Second Chance: I Can See the Future

Chapter 10

At the Sunrise Apartments, Anthony stood outside the door, carrying bags of food and gifts. He pleaded, "Emily, it's Daddy. Can you please open the door for me?"

"I can't. Mommy said that I'm not allowed to open the door for anyone," came the sweet voice from the old apartment.

With a sigh, Anthony replied, "But you called me the night before last, right? I know you care about me, so I came to see you today and even brought your favorite fried chicken, burgers, and toys."

"Really?" Emily's voice brightened at the mention of food and toys. But soon, her face fell. "But... But Mom won't let me open the door, and that call was Mom's idea. I was too scared to call you myself because you might get mad and hit me."

Through the crack in the door, Anthony looked at Emily's little face, and his eyes became teary.

"Daddy, why aren't you saying anything?" Emily asked.

"Sorry, sweetie. Since Mom won't let you open the door, I'll just wait here for her to come back," Anthony said.

"But there's nowhere to sit outside. Won't you get tired, Dad?" Emily pouted.

"I'm not tired at all... As long as I can see you, I could stand here forever." Anthony turned away, tears slowly streaming down his face.

Just then, the door across the hall opened, and an elderly woman in her seventies stepped out.

It was Sarah White, their neighbor. She had heard Emily's voice and was worried about the little girl being home alone. She had always looked after Ashley and Emily, often bringing them food, so Anthony felt grateful to her.

"Sarah," Anthony called out.

"What do you want?" Sarah replied warily.

In the past, Anthony always referred to her as "the old f**k", and he had nearly smashed her door a few times, complaining she was annoying.

"I... I just came to see Emily," Anthony said awkwardly.

"Ashley isn't home, is she? You just want to trick Emily into opening the door so you can steal money," Sarah glared at him.

She huffed, "Can't you leave them alone? Emily is about to start kindergarten, and Ashley only makes a little money a month. She has to support Emily and help you pay off your debts. She can hardly afford to eat, let alone give you money to gamble!"

She added, "Look at other men. Even if they aren't wealthy, at least they're trying to provide a good life for their wives and children. And what about you? What have you done all these years? Ashley is such a good woman, yet you kept beating her. Are you even a man?"

Sarah paused momentarily before continuing, "And Emily, she's just a child. Why do you take your anger out on her every time you lose money? Do you know how much damage this will do to her? It will leave her with trauma that she'll never forget! This is not how a father should behave!"

Both Sarah and her husband were former teachers. Her professionalism made her intolerant of Anthony's behavior. So, she had to speak up for Ashley and Emily. By the end, her anger boiled over, and she raised her cane, ready to strike Anthony.

Anthony didn't dodge; he just stood there with a pained expression.

Emily's voice rang out of the apartment, "Don't hit my dad!"

Sarah set down her cane. "Even if you've become a jerk, Emily still stands by you. You should ask yourself if you're worthy of her and Ashley!" After saying this, Sarah turned to head home.

"Sarah!" Anthony pulled out 1,000 dollars and said, "This is the money I owe you, and here are some tinned goods and milk. Consider it my respect for you and Steven; please don't refuse it."

Looking at the money in Anthony's hand, Sarah could hardly believe it. Ever since Anthony became addicted to gambling, she had given up on expecting to see her money back.

It had been four years, and Anthony had never thought to repay her, even trying to borrow more multiple times, which Sarah had refused. Why was he suddenly acting like this?

Not wanting to ask too many questions, Sarah scoffed, "I have money. If you have a conscience, let Ashley help you save it. As for the tins and milk, I don't need them. Just give them to Emily; that kid has always been in poor health!"

"I'm sorry, Sarah!" Anthony bowed deeply, startling her.

"What are you doing? I've seen through your lies. I won't lend you money again!" Sarah huffed.

"I know I've made countless mistakes. Thankfully, you and Steven helped me take care of Ashley and Emily. I'll always remember your kindness." Anthony said firmly.

"I know you might not believe me, but I swear I won't be like I was before. I will treat Ashley and Emily well, and I'll treat you and Steven like my own grandparents!" he said in a trembling voice.

Over the years, aside from his and Ashley's parents, the people who treated Ashley and Emily the best were Sarah and her husband, Steven. He knew they deserved his respect.

Seeing that Anthony didn't seem to be pretending, Sarah quickly helped him up.

"It's good that you recognize your mistakes," Sarah said, her eyes filled with tears of relief. "You're still young; you have a bright future ahead of you. It's not too late to change, and I would be happy for you."

In the end, Sarah couldn't refuse Anthony, accepting the money and the items he brought.

Anthony declined to wait at Sarah's house for Ashley; he wanted to spend more time talking with Emily. For over half an hour, Anthony and Emily chatted, sharing stories and jokes that made the little girl giggle.

Although Sarah had gone home, she stayed hidden behind the door, listening closely. Eventually, she noticed that Anthony seemed genuinely different from before.

Footsteps echoed through the hallway, and the first thing Anthony noticed was a pair of familiar high-heels. Since their marriage, it seemed Ashley hadn't bought any new shoes, despite her love for them.

"What are you doing here?" Ashley's cold voice interrupted Anthony's thoughts.

Anthony let out a sigh of relief and smiled at Ashley. "Hello, Ashley, I'm Anthony."