No Mercy, No Forgiveness

Maureen watched as Zoe was laid to rest, the endless snow soon burying her.

After the funeral. Zoe’s friends comforted her: “Our deepest condolences.”

Once she saw them off, Maureen asked Ethan to leave with Geoffrey first, wanting one last moment alone with Zoe.

Geoffrey understood she needed space and quietly led Ethan away.

Maureen stood motionless before the tombstone, snow blanketing her shoulders.

She seemed numb to the biting cold.

“Mom, why were you so foolish? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I regret it so much now. Why couldn’t I have stayed with you?”

She whispered to herself until her hair turned frost–white, unaware of time passing.

Her face grew purple and blue from cold when suddenly an umbrella shielded her.

Looking up slowly, she saw a man in a black overcoat, his features calm and composed.

“Why stand here alone in the snow?” Alex asked, his voice gentle. “The deceased would’ve hated seeing you like this.”

Alex reached out to brush the snow off her.

Maureen instinctively dodged: “Uncle, what brings you here?”

That “Uncle” froze Alex’s hand mid–air before he slowly withdrew it.

“I saw the news about Zoe,” he said. “You always said she meant as much as your birth mother. I knew you’d be heartbroken.”

He bowed before the tombstone.

Maureen hadn’t expected him to remember childhood words so clearly. Forcing a smile, she murmured, “Thanks, I’m fine.”

Alex studied her frostbitten face, eyes red and swollen. She didn’t look fine.

“Don’t put up walls with me,” he said gently. “I’ll always stand by you.

Maureen gave a slight nod, words failing her

After a long silence, she whispered, “I should go.”

“Let me drive you”

“No, my car’s nearby.”

in no state to drive.” Concern sharpened his scolding tone. “Come

She stopped resisting.

handed her a towel. “Dry yourself or you’ll

“Thank you.”

took the towel, brushed off the snow from her

driver’s seat, turned on the heater, and played

grew increasingly surprised: “I’d nearly forgotten this

to it often during my treatment

Alex replied.

you all right during

about him, Alex murmured: “Mostly. Though I slept more than

awake.”

car when a Bentley pulled

out.

woken Jacob at five, but Christmas Holidays traffic made them

car, Maureen spotted them and immediately got

“Jacob, Katherine.”

were red–rimmed,

sorry we’re

18:28

Chapter 337

meant to come last night, but blizzards blocked the

her

would never

over and hugged

hand, lending her

for Mommy when he saw Alex stepping out

exited

Jacob immediately recognized

“Auntie, don’t be sad.”

addressed Maureen as

meaning and

Alex, she failed to recognize him: “Did Geoffrey get his eyesight

“That’s Alex”

Maureen clarified