Logan, seeing us, looked panicked. "What are you doing here?" he stammered.
I glared at him. "Is this your idea of an emergency?"
Logan avoided my gaze, unable to say anything.
Meanwhile, the boy, realizing his mistake, started crying.
Bella quickly shielded him, acting as though he was the victim.
"Chloe, you scared Harry!"
Logan said, more concerned about the boy's tears than Mia's.
I didn't want to argue in front of Mia. I turned to leave, carrying her in my arms.
Logan called me and said, "Since you are here, let's have dinner together."
Bella chimed in, "Yes, Chloe, I've already booked the restaurant."
I replied calmly, "You two go ahead. I need to take Mia to treat her injuries."
Bella was Logan's college classmate and had always been his unattainable ideal.
After graduation, Bella moved abroad and only returned last month with her son after her divorce.
With no family or friends here, Logan eagerly helped her find a place to live and introduced her to a job.
Logan often mentioned how hard it was for Bella to raise a child on her own.
Although it made me a bit uneasy to see him so invested in another woman's life, as a mother, I could empathize with Bella's struggles.
However, today was the final straw. Logan lied about an emergency at work just to spend Children's Day with Bella's son, leaving Mia alone at the library. I was furious and deeply disappointed.
By the time Logan came home, Mia was already asleep.
He handed me a lollipop, claiming it was an apology gift for Mia.
When I looked closely, I realized it was just a complimentary treat from the restaurant.
I couldn't hide my irritation. "Mia is only six years old. How could you leave her alone like that?"
Logan shrugged, indifferent. "But Mia's fine, isn't she?"
I wanted to throw the lollipop at him.
"Mia's hands are scraped!" I shouted.
He dismissed my anger. "That's because you didn't watch her properly and let her run off."
Frustrated beyond words, I grabbed a quilt and tossed it at him.
"Sleep on the couch tonight!"
The next morning, Logan tried to make amends by cooking a lavish breakfast.
When Mia woke up, she seemed upset. "Dad, where were you last night? Mia waited for you until she fell asleep..."
Logan picked her up and explained, "Harry wanted to ride the Ferris wheel, so Dad took him. I got back late."
Mia pouted. "I want to go too..."
Logan smiled, "Next time, I'll take you too."