Chapter 856: Can You Forgive Me?

When Lucian returned to the Farwell residence, Estella was absent from the living room, and Catalina was nowhere to be seen. He reached for his phone, about to call Catalina, when she descended the stairs, her expression grim. His eyebrows furrowed. "Where's Essie?"

Catalina gestured toward Estella's second-floor room. "Ms. Estella has locked herself in her room again. I don't know how to get her out."

Estella had been crying incessantly since the phone call ended. Catalina's attempts at consolation proved futile. After a period of weeping, Estella abruptly went to her room and locked herself inside. Catalina arrived moments later, only to find the door already secured. Despite Catalina's pleas, Estella refused to open it.

Initially, Catalina could hear Estella's muffled sobs, but these eventually subsided, leaving only silence. Panicked, Catalina called Lucian repeatedly, but he didn't answer. She needed the key to Estella's room but didn't know its location.

Just as despair set in, she heard the front door open. Rushing downstairs, she was relieved to see Lucian.

Lucian, frowning after hearing Catalina's account, ascended the stairs without pausing to change his shoes. Catalina followed closely, and they stood before Estella's door.

Lucian, suppressing his apprehension, knocked. "Open up, Essie. I'm home."

Silence.

Lucian exchanged a worried look with Catalina. Anxiety etched itself onto her face. "It's been like this for a while now. I think you should get the key, Mr. Farwell."

A loud thud against the door followed, perhaps in response to Catalina's suggestion. Clearly, Estella didn't want them to enter.

Catalina, worried and sympathetic, pleaded, "Ms. Estella, please calm down and talk to Mr. Farwell. He's always loved you very much."

Another thud.

Lucian, disturbed by her outburst, quietly retrieved the key from his study. As he opened the door, a doll flew out, narrowly missing him, and landed at Catalina's feet.

Catalina’s distress was evident. It was Estella's favorite doll from childhood; a cherished item she had never thrown, even during her most intense tantrums. The significance of this action struck Catalina; Estella's anger was far beyond anything she had seen before.

Lucian entered the room to find Estella huddled in the corner of her bed. Upon seeing him, she buried her face in her knees, unwilling to let him see her expression. To Lucian, it was as if time had reversed, bringing them back to Estella's autistic days.

His heart ached, but he approached her slowly and sat beside her. "I know you're mad at me for not listening, but I have been very busy. Can you forgive me?"

Estella silently shook her head. The unspoken words hung heavy in the air: Not only did you not listen, Daddy, but you also broke your promise on the phone! You said Ms. Jarvis would be my mommy, but now you’re saying it might not be her!