10
For the remaining distance, I held a flashlight from my phone, and Albert also turned on the flashlight on his phone. We walked the last stretch in silence.
Upon seeing the community gate, I was abruptly yanked by the sleeve.
Albert’s fingers were trembling slightly. He murmured in a low voice, “I’ve always loved you. I just…couldn’t express it in time.”
“It’s not a matter of timing,” I pulled back my sleeve and said calmly, “It’s your choice that’s
wrong.”
D
Without the accident on Christmas Day, we’d never have anything to do with each other, both having our planned ideal lives.
Leo and the twins didn’t have any more conflicts, but the way the twins looked at Leo was
Leo and the twins didn’t have any more conflicts, but the way the twins looked at Leo was filled with deep hatred.
Before getting into the car, Albert looked at me deeply. “I’ll come to see you again.”
“No.” I refused, “It’s best if we don’t meet again, and neither do the children.”
The twins‘ glares turned hostile towards me, matching their attitude towards Leo. Albert was silent for a moment, then led the two children into the car.
Seeing the Land Rover slowly drive away, Leo held my hand and said softly, “Mom, I was wrong.”
“What happened?” I looked down at him.
Leo pressed his lips tightly together. After a while, he said softly, “They kept saying insulting things. I couldn’t stand it anymore, so I added some bitter gourd juice to their fish soup.”
Bitter gourd juice left the twins speechless from its intense bitterness.
Leo looked ashamed. “They are your children after all. I shouldn’t have done that…” “Aren’t you my only child?” I smiled at him.
Then, I couldn’t help but heave a deep sigh. “But I’m afraid your dream of getting into a top college won’t come true…”
“I don’t care.”
Leo looked up at me, his eyes clear and determined. “I’ve decided to go to Southern Medical College. The principal has recommended me personally, and someone will come for an interview soon.”
No matter how good Southern Medical College was, it couldn’t compare to the top universities in Santarisom, where Leo was originally capable of being admitted.
Leo smiled sweetly, “Between you and the chance to rise to the top, I will always choose you, Mom.”
Not long after, Leo went to Southern Medical College.
The following year, when he came home for a visit, he brought back a lotus flower from the entrance of the community.
“Maybe someone picked it up by the artificial lake to play with and threw it by the roadside.” Leo carefully handed the flower to me.
The nearly blooming flower was then placed in a water–filled glass vase.
It flourished until Christmas.
From then on, annual blossoms flourished, and I never saw the person who picked and threw away the flower again.
The End
