No More Waiting, She Chooses Love

Overnight...

Ever since I left the Wagner family, it seems Jacqueline made her way here.

Watching her kneel on the ground, hunched over, prostrating herself on a cushion, my heart felt as if it was being clenched in a giant fist.

Master Mathew had left, and there I stood, unable to move for what felt like an eternity.

Eventually, I made my way over, gently kneeling beside Jacqueline, and called out to her, "Jacqueline."

Jacqueline's body shook, and then, with disbelief, she lifted her head to look at me. She didn't speak, her lips trembling, followed by tears that flowed freely.

Looking at her face, observing her disheveled hair, I realized that seemingly overnight, it had turned significantly grayer.

"Felicia," Jacqueline finally spoke after trembling for a while and then embraced me.

Her embrace was the most familiar to me, once the warmest place I could be, yet now I couldn't bring myself to wrap my arms around her.

"Felicia, I've come to confess, I've prayed to God," Jacqueline sobbed in my ear.

But her confessions and pleas couldn't bring back my parents. Looking at the religious icons in the chapel, I knew that no matter how much I harbored hatred or did anything else, it wouldn't change the fact that my parents were gone. And all these actions would only cause pain to both me and the living.

Fanny's words, and the stories Master Mathew had shared with me, I suddenly felt that clinging to the past was utterly

was that

hatred couldn't bring them back, so what was the point? It

anything to come back, you're just seeking peace of mind," my voice was choked with emotion,

I uncovered the truth about my parents' death,

that they felt guilt, so by letting

let's leave the

the

Herschel... I won't pursu

bet

lifting a giant weight

it

Content

belongs to en.kikistom

punished him,"

wrongdoer, so what was I still clinging

everything be

kneel anymore, get up," I said, reaching out

kneeling for too