poison within his body through reading books.
Hence, there was only one likely cause for Fiona’s anger towards him, and that was undoubtedly the incitement of Charlotte beside him.
Certainly, he wasn’t angered by Charlotte; rather, he was deeply intrigued by what might have prompted her to incite Fiona in such a manner.
After observing the impact of his question, he seemed to have deduced the reason behind Charlotte’s actions.
With a sigh, Leon glanced at Charlotte, who was bowing her head with a frightened and anxious expression.
“Charlotte, if you have any grievances against me or if there’s something that’s dissatisfying you, could you please explain or share it with me?” Leon leaned in a little closer, his tone gentle and devoid of any pressure or anger.
Confronted with such a gentle inquiry, Charlotte couldn’t hold back her tears, her petite frame trembling slightly.
“Sob… Sob…” Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, cascading down her chubby cheeks.
She lifted her small head, tears of sadness gathering in her round eyes as she gazed at Leon.
“Sob… Daddy, I’ve never been angry or hated you, sob! I’ve never harbored any complaints or dissatisfaction towards you, sob!”
“But why do you always seem to love Fiona more? Sob… I-I feel so jealous, sob!”
With tears streaming down her face, she finally poured out all the grievances she had been holding onto for the past few days to Leon.
She expressed how she felt that he favored Fiona too much and didn’t pay enough attention to her, which left her feeling jealous and lonely.
Charlotte continued to share her feelings for a while before eventually falling silent, her sobs and complaints echoing around them in the room.
On the other hand, Leon, who listened attentively to all of her complaints, refrained from arguing, interrupting, or attempting to pacify her.
He recognized that crying was one of the most potent means of emotional release, and he had no intention of interfering with her process.
Throughout Charlotte’s lamentations, Leon gradually gained insight into her innermost thoughts and the concealed issues she was grappling with.
‘Jealous, huh?’ Leon muttered, his thoughts delving deep.
To be honest, what Charlotte expressed and her grievances were undeniably true.
He couldn’t deny that he felt a certain inclination or partiality towards Fiona compared to his other two daughters, Charlotte and even Iris.
Maybe it was because Fiona, being the youngest and seemingly most innocent of his daughters, was also the first one he encountered upon discovering he had triplet daughters. Of course, there were many reasons.
However, upon reflection, he realized that his actions were indeed very perilous; they could potentially breed animosity among his three daughters.
“Hah…” Leon released a small sigh, feeling a wave of disgust towards himself.
As someone who never experienced a father’s love, neither in his past life nor in this one, he lacked the guidance to be a good father to his three daughters.
Realizing how foolish and detrimental it is to favor one child over the others, Leon felt a pang of regret.
‘Fortunately, it’s still early, and Charlotte voiced her complaints promptly. Otherwise, these grievances could have festered into resentment, potentially fueling animosity between sisters,’ Leon contemplated, a subtle sense of relief washing over him.
Taking a slow breath to steady himself, he turned his gaze back to Charlotte, who was still sobbing bitterly.
Witnessing her distress, Leon couldn’t help but feel as though he deserved to be struck by thousands of lightning bolts in the sky as punishment.
With tender care, Leon gently lifted Charlotte, who was in tears, and settled her onto his lap.
He then wrapped his arms around her, providing comfort and solace in his embrace.
“Charlotte, I’m sorry,” Leon expressed with deep regret in his tone.
He refrained from denying or defending himself with statements like, “You misunderstood, Charlotte! I love you very much, and my affection for you is equal to that of Fiona.”
No, he refused to utter such hypocritical words; instead, he chose to apologize sincerely.
Knowing Charlotte’s perceptiveness and emotional intelligence, Leon opted for honesty over deception, unwilling to disappoint her.
Upon hearing Leon’s apology, Charlotte’s body gradually relaxed, and her tears gradually ceased to flow.
Sensing the moment was right, Leon tenderly brushed Charlotte’s smooth, long white hair.
“Actually, I do feel a special affection for Fiona, and I admit that. But it’s crucial for you to understand that I never intend to neglect or diminish my love for you, Charlotte,” Leon explained gently, pausing for a moment.
Suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind, and with gentle resolve, he continued, “You know, Charlotte, I’ve never experienced the love of a mother, let alone a father, since I was a child. My parents always ignored me, leaving me to fend for myself. Whether it was playing, studying, or even eating, I was always alone and rarely had their company,” Leon said, slowly opening up to Charlotte about his past.
Whether from his previous life or his current one, he began to disclose it to her, though it was limited to his specific past and nothing more.
As for matters of reincarnation or his status as a hero, Leon couldn’t possibly divulge them, especially the topic of reincarnation, his most guarded secret.
Meanwhile, Charlotte, now composed, listened intently to his narrative, her face nestled against Leon’s belly.
Gradually, she set aside all her grievances towards him, fully immersing herself in his tale.
It was the first time she had heard her father speak about himself, and she was determined not to miss a single word.
Moreover, this was the first story her daddy had shared with her in the past few days, following a period of days where he hadn’t told her a single fairy tale.
After ten minutes of storytelling, Leon finally ceased speaking and gazed at Charlotte, cradled in his arms.
“So, Charlotte, I’m truly sorry, and can you find it in your heart to forgive me?” Leon asked, his tone tinged with sadness.
Upon hearing his plea, Charlotte also came back to her senses and gently loosened her embrace of Leon.
Lifting her small head, she gazed directly at him.
In truth, after hearing her daddy’s entire story, she was deeply astonished.
The man she regarded as a wonderful father, whom she loved dearly, had endured a profoundly sorrowful past.
Tears even welled up in the corners of her eyes as she listened to his story.
In light of this revelation, how could she possibly maintain any lingering anger towards her father?
Tenderly, Charlotte rose slightly, wrapping her arms tightly around Leon’s neck.
“Daddy, you don’t need to apologize. I was wrong for being selfish and blaming you.”
Gazing at her, who even took some blame upon herself, how could Leon not be deeply moved?
Having a daughter who displayed such maturity and composure, despite her young age, was perhaps a testament to the kindness accumulated over his myriad lives.
“Tsk! Why are you apologizing, you little girl?” Leon chuckled, rubbing her back gently.
“It’s all my fault, and I’m truly grateful that you opened up to me, allowing me to realize my mistake in favoring Fiona.”
“After all, you’re my daughter too, and you deserve the same love I give to Fiona.”
Charlotte beamed at Leon’s words, finding the reassurance she sought.
With a radiant smile, she pressed her round cheek against his and hugged him tightly.
“Thank you, Daddy~
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