Chapter 4
Leah rubbed her eyes and walked over step by step.
“Daddy, I’m so hungry,” she said.
Hudson glanced at the dried bloodstains on Leah’s clothes, then at the paint on the coffee table. His face turned pale.
“Your mom didn’t even bother to change your dirty clothes? She actually let you sleep in them?” he said, frustrated.
Hudson checked his watch and took Leah’s hand, asking, “Where’s your mom?” Leah pointed toward the master bedroom.
“Mommy is still sleeping,” she said.
Hudson’s frown deepened.
“Hailey, get up. Leah needs to go to school soon, and she hasn’t even had breakfast. You’re getting more and more irresponsible,” Hudson said, frustrated.
He waited for a while but didn’t get a response from me. Hudson angrily headed toward the master bedroom.
I felt a bit of excitement.
As soon as Hudson opened the door, he would discover that I was already dead.
Just as Hudson reached the master bedroom door, the phone he left on the dining table rang.
I kept whispering in his ear, “Hudson, just open the door. As soon as you do, you’ll see that I’m already dead.”
But Hudson paused and went back to the living room to grab his phone.
I saw the caller ID. It was Ayla Baker, Hudson’s unattainable dream girl.
“Hudson, Rylee woke up with a fever this morning. I don’t know what to do by myself. Can you come help me?” Ayla’s anxious voice came through the phone.
Ayla’s urgent tone instantly brought a look of panic to Hudson’s face.
It was a look that had never appeared on his face, even when Leah had a fever of 104°F.
“Wait for me at home. I’ll be there soon,” Hudson said hurriedly.
Hudson put on his shoes and was about to leave. He turned around after opening the door and saw Leah standing there, looking confused. He looked toward the master bedroom with annoyance.
“Hailey, stop being unreasonable, will you? Get up and get Leah ready for school. Ayla’s child is sick, and I have to go over there,” Hudson said, irritated.
“I can’t take care of Leah anymore. Hudson, you can’t leave her alone. Don’t leave her by herself. She’ll be scared.”
I screamed in Hudson’s ear, but he remained unmoved. He quickly shut the door and left.