Try Begging - Chapter 168.1

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As the pacifier the baby was holding fell from its hand, the man quickly caught it. He returned the pacifier to the baby’s mouth, and the naturalness with which he did so was already reminiscent of a father-daughter bond.

“We should have her take up acting when she grows up.”

The man said with a smile as his eyes met the baby’s. It was a compliment about the baby’s beauty, but for some reason, Grace felt offended.

The couple, who were already acting as if the baby was their own and this perfect home, suddenly seemed different to her. The man’s impression was starting to bother her. The display cabinet had many bottles of alcohol, some of which were half-empty.

Was he an alcoholic? Maybe the woman drank it, too.

She began to nitpick with entirely unfounded suspicions, coming to a conclusion. Maybe this warm and perfect middle-class family image was all staged.

Grace knew it was an absurd conclusion. It was pathetic.

“Oh dear, she’s already getting heavy.”

“Wow, look how well she smiles even at strangers.”

The man lifted the baby high with both hands, playing with her. Grace watched as the baby, clearly enjoying this new game, burst into giggles repeatedly.

Yes, she was smiling just as he’d said. She’s doing so well. Yes…

The baby looked incredibly happy in someone else’s arms. It was a relief to see her smile like that, even without her. Truly, it was a very good thing.

“Shall we go see your room, little one?”

The woman stood up from the sofa, took the baby from her husband, and headed towards the stairs without hesitation.

Was it time to say goodbye?

As Grace sat there, staring blankly at the retreating figures, the baby’s eyes met hers from the woman’s arms. The baby’s expression turned into a pouty frown, and it began to reach out its arms toward Grace, bursting into tears.

In that instant, her heart started to race.

“Why are you upset, baby? Is something wrong?”

The woman tried hard to soothe the baby before realizing what it wanted.

As the baby was passed from one woman to the other, their emotions flipped. As expected, the baby stopped crying as soon as Grace held her.

Grace replaced the pacifier that had fallen out due to the baby’s crying, wiping away the tears that clung to the baby’s eyes. Even after the tears had dried, the baby clung tightly to her collar with its tiny hand, pouting its little lips and whimpering.

Grace gently patted the baby’s back and spoke softly.

“Don’t cry. Why are you crying, huh?”

Her tone was far from reproachful.

“It looks like the baby already recognizes her mother.”

The woman observing the mother and daughter from a distance murmured with a hint of bitterness. Grace tried to maintain a polite, albeit bitter, smile, yet inside, she couldn’t help feeling a bit smug.

It was a foolish act.

And scolding the baby was equally foolish.

“Don’t smile at me. You’re getting attached.”

* * *

On the way back, she ended up getting off the tram midway.

Because she was thirsty.

As if anyone had asked, she muttered this flimsy excuse to herself as she crossed the street towards the beach. The small kiosk was still there. However, the gruff man who used to stand there was now replaced by a young man with pimples.

“Chalet, one bottle.”

She bought the sparkling water.

It would have seemed out of place for an adult holding a baby to buy strawberry ice cream. Besides, there seemed to be no point in revisiting faded memories. But if that was the case, she shouldn’t have gotten off at Abbington Beach in the first place.

Because she was thirsty—that excuse, however, was quickly forgotten as she placed the sparkling water in her bag and walked toward the sea, sandals in hand.

The sensation of the fine sand beneath her feet felt unfamiliar. It might have been the first time she had felt it since that day. Her steps sank deeply, making walking feel heavy, like wading through a swamp.

It probably felt the same when she had unknowingly wandered onto that man’s beachfront property.

Back then, she hadn’t realized it was a swamp.

Standing at the end of the beach, the boy she had seen was more beautiful than anything else she had ever seen. Though now it seemed she had only been under an illusion.

As Grace stared toward the far left end of the beach, she suddenly lowered her head. A cool breeze swept by, causing her golden hair to flutter like feathers across her rounded forehead.