chapter 626

The Charming Ex–Wife

Chapter 626 You Need Me

Finished

It took Michelle a considerable amount of time to process Maverick’s words. She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could form the words, she burst into uncontrollable sobs. “Dad, no, how could this be? You always seem so strong and healthy, it can’t be possible!”

Maverick, witnessing his youngest daughter’s breakdown, felt a deep pang of sorrow. His lips trembled as he fought back his own tears.

In the past, he would have maintained a stoic, fatherly demeanor, but now, faced with his daughter’s raw grief, he felt an even greater distress than her own.

Lysander, observing her sister’s breakdown, moved to comfort Michelle. However, as she reached out to touch her sister’s hand, the overwhelming sense of her own grief sapped her strength, and she found herself unable to offer the support she intended.

Maverick, summoning his strength, spoke with a firm, albeit gentle voice, “Mich, you’re an adult now. Even though you’re still in school, you’re not a child. Crying won’t change our reality. In the future, I need you to help Lysa look after your mother. Try your best to manage, and importantly, try not to cause your sister any unnecessary worry, okay?”

His words, though harsh, carried an undeniable logic. For Michelle, struggling on the verge of collapse, it was a stark reminder that despite her despair, she needed to confront the reality of their family’s crisis. The gravity of her father’s illness and their situation forced her to realize that this was not the time for tears, especially since their mother was still unaware of the truth.

Upon seeing his younger daughter’s tears, Maverick’s expression softened, and he spoke in a gentler tone, “Let’s not tell your mother about this right now. I want to spend a few happy days with her. Is that okay?”

Michelle was overwhelmed by her tears, seemingly unable to hear anything else, teetering on the edge of an emotional breakdown.

Lysander hadn’t expected her father to be so reasonable. Gently helping Michelle to her feet, she said, “There, there, stop crying. If you keep crying, it’ll only make Dad feel worse.”

Maverick wiped the tears from his youngest daughter’s face and reassured her, “It’s all right. I’m still standing here just fine, aren’t I?”

No one could predict what the future held, but at that moment, Maverick longed to spend quality time. with his family. Even the words that had once made him feel awkward now came out effortlessly.

Michelle stopped crying, but it was clear that her emotions were still in turmoil. She looked as if her spirit had been crushed.

Maverick grew worried. With everyone here, leaving Laura alone at the campsite might not be safe. Taking the initiative, he addressed Lysander and Josiah, “All right, it’s getting late. I’ll take Mich back to her mother to rest. You two should head back soon too.”

With that, he led Michelle away, just as he used to when taking her to school as a child.

Michelle, terrified that her father might suddenly disappear, obediently let him lead her, behaving impeccably.

Lysander didn’t dare to say a word. She simply nodded in silence and watched as they vanished into the

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Chapter 626 You Need Me

Finished

The night was deeply shrouded in darkness, with only a single light illuminating the direction of the camp. Lysander watched for a long time. Even after Michelle and Maverick disappeared from her sight, she remained motionless for quite a while.

Josiah, worried that bottling up her emotions could lead to trouble, voiced his concern, “Do you still feel like crying? I can take you somewhere else where you can let it all out.”

Lysander slowly turned her head to look at him, her voice strained as she said, “No need. My dad can still talk to me, and he can still take Michelle back to bed. Isn’t that wonderful? There’s no reason to cry.”

Josiah couldn’t bear to see her in such a state. With a gentle voice, he began to comfort her, “You’ve already done so well.”

“I still haven’t done enough for him,” Lysander replied, her voice filled with sorrow.

“Mr. Maverick’s illness came on so suddenly, you didn’t even have time to mentally prepare. The fact that you’ve managed to cope this far is already quite remarkable. As for Michelle, her quick recovery shows that she’s matured. She understands the need to keep her emotions in check for the sake of the family, rather than acting on a whim.

He wished for Lysander to regain her spirits but couldn’t bring himself to be too blunt with his words.

With a sorrowful smile, Lysander tried to appear unaffected but failed miserably. “Truthfully, I wish Michelle could remain willful forever. Her sudden maturity only signifies that the person who allowed her such freedom is about to be no more.”

These words were not only meant for Josiah but also served as a reminder to herself.

