Chapter 2

I made it home before they did.

The next morning, Ethan made breakfast for me like he always did.

He set a glass of milk in front of me and carefully signed,

“There was a problem at work last night.”

“I'm sorry I left you alone again.”

I lowered my eyes and quietly nodded.

That afternoon, Helen and David arrived with Olivia and Sophie.

Helen signed to me,

“Olivia just came back from overseas after getting divorced.”

“Her daughter is from her ex-husband. They don't have anywhere to stay for now.”

I looked at the little girl whose eyes looked so much like Ethan's.

And pretended I knew nothing.

At dinner, Ethan peeled shrimp for Sophie with practiced ease.

After removing every bit of shell, he even cut the shrimp into small pieces before putting them in her bowl.

Sophie happily ate them.

Then she naturally said,

“Daddy, I want more.”

The scissors froze in Ethan's hand.

He didn't explain right away.

Instead, he looked at me first.

Only after making sure I hadn't reacted did he pull Sophie into his arms and quietly remind Olivia,

“Didn't we agree?”

“She has to call me Uncle around Claire for now.”

Before Olivia could answer, Helen said dismissively,

“It's just a name.”

“Claire can't hear her anyway.”

David laughed.

“Besides, she'll have to accept the kid sooner or later.”

They discussed it right in front of me.

As if I were nothing more than a piece of furniture at the table.

After dinner, Helen took out a silver bracelet.

She signed that she wanted Ethan and me to officially make Sophie our goddaughter.

Sophie was already in preschool.

Once she was publicly known as our goddaughter, Ethan could openly show up for school meetings, family events, and birthday parties without anyone questioning why he was so involved in her life.

Olivia could also return to everyone's lives as the “friend I'd forgiven.”

I didn't immediately reach for the bracelet.

Olivia's eyes filled with tears.

“If Claire doesn't want this, I can take Sophie and leave.”

“We'll never bother her again.”

Helen immediately pressed down on Olivia's hand.

“Claire already has the title of wife, and Ethan has taken care of her for three years.”

“You've spent three years hiding with a child and no proper place in his life.”

“All we're asking is for Claire to accept Sophie as her goddaughter. Why can't she do that?”

David scoffed.

“If she hadn't suddenly gone deaf, Ethan would've divorced her three years ago.”

“She kept her marriage because of that accident. She can't expect you and Sophie to hide forever too.”

Then, as if nothing had happened, they switched back to sign language.

“Making her your goddaughter is only to protect her.”

“It won't affect your marriage with Ethan.”

Ethan crouched in front of me.

His eyes were as gentle as ever.

“It's just a title. Nothing between us will change.”

“The child is innocent.”

I stared at them for a long time.

Then I finally took the bracelet and fastened it around Sophie's wrist myself.

Sophie looked up at Ethan happily.

“Daddy, after I start calling her Godmother, does that mean you can pick me up from school every day?”

The entire table went silent.

Everyone instinctively looked at me.

A moment later, they relaxed again.

Because they were certain I couldn't hear a thing.

Ethan stroked Sophie's hair.

Then, right in front of me, he answered,

“Yes.”