Chapter 17 Valerie, I Didn't Mean It

• “No, no. It’s for you.” Valerie’s eyes widened. But she was only shocked for a short time. Then she returned to being calm. Her eyes were filled with doubt and inquiry. She didn’t mean to do that. But judging from the attitudes the Horton family had toward her, she had no idea why Reyna sent her the dessert. And it was Zoe’s favorite strawberry cake. Valerie made Reyna not know what to say. Valerie was her biological daughter. And she felt embarrassed when faced with her daughter. “I just felt that I shouldn’t have yelled at you tonight…” Reyna’s voice turned lower and lower. Reyna thought that she shouldn’t have yelled at Valerie.
• Then what? So Reyna could just bring the cake to console Valerie and help her move past what happened that day? Along with what had happened before? It was hard to tell whether Valerie would forgive Reyna for what Reyna had done. But Reyna knew that if this happened to her, she would definitely feel uncomfortable. “Um… Nothing. Just put it on the desk.” “Oh… Okay. Okay.” Valerie didn’t think that much. Instead, she felt strange. This was the first time Reyna had delivered her any food. She sat on the chair, watching Reyna step forward and put the cake on the desk. Then she waited for Reyna to leave. With nothing in her hands, Reyna suddenly didn’t know what to say.
• She rubbed her hands against each other. Valerie said that it was okay. But Reyna didn’t think that there was really nothing. “Um… Valerie, I shouldn’t say that to you today. I didn’t mean it. I was too anxious at that time…” Reyna felt when she was anxious, she couldn’t express what she wanted to say at all. It sounded like that as long as she was anxious, she could treat Valerie casually like this. Reyna knew that she shouldn’t say this, so she fell silent. “Mom, I know it. You don’t need to say anything. I have to do my homework now. Can you please go out now?” Valerie raised her head and looked into Reyna’s eyes with pleading in her eyes.