“Growing up in an instant comes with a cruel cost, something I’ve already experienced. I thought I could protect Michelle, allowing her to grow naturally without worries. But now, I see how arrogant I was. I forgot that everyone is alone; no one can accompany anyone forever. Parting is the norm.” Lysander took a deep breath and then said to Josiah, “I can’t be with her forever, so I can’t stop her from growing up.”

“Indeed, I will also watch over her,” Josiah said. “You don’t need to worry about Michelle’s future. With me around, no one would dare to bully her.”

Lysander let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t even know whether to say thank you or apologize to you anymore.”

They had been married for three long years, a time filled with moments of resentment, bouts of hatred, and waves of regret. Despite the turbulent emotions, their lives had become so intertwined, much like a ball of yarn hopelessly tangled together. Over time, it had become impossible to distinguish who owed. whom for what, as their individual grievances had fused into a shared history.

”

Josiah looked at her, his eyes reflecting a light that seemed shattered, mirroring the broken pieces of their past. His voice was incredibly soft, almost a whisper, as he said, “Lysander, even if you never forgive me, even if you never fall in love with me, at least you need me now.”

He was incredibly rational in acknowledging this fact and chose to embrace reality.

Lysander’s eyelashes quivered slightly, and she instinctively avoided the emotions she saw in his eyes. At that moment, she knew he way speaking the truth, but she wasn’t sure if she still had the courage to believe

in it.

“You acting this way makes me feel like I’m using you,” she told him, her gaze drifting toward the depths of the forest. Her voice carried a hint of uncertainty, reflecting her inner turmoil.

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Chapter 626 You Need Me

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Josiah didn’t see this as a problem. “Even if it means being used, it’s better than being ignored. At least it shows that I still hold some value in your eyes. Even if it all ends up fruitless, at least I can say I gave it my all. Besides, I value the journey more than the outcome.”

He didn’t want Lysander to feel burdened by his words, so he softened his tone and continued, “Or you could see it as me fulfilling a promise. I assured Mr. Maverick that I would take good care of your mom and sister. Now that you’re going through such a hard time, it’s only natural that I should look after you as well.”

Upon hearing him mention Maverick, a dull ache surged in Lysander’s heart again. The two of them stood under the tree for a long while, not returning to the campsite until the clock struck midnight.

The following morning, Lysander woke up with the first light of dawn and made a point to check her reflection using her phone’s camera function. After confirming there were no traces of tears on her face, she headed to the campsite’s restroom to freshen up.

The scenery of the mountains here was breathtaking, yet it was all part of the hot spring resort’s grounds. The campsite was not only equipped with electricity, but also had modern restrooms, making their stay quite comfortable.

Just after Lysander had finished washing her face, she ran into Michelle, who had come to freshen up as well. The two sisters locked eyes; both had red, weary eyes, but what they shared was an understanding- they both saw in each other’s gaze a silent agreement to make the best of this time.

Breakfast had been delivered the previous night along with the barbecue ingredients. It just needed to be heated up and was ready to eat. Everyone gathered around the folding table, including the four who were already in on the secret. Nobody showed any signs of being out of the ordinary.

Laura remembered the phone call from last night and couldn’t help but ask, “Did you manage to capture the shooting star?”

Lysander shook her head promptly. “Mom, shooting stars pass by in a flash. How could one possibly capture them?”

Laura said with a hint of regret, “If it weren’t for my extreme exhaustion last night. I would have definitely accompanied you. I’m faster than your dad; perhaps I could have caught up.”

Susan, with a hint of confusion in her voice, asked, “Was there a meteor shower last night? Why didn’t anyone wake me up?”

The atmosphere became momentarily awkward.

Fortunately, Josiah quickly stepped in to defuse the situation, saying, “Mom, I tried to wake you up by knocking on your tent last night, but you were in such a deep sleep that I just couldn’t rouse you. In the end, I had to give up. Besides, the meteor shower wasn’t very visible last night, so you didn’t miss much.”

Maverick was worried that if Susan and Laura started discussing the meteor shower, they might find inconsistencies. So, he chimed in to divert the conversation, “It’s a thing of the past. It’s pointless to bring it up again. Let’s focus on today’s plans instead.”

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but look at his wife, asking with exceptional patience, “Laura, do you want to go hiking? I’ll accompany you. Consider it as making up for our missed honeymoon back then.”

Laura was a bit taken aback by his sudden change. She was pleased, but also somewhat embarrassed. “We’ve been married for so long,” she said, “why bring up such things out of the blue?”

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The Charming Ex–Wife