Across the street, Gilbert sat frozen in his car, his eyes wide with shock.

A young, beautiful woman was holding an adorable baby doll, both adorned with identical Minnie Mouse hair clips.

One for each of them!

Gilbert's breath hitched, his grip on the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turned white, as if they would snap off at any moment!

As the mother-daughter duo walked further away, Gilbert, without making a sound, got out of his car and started following them quietly.

Getting closer, he could hear their conversation.

"Let's head back home."

"Mommy, the strawberry milkshake was so yummy! Sweet as candy."

"Yes, darling, just like you, Jenna."

Their voices were soft, filled with the intimate chatter of a mother and her daughter.

But to Gilbert, each word felt like a meteor crashing into his heart, leaving craters of pain and disbelief.

Unaware of the silent follower, the woman and her child entered an apartment complex and disappeared into the building.

Gilbert stopped in his tracks, hesitating at the entrance. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions, his heart felt like it was about to burst. Mommy... Jenna...

Reaching into his pocket, Gilbert pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag. His lips pressed tightly together as he exhaled a thick cloud of smoke through his nostrils. The burning nicotine blurred the complex emotions etched on his handsome face.

the Minnie

She was Jenna's mother!

Sherilyn had once queued up at TeeMall in the middle of the night, just to buy a Minnie

it was he who secured it for

he met Jenna at Crestwood Airport, she had that very same Minnie Mouse

come back early from

returned to Crestwood

one had even told him

Huh.

curled into

had been

Gilbert picked up his phone and dialed

"Mr. Gilbert."

the hospital, check

"Alright, Mr. Gilbert."

silent, smoking one cigarette after another, extinguishing the last one in the ashtray atop the trash bin it was now

he needed the

dialed Sherilyn's number

connected! Thankfully, Sherilyn hadn't

"Hello?"

ringtone ended, Sherilyn picked

"It's me."

slightly as she held

reply to her

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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