''There is no use in hiding things from her anymore. Mackie already epts Vernon as her father''s recement and wants her mother to be happy…'' Diamond remembered one sentence that Chloe often repeated to justify everything she did.


    —


    ''I want my daughter to be happy. I want her to have a normal life, and grow up to be a good woman. I don''t care if I have to suffer for it.''


    —


    ''Well, you don''t need to look too far to make your daughter happy, Chloe,'' Diamond thought. ''She is happy when you''re happy. You twoplete each other. So please find your own happiness as well, because your daughter naturally wants to support you.''


    Chloe returned to the car with a seemingly okay-ish mood, which was weird since she looked angry when she went to call Vernon just now.


    "Is everything alright?" Diamond asked.


    "Mm… I guess," Chloe replied. She twisted to look at the back seat, so she could check on her daughter.


    She saw that her daughter was sitting calmly. Mackie looked down and fiddled with her fingers. Chloe knew that her daughter must''ve been questioning the whole thing, including Vernon iming them as his wife and daughter.


    That must''ve been confusing for the little girl.


    "Dear, you can ask anything if you want," Chloe opened the conversation.


    Mackie lifted her head and stared at her Mommy, who smiled at her.


    Chloe thought her daughter would ask about what happened in the Principal''s office.


    But she caught Chloe off guard with a statement instead;


    "Mommy, do you like Uncle too?"


    "Eh?! W—What''s with that question?" Chloe was genuinely startled and unable to find a good answer to it. Should she answer that she was indeed in love with Uncle Vernon? But how about Chloe''s rtionship with Vincent?


    Mackie always believed that her parents were in love with each other. How could she ept the third party into their new life?


    There was a long silence between Chloe and Mackie.


    Chloe was trying hard to find a good answer but couldn''te up with any.


    While Mackie kept her silence, staring at her Mommy, waiting for her to answer the million-dor question.


    Diamond felt this topic was too early to bring up, or maybe they needed a better time and space to discuss it.


    So she tried to shift the topic, "How about we go to the nearest gto before we visit the next school?" She offered it to Mackie. The little girl''s attention was diverted instantly.


    "Yayy! I want triple scoop gto!"


    "Alright, let''s go!"


    Diamond started the car engine and drove to the nearest gto. Chloe was relieved that Diamond could break the silence and divert Mackie''s attention, "Thank you," she said in a low voice at Diamond, who was still driving.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Diamond nodded, but gave Chloe a side eye signaling her that Diamond also had things to talk about with her, so Chloe wasn''t safe yet.


    **


    After they had their gto, Chloe, Diamond, and Mackie visited each of the new schools that were rmended by Vernon. In thete afternoon, they were finally done visiting each of them and went to the nearby restaurant to eat.


    Mackie was enjoying her dessert after lunch. Chloe checked on her daughter and brought up the conversation, "So, we have visited all the schools, which one you like the most, dear?"


    "Ummm…" Mackie was pondering for a moment. Her eyes looked up, trying to remember all the schools they had visited today.


    None of them were simr to her old school.


    They were small and a bit cramped, but everyone seemed to be warmer, and the Principals were all nice to her, unlike Mrs. Andrew.


    But there was one thing that stuck in her mind. It was the yellow cafeteria from the first school. It was like a banana jungle!


    "First one!" Mackie replied excitedly.


    "Why so?"


    "Because the cafeteria is yellow! It''s like a bunch of bananas. I like it!" Mackie replied again. "And Mrs. Moralez is very nice!"


    Chloe chuckled while Diamond raised her brow in confusion. She said, "Can you believe this?'' look on to Chloe, but Chloeughed even more because of that.


    "It''s fine, Diamond. Mackie loves yellow and banana, she''s just like Vernon," Chloe replied. "Well, I see nothing wrong with it. Each of those schools are nice and they''re safe, just like what Vernon said. So if Mackie wants to choose the first school because it has a banana forest, I see why not? Her enjoyment during the study session is the most important after all."


    "Un! I can''t wait to make new friends!" Mackie said.


    Diamond sighed, "Well, if that''s what you want, I guess why not. Let me call him to inform about the school''s choice."


    "Thanks, Diamond," Chloe smiled.


    Diamond got up from her seat and grabbed her phone. She went out with her phone near her ear, ready to report to her boss about Mackie''s school choice.


    Now, Chloe and Mackie were all alone once more. With no Diamond around them, Chloe was worried that Mackie would ask that nerve-wracking question again.


    But Mackie didn''t seem to be bothered with it. She ate her dessert and squealed a few times because it was so delicious. She finally stopped eating when she noticed her Mommy was staring at her.


    "Mommy, do you want my dessert?" Mackie asked. She pushed her half-eaten cake toward her Mommy. "Here, Mommy, you can eat the rest!"


    "Ahaha, no dear, that''s yours," Chloe smiled. "How are you feeling right now?"


    "Un? Happy!" Mackie cheered. "I ate gto and cake! Oh, and also, I will be going to a new school soon. I will make new friends!"


    Chloe was relieved that Mackie wasn''t bothered by any of the things happening in the Principal''s office, or maybe she did, but Mackie had a short attention span, so it was easy to make her mind busy.


    ''But she will remember about thister, and ask the question again. What should I do? What''s the best answer if she asked about my rtionship with Vernon?''