Chapter 41: Echoes of Forgiveness
The silence between them lingered for days—thick, unmoving, like fog after a storm. Zhao Chen had started visiting Jin Hao daily, never missing a moment by his bedside. He brought toys, told stories, and slowly earned the boy's trust without pushing boundaries. He didn't rush to reclaim a role he had abandoned; instead, he observed, listened, and waited.
Mei Xing noticed the shift, even if she didn't want to. There was a gentleness in Zhao Chen's eyes when he looked at the children—a kind of quiet desperation mixed with genuine care. Still, her heart remained guarded.
One evening, after tucking Xue Xin into bed in her new room at Mei Xing's temporary apartment, Zhao Chen lingered in the living room.
"Thank you," he said quietly. "For letting me stay close."
Mei Xing looked at him from the dining table, where she was sorting through legal files with her lawyer. "I didn't do it for you," she replied without looking up. "I did it for the kids."
"I know," he said. "And that's why I'm grateful."
She closed the folder and finally met his eyes. "You said you wanted to make things right. What does that mean to you, Zhao Chen? Because I'm not looking for empty words."
"I want to be the kind of father they deserve," he said. "I want Jin Hao to know he wasn't abandoned. That his real mother fought tooth and nail to bring him back—and that his father finally woke up."
She leaned back, arms crossed. "And what about Mei Li?"
"I've started gathering evidence. Her lies, her manipulation. I know it won't be easy, but I'm going to make sure she answers for what she did."
Mei Xing studied him, her gaze unreadable. "You once believed her over me. You let her steal years from our lives."
"I regret it every day," Zhao Chen said, voice low. "But if there's any chance to fix this, even a little, I'll take it. I'm not asking for your forgiveness. I'm asking for time—to prove that I've changed."
The honesty in his voice made her chest ache. Not with longing—but with the echo of what once was. They had loved each other, deeply. But betrayal had carved deep scars into their bond.
"You want time?" she said at last. "Then show up. Be consistent. Fight—not for me—but for your children."
"I will," he promised. "No matter what it takes."
As she turned off the lights and retreated into her room, Zhao Chen stood alone in the quiet apartment. The path to redemption was steep, but he had already taken the first step.
And Mei Xing, though still wary, began to wonder if perhaps some broken things… could be rebuilt.