Alice used to be happy too, but that happiness was fleeting and always carried a sense of desolation and unease not befitting her age. Sometimes, Catherine could even keenly sense that Alice's happiness was just to set her mind at ease.
But now it's different, Catherine could feel that Alice's happiness was pure, a joy that was free from any worries and completely in line with her heart's content.
Here, Alice is just a child, a three-and-a-half-year-old child, who doesn't need to worry about her mother being beaten, nor does she need to hide and run with her. It's a joy that comes from the bottom of her heart, a truly pure happiness that belongs to a child.
Catherine watched the three people in the living room and couldn't help but stop what she was doing and simply gaze at them, once again clearly realizing her own selfishness.
How could she deprive Alice of her happiness for her own personal interests!