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Vernon was astonished as he listened to Diamond.

What she said was true and obvious, even in Vernon's eyes.

He knew that Chloe kept on lying to her daughter. She insisted that Mackie was an innocent kid who knew nothing about the real world and should be kept that way because she was too young to understand.

But the thing was...

Even Vernon could see that Mackie was far smarter for kids her age. She might look innocent and pampered, but her observant skill was developed earlier than other kids. She would eventually learn about everything simply by observing, just like Vernon when he was young.

But he could also see why it would affect Chloe greatly.

Vernon had to admit that he had also sinned.

Because he exploited Chloe's desperation to give her daughter food and shelter after they left Vincent's mansion. He intentionally gave her no option but to return and beg him.

He could see that Mackie was the main reason in almost all of Chloe's actions. Mackie's happiness and safety was always Chloe's main priority.

Vernon swallowed his saliva. He realized he was also a total scum who exploited Chloe and her desperation, and now he had to help the woman he had tried to ruin before.

"Alright, I'll do it now," Vernon put his documents and laptop inside his briefcase, then grabbed his car key, "I'll go home and talk to her."

Honestly, Vernon also didn't know what to say to Chloe about this. He wasn't really mentally mature or stable himself. He had a lot of problems of his own.

But he knew Chloe needed to accept the truth, that she couldn't keep lying to Mackie.

"You can go home now, Diamond," Vernon advised.

"C--Can I come? I'm too worried about Chloe...."

"Don't," Vernon rejected immediately. "Your presence might make things worse. Just wait until you hear the good news."

Diamond felt hopeless, but she couldn't do anything except wait now, "Alright, please help her, Vernon. I can't bear seeing her tears...."

Vernon nodded and left the office.

**

Chloe still sat on the sofa, her head hung low, and she cried continuously.

She knew that she couldn't keep hiding things from her daughter. She knew that Mackie would eventually learn about everything.

But whenever Chloe saw her daughter, she was reminded of her young self. When she was Mackie's age, she saw her mother having manic episodes; yelling, and slamming things to release her stress.

It was difficult for a single mother of two to earn a living in New York while caring for her family. She also had no child support as her husband took all their savings and left without a trace.

Chloe remembered how her mother-- Judith, often cried alone, crying over her husband, who had heartlessly left her broke, without a dime that she could use to raise their two daughters.

Chloe couldn't do anything to help her mom when she was a child, but she was indeed lonely.

She envied her friends who had fathers to spend time with, and she couldn't help resenting her father for being a total scum.

So, when she married Vincent, she thought he was a perfect man who would treasure their daughter together, just like how Chloe wanted to be treasured by a complete family consisting of a father and mother.

Thus, even after Vincent showed his true color, she still tried to persevere. She wanted to give Mackie the thing that she didn't get when she was young, a father.

She tried her best to maintain a fake image of a Vincent as a good father because she didn't want Mackie to get heartbroken over her father's true behavior.

"Now it's all useless. There's no use of me doing all of this when I can't keep her innocence..." Chloe lamented. She was so absorbed in her self-blame that she didn't realize her daughter was already staring at her from across the foyer.

Mackie approached her Mommy with concern and put her small hands on Chloe's lap, "Mommy, are you alright?"

Chloe's eyes widened. She looked to her right and saw her daughter staring at her with concern.

"Ah-- I--I'm okay, dear," Chloe quickly used the collar of her shirt to wipe her tears.

"If you're okay, then why are you crying, Mommy?" Mackie asked again.

"Ahaha, you know Mommy cried a lot. It's normal for me...."

"Um... no," Mackie shook her head. "It's not normal, Mommy. I only cry when I'm sad, hurt, or upset. So Mommy must be sad, hurt, or upset...."

"Y--You're just imagining things, dear. Mommy is alright...." Chloe started to get nervous around her daughter after knowing that Mackie was very observant. She still wanted to lie and put up a fake 'everything is okay' persona in front of her daughter. It was almost like a default thing to do for Chloe.

Mackie raised her small hand and touched the corner of her Mommy's eyes. She tried to wipe the tears that couldn't stop flowing and said, "Mommy, don't cry. I feel so sad when you're sad too...."

"I--I'm not sad--"

Mackie shook her head, "Mommy is crying. I know it because...." Mackie put one hand on her chest and continued, "Because my heart is also hurting."

Knowing that Chloe couldn't hide her sadness anymore. She opened her arm and pulled her daughter to hug her. Chloe's body trembled as she tried to repress all of her emotions.

But when her daughter patted her back, as if Mackie understood all the pain and humiliation that Chloe had endured for the past eight years for her, Chloe broke down in tears.

She hugged her daughter tighter than before and repeatedly apologized, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, my dear. I'm sorry I failed to protect you," Chloe murmured constantly. "I did everything but I still failed. I'm sorry."

"Um... Mommy, it's alright. Mommy doesn't need to do anything, just be happy, okay? Mackie is happy when you're happy, Mommy," Mackie said. She sounded too mature for her age, which hurt Chloe the most.