Chapter 365 - A father’s forgiveness (1/2)

Ying Sheng heard the doorbell ring but stalled in her backyard, hoping that Liam, her boyfriend, would get the door and deal with whoever was at the door.

The ringing persisted then cut off abruptly, she breathed a sigh of relief and allowed herself to go back to enjoying the bees visiting her flowers. All summer long she had jumped from the euphoria of having her flowers blooming to watching the bees and butterflies visit.

It may seem commonplace but it gave her a sense of creation, there was something to be said for having your flowers blooming beautiful.

Footsteps headed towards her paused her reverie, the door opened to reveal her boyfriend, Liam as he stepped into their lush backyard.

”Over here,” she called and his eyes darted towards her.

She smiled up at him from her spot in the grass and he smiled back, a crooked smile that revealed him more handsome and drove a pang straight through her heart.

”Hello gorgeous”

”Hello, you” her voice suddenly breathy and low as he closed in to give her a kiss that ended too soon.

”You have a visitor,” he told her after a while, his hands tugging her hair gently.

”You mean a package?” She teased him

”I'm sorry babe, your dad is here.” The words were innocent enough but the preceding apology did nothing to soften the blow.

Ying Sheng stiffened before slowly allowing herself to relax into her boyfriend's embrace. She didn't even know her father knew her current location, not with them busy with their own lives.

Growing up her parents had never been around and had been too busy to ”partake in such mundanities with their offspring” as her mother had so scathingly phrased it on the day she had challenged them, fought, and finally moved out.

She thought that would have been the end, barely seven months later and her father was at the door. She was curious enough to go and meet him but she wondered if that curiosity was not motivated by her need for her parents' love.

”Should I bring him down here?”Liam asked, Ying Sheng shook her head immediately, she didn't want him in this area of her life.

”No, I'll meet him in the living room” she replied softly

”I Love you. If you need me I will be close by, so just call me.” he struggled to say something else but finally settled for a kiss on her forehead.

”Thanks, babe” she replied easily, mentally girding herself for the encounter ahead.

She walked into the room with a touch of trepidation and feeling like a little child about to get a scolding. The image of her father seated gingerly in the living room was one that was going to live with her forever.

He hadn't noticed her, and at that moment the well-dressed man sitting there was the picture of despair, he slumped imperceptibly, something her image-conscious parents would never allow normally and his eyes trailed from one part of the room with eyes that saw but didn't actually see.

”Hi Dad,” at her words he straightened quickly until he turned back into that familiar father figure of her childhood, he stood until she sat down before settling back into his seat

”Hello Ying Sheng, it's been a while. I see you've done well for yourself” he stated gesturing vaguely around them.

Ying Sheng nodded absently before challenging him, ”Dad why are you here?”

The question seemed to freeze him, suddenly the facade of a man in control melted away until what remained was the somber figure she had glimpsed when she came in ”I came to tell you that I'm sorry”

Ying Sheng jolted to her feet with a shout ”you're what?”

”Please have a seat, Ying Sheng , I know I don't deserve for you to hear me out but please, for the last time.” If his earlier words were a shock, this did not soften the blow.

”I'm just shocked” Ying Sheng mumbled as she settled back into her seat feeling oddly chastised

”I'm still going through the shock myself, your mom and I had a divorce.” The moment he came back from his punishment, his family had a meeting and with the help of his sister, he was able to convince them to grant him a divorce. But that too came with a price, a price he happily agreed to pay.