Chapter 81 - A Painful End

At the hospital, Grandma came to visit Angeline. "Angeline, how are you, dear?" "Grandma," Angeline cried weakly. Angeline cried until she felt exhausted and finally fainted. She couldn't bear all this burden, all this grief. Bryan was with his grandmother. "Grandma, this is all my fault. I should be the one going through all this," Bryan blamed himself. Grandma looked at her beloved grandson with sadness. "No, dear, it's not Bryan's fault. It was an unavoidable accident." Grandma held Bryan's hand. "You must be strong and comfort Angeline. She...keeps looking for you." "I can't; I'm afraid I'll hurt her more." Angeline was still sleeping. Bryan stayed with her. He looked at Angeline with his eyes closed and wanted to stroke her cheek. But he stopped himself and decided to hold Angeline's hand instead. Bryan cried silently. "Forgive me; I regret that I have caused all this." The next day, Bryan went to the place where his parents' ashes were kept. "Mom, I'm here. I miss you so much today. There's a woman I really like; she's a very peculiar woman. She's almost as strange as you, Mom. I don't know how she manages with her petite and fragile body. I want to hug her, but I feel like I don't deserve it. Mom, you know why, right?" Afterwards, Bryan reluctantly greeted his father. He wasn't as casual as when he greeted his mother. "How does Dad feel seeing me suffer like this? Why did Dad have to marry that woman? There's a woman I love so much, and I want to be with her. But I can't ask her to be with me because I'm afraid I'll leave her again. Just like what Dad did to Mom. Actually, I want to be shameless and invite her to live with me. But it's better not to, right? I shouldn't be like you." Bryan cried, lamