No More Waiting, She Chooses Love

Chapter 819

It didn't really matter why anymore.

Conrad mentioned that Jacqueline's departure had something to do with him and Dustin. I suspected I was part of the reason too.

She treated me like her own daughter, but the vendetta between our families eventually drove a wedge between us.

Images of her pleading for me to come home flashed before my eyes, the way she would sneak me caramel apples, and the pumpkin pie she made for me today...

She must have been planning this for a while...

It felt like my heart had been ripped open, and the cold wind that blew through was like knives cutting into me.

I held grievances, sure, but never hatred.

Yet, I never got to say it, and now I never would. Even if I did, they wouldn't hear

it.

Dustin tightened his grip on Conrad's hand, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he let go.

Conrad came over, knelt by the bedside, and gently smoothed Jacqueline's face, erasing the traces of pain and wiping away the blood at the corner of her mouth. "Mom, it's okay to go now. Be with Dad."

start at ten-thirty but was delayed an hour for Jacqueline. The Wagner family's living room was transformed into the funeral parlor, Herschel and

placed their hands together, and they looked so peaceful, so serene, as if they were

apprehension I had about the funeral, any fear that Dustin might cause a scene, was gone, replaced by an overwhelming

of my life. Herschel and Jacqueline were there for every step of my journey from childhood

but they had also

my eyes, of Jacqueline taking me everywhere with her, proudly introducing me as her daughter whenever

always wanted me to

lips, a regret

my face, I walked up to where they lay.

at

s face, I finall

said the

word, "Mom, safe travels."

tears blurred her face and swept her away from my world

bet

were laid to rest. Just as they were about to be buried, Fanny whispered in my ear, "Nothing

QUMS

me that Dustin might

happened. Perhaps Jacqueline's sudden passing

eyes red and

looked at Conrad, whose expression