Shining Bright After Rebirth

140 Do You Have Any Regrets? Part

Amelie flinched at her question. "Regrets? What do you mean by that?"

Mrs. Hauet carefully scrutinized Amelie's expression before letting out a long exhale as if she had been holding her breath all this time.

"Marriage is not simple, no matter who your spouse is," the woman started, "I married my first husband when I was only nineteen. My parents arranged it too; we had known each other since we were kids. He was a little older and was about to graduate from university and join his father's company.

When I looked at other women in arranged marriages, I always thought "I am lucky. I know my husband and we are friends. We respect each other and treat each other with kindness. What else is there to wish for?"

She paused to think about what to say next; given the circumstances, Elise realized that she had to choose her words wisely.

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140 Do You Have Any Regrets? Part II

Inhaling deeply, she continued, "As you know, my first marriage ended with a huge scandal. The divorce was a big mess and I was still technically just a child, barely turning twenty-four, with my husband and my dancing being all I had.

My second and current husband, Louis, is the kindest man I have ever met. Even after decades of marriage, he still dotes on me and tolerates my every whim, spoiling me to no end. But there were times when we only got married when I couldn't help but ask myself "Can the years to come erase what I had been carrying in my heart until now?"

High society teaches us to forgive one's caprice or mistake because we are forced upon each other and we have no say in it. My first husband is now a very respectable man; he has adorable grandchildren too.

So I sometimes wonder... If I had forgiven him back then, allowed us both to outgrow our childhood

connection and see our relationship with fresh, adult eyes... Could I have had the same life as his current wife does?"

Elise paused and Amelie felt something shift deep inside her heart. She knew what the woman was trying 217

Do You Have

convey and she was happy to realize that her reality of things

current husband

husband loves me too. And you see, Richard

marriage for what it really was but he failed

way you both needed to grow a little more to make the marriage work. As for me... I needed Richard to treat our marriage as an adult so that I could finally see that all I ever wanted was childish

***

hand to knock on

behind it. He paused, his entire body

to eavesdrop but he couldn't help it. His wife was talking

Why are they talking about her

hear anything and it's

11:52

Have

voice belongs to

beating faster and he

clenched his hands at

couldn't tell how long he had been standing there but

doorknob twist and the door

women to exit

you come here? Is everything alright? Looks

alone."

Amelie's shoulders, embracing her in a friendly hug, and smiled at Liam. "Thank you for visiting us today. I hope you will enjoy the

***

surprisingly quiet. Liam's eyes were glued to the window the entire time. while Amelie couldn't help

looks very upset... Did something happen? When I saw him standing at the

You Have