13
During my hospital stay, I ignored all of Declan’s actions. His attempts to please, his vulnerability, his apologies… I treated him as invisible and went straight home after being discharged.
In this world, only Declan was reborn, and only he viewed my every action with prejudice. Others wouldn’t. Cora and Jasper wouldn’t, nor would
my parents.
True character reveals itself over time. They know what I’m truly like after years of being together.
They wouldn’t doubt me without reason, nor would they hurt me recklessly.
Knowing I was in low spirits after losing the baby, my mother made sure Auntie cooked all sorts of nourishing stews daily, stuffing me with supplements like they were free.
Holding a bowl of snow fungus and lotus seed soup, I spoke softly. “Mom, if I divorce Declan, would you approve?”
“Divorce! Is it that serious?”
My mother assumed that Declan’s lack of care led to the loss of the baby and that I was just throwing a tantrum by returning to my parents‘
home.
She didn’t expect me to mention divorce right away. Her generation believed in mending marriages rather than breaking them, so she first tried to mediate.
“Mom doesn’t know what happened between you and Declan, but divorce impacts women more. If it’s not a matter of principle, I hope you two can work it out. Declan’s a good kid. He’s been genuinely good to you over the years, and we’ve all seen it, He’s been sending supplements every day, but since you didn’t want to see him, I didn’t let him in.”
Inwardly, I smirked: Declan, you’re such a performer. You’ve portrayed deep love so vividly that, except for that diary, no one would believe you don’t love me. Seeing my pale face and full of suffering, my mother sighed deeply.
“I don’t know what insurmountable obstacle lies between you two. You’re an adult now, and parents can only give advice. The decision is yours.” Holding my hand in hers, she gently rubbed it. “No matter what decision you make, home is always your safe haven. Even if you divorce, you can always come home.”
My mother’s comforting words finally gave me an outlet for all my grievances. Like a lost child finally finding the way home, I collapsed into my mother’s arms, crying my heart out.
