No More Waiting, She Chooses Love

Chapter 675

The moment I called him "Uncle," tears streamed down his face, his grief overwhelming him as he wept openly in front of me.

"Your uncle always said Judie looked so much like her aunt. Now I truly understand why you and Judie are like two peas in a pod," Aunt Martha said, emerging from the kitchen with tears in her eyes, reaching out to hold my hand. I embraced them both, feeling that from now on, we were united as one.

I took them to my parents' gravesite, where a fresh bouquet of flowers lay, undoubtedly left there by the Herschels again. They were responsible for my parents' death, yet they sought forgiveness through these floral tributes, hoping for my parents' absolution. But I doubted my parents could forgive-not just for the loss of their lives, but for losing the opportunity to care for their daughter.

Uncle and Aunt Martha were inconsolable as they looked at my mother's photo, especially Aunt Martha, who wept uncontrollably. I knew she wasn't just seeing my mother's picture; she was thinking of Judie.

If Judie and I bore a striking resemblance, then Judie was the spitting image of my mother, especially in demeanor.

Uncle and Aunt Martha wanted me to live with them, but I declined. I understood their intentions of offering me a sense of family warmth, but we had never lived together, and my lifestyle and work schedule were too different from theirs. I promised to visit often, and they didn't press the issue.

Suddenly having a sense of family was joyful yet suffocating, as if there was a weight on my chest I couldn't explain. It was hard to describe, so I ended up at James's place.

Even though I owned a bar now, I just couldn't bring myself to go there. I sat at James's until closing time.

He came over, "Want to have a drink with me?"

"Sure," I replied, looking at him. "Have you lost weight? Trying a new diet?"

of weight, or I

been packed every day;

neglect your health. Maybe hire some more staff to help out," I expressed my concern. His weight loss was alarming,

his glass

head, "Is it

eyes have lost their sparkle," James's words made my

Yes, with

light

too. How

Collins gone, my

be

I , burying my

I

Bet

What should I do?" Content

longing for one person, a longing with nowhere to

say anything, simply accompanying

much to drink, and James insisted I stay over, but