Chapter 15%
After months of careful care from Shawn, my chronic stomach issues had finally improved. During breakfast, he gently scooped porridge into my bowl and softly said, “Sierra, today is my mom’s death anniversary. I might be home late tonight.”
My hand trembled slightly. Looking at that man’s calm and clean side profile, I asked gently, “Can I come with you? I’d like to visit her too.” Shawn looked a little surprised but nodded after a moment.
I gazed at my adoptive mother’s beautiful portrait on the tombstone. A soft breeze lifted my bangs, reminding me of how she had once stroked my face when we first met twenty years ago.
I was an abandoned child raised in an orphanage. She wasn’t as meticulous with me as with Shawn, but she still gave me the rare warmth of a mother’s love. I had lived well in the family, except for that one thing…
Shawn let out a long sigh, lowering his head. “Sierra, I thought you still resented our mom.“}]
I didn’t answer. I knew what Shawn meant. When I was eighteen, some people started making inappropriate jokes about how close Shawn and I were. They said we were shameless, that we were committing incest. Their words were truly awful, so it was no wonder my mother was upset. That was why she quickly arranged a marriage for me, practically “sending” me away from the family.}]
Did I resent her? Honestly, I did at first. However, I’d long since let it go. She was a mother, after all. I understood she was doing it for Shawn’s sake and mine. She just chose a harsh and extreme way to handle things and to be fair, I was happy for quite some time after marrying Joshua. Even though it didn’t end well.
Shawn placed a bouquet of lilies in front of the tombstone and whispered, “Sierra, you don’t know this, but in the years before she passed, Mom told me she always regretted it. She regretted marrying you off so young. She regretted not letting us…“}]
His voice choked up. He took several deep breaths before continuing, “She said that if you weren’t happy later on, you should get divorced and come back home.”
I smiled slightly, cutting him off. “Shawn, I stopped blaming Mom a long time ago. I’ve visited her over the years too. I’m really grateful that she raised me.“}
In my heart, she was my mother. How could I truly resent my own mother, even if she’d made a huge mistake?}
Shawn looked at me in silence for a while before finally nodding. He said nothing more. On the way back, Shawn suddenly took my hand. “Sierra, there’s something I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time. I love you. I’ve loved you for years. I was too cowardly back then, which is why I let you marry someone else. I’ve regretted it ever since. You have no idea what I’ve been through these years. Thankfully, fate has given me another chance, a chance to tell you this.“}
My lips felt dry. I parted them to speak. “Shawn.“8
Shawn anxiously cut me off before I could continue. “Sierra, I know. I know you might not have moved on from Joshua yet. I know you might even want revenge on him. So, don’t answer me now. I want you to wait until you’ve calmed down until you’ve thought carefully about us. I hope that when you say yes, it’s because you truly love me. Not because of anything else.”
I smiled but said nothing more. I understood what he meant and I understood his concerns. Right now, my emotions are still a mess. I needed time to clear my mind before I could even begin to think about this.
2:05 PM
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