The Ex-Wife They Begged To Keep - Chapter 84: Chapter 84

Keith's eyes drifted to Serena's wrist, which was also wrapped in white bandages. Her injury wasn't as severe as his, but it still made his chest tighten with guilt.
Keith couldn't stop thinking about how her delicate wrist had endured the brutal scraping of those coarse ropes, and how she'd silently suffered through all that pain and terror. "I'm just relieved you're okay. Taking care of Alyssa is all the thanks I need," he said softly.
"I'll take good care of her." Serena managed to say through her tears. "But I still need to thank you. Thank you for protecting me."
Her gaze shifted to the bandages wrapped around Keith's torso. She couldn't fathom how he'd pushed through such excruciating pain and still found the strength to shield her from harm.
If it weren't for her, Keith never would have gotten hurt in the first place. Serena knew this was a debt she'd carry for the rest of her life.
Serena had barely settled into the chair beside his hospital bed when the door suddenly burst open with a loud bang.
Alyssa rushed in, clutching a stuffed bunny against her chest. The moment she saw Keith lying there, tears immediately spilled down her cheeks.
"Wah!" Alyssa grabbed Keith's hand and held on tight.
Serena watched as Alyssa stood beside the bed, her young face wet with tears. The little girl's hands moved frantically, but no sound came out of her mouth.
'This is all my fault. Keith got hurt because of me,' Serena thought, lowering her head. She couldn't bring herself to look at Alyssa's tear-streaked face.
"Alyssa, don't be scared. Daddy just has a little injury. I'll be all better really soon," Keith said softly.
Alyssa shook her head hard as fat tears rolled down her cheeks. She pointed at Keith's chest with obvious panic, completely lost about what to do.
"Alyssa..." Serena whispered, her heart breaking for the little girl.
Keith gently patted Alyssa's head. "It's really okay, it doesn't hurt at all. The wound will heal soon. Don't cry, sweetheart—it breaks my heart when I see you upset."
Alyssa sniffled and wiped her tears with the back of her hand, but the sobs kept coming. She dabbed at her eyes with her fingers while clumsily trying to smooth out the wrinkled blanket on his bed.
Keith watched her closely as she worked so seriously to fix the blanket. Her tiny hands pressed down each wrinkle with such gentle care.
Keith could see how much Alyssa had changed since Serena came into their lives. She was finally learning to love and care for others instead of being that scared little girl who used to hide in corners, shutting everyone out.
He slowly reached out through the pain and gently placed his hand on Alyssa's head. "You've really grown up, sweetheart," he said softly.
Alyssa stared at Keith with tears streaming down her face, her heart breaking for him. She reached out with her tiny hand and carefully touched his bandaged chest. Then, she pointed at his wound, patted her own chest twice, and pointed back at him.
Keith shook his head gently. "It doesn't hurt, Alyssa. Daddy's not in pain, I promise."
Alyssa reached up and gently touched his cheek. Serena crouched down beside them and smoothed Alyssa's hair. "Don't be scared, honey. Daddy's going to be just fine."
Keith looked at Serena with gratitude. "Thank you."
Serena paused for a moment, then shook her head. "I should be the one thanking you."
Keith lifted his uninjured hand toward Serena but stopped halfway through the motion. Instead, he gently patted Alyssa's head.
"Alyssa wouldn't have opened up so quickly if it weren't for you," Keith said softly. He paused for a moment, then added, "Once I'm fully recovered, I'll take Alyssa back to Zowerin."
"This is all my fault," Serena said, guilt heavy in her voice. "You wouldn't have gotten hurt if it weren't for me, and you wouldn't have had to postpone your trip back."
When Alyssa heard they were going back, she suddenly looked up. She hugged her stuffed bunny tighter and pouted, looking hurt as she stared at Keith. Her fingers tugged at the bunny's long ears until they were completely stretched out of shape, and she pulled on Serena's hand more insistently.
"What's wrong, Alyssa?" Serena crouched down and looked at Alyssa with confusion.
Alyssa's eyes turned red as she bit her lip and waved her hands frantically, desperately hoping Serena would understand what she was trying to say.
Serena watched Alyssa's anxious gestures and asked gently, "Alyssa, are you asking if I can come back with you?"
At that, Alyssa's face lit up with a bright smile. She nodded eagerly and grabbed Serena's hand, then made a pleading gesture with her other hand.
Serena suddenly found herself at a complete loss. "Alyssa, I..." She wanted to explain but had no idea where to start.
Keith watched Serena's conflicted expression and paused before speaking again, "Serena, I really do want to invite you to work at my company. Your design philosophy is exactly what we're looking for. I hope you'll seriously consider it."
Serena looked down and gently squeezed Alyssa's little hand. "Mr. Brannon, I..." she murmured, her eyes downcast as her fingers nervously twisted together.
She tugged at the hem of her shirt. "I'm really grateful for your invitation and everything you've done for me, but right now, I just can't agree so easily."
Alyssa frowned and tugged at Serena's sleeve with her little hand, looking up at her with big, pleading eyes. Then she grabbed Serena's hand and made a few gestures before pointing at Keith.
She pointed at herself next, and finally made a deliberate hugging gesture toward Serena.
"What's she trying to say?" Serena frowned in confusion and looked at Keith.
Keith was completely caught off guard. His ears turned red as he looked at Alyssa helplessly. "Alyssa, you can't just say things like that." He reached out and gently ruffled her hair.
Alyssa poked Keith's arm with her finger and pouted, trying to keep gesturing, but Keith gently stopped her hands. "Alright, sweetie, that's not something you can just talk about," he said softly.
He deliberately looked down, avoiding Serena's confused stare, but Alyssa wasn't giving up. She tugged on Keith's sleeve and peeked over at Serena with determination.
Serena watched the whole exchange, completely lost. 'What's going on here? Why is Keith acting so weird?' she thought.
"Mr. Brannon, what exactly is Alyssa trying to say?" she asked, still puzzled.
Keith saw how determined Alyssa was and let out a defeated sigh. He cleared his throat, his ears burning red as his eyes darted everywhere except Serena's face. "Well, what Alyssa means is..." he stammered, "she hopes you could be her mom."
Keith shot a quick glance at Serena, then immediately looked away again.
Serena was completely stunned. "Alyssa, you can't just decide someone's your mom like that," she said, feeling flustered as she gently patted the little girl's head.
"Are you sure you're not getting confused about something?" she added with a nervous laugh, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.