Grandfather Finds His Three-Year-Old Granddaughter Locked Behind a Garden Gate—Then Learns Why Her Stepmother Needed Her to Look “Unstable”
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Chapter 25 / 27
Chapter 25 - Daniel apologizes
Daniel waited almost two years before giving Olivia a full apology.
Good.
Earlier would have been for him.
At five, she could understand more.
He said:
“I should have opened the gate.”
She looked at him.
“Yes.”
“I should have stopped Mara.”
“Yes.”
“I was angry at Grandpa and worried about money, and I let that affect how I treated you.”
Olivia asked:
“You wanted Grandpa go away?”
Daniel swallowed.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I thought he was judging me.”
I was.
Sometimes fairly.
Sometimes too much.
Daniel continued:
“But that was between me and Grandpa. I should never have made you carry it.”
Olivia climbed into his lap.
Not forgiveness ceremony.
May you like
Just a tired child wanting her father.
That mattered.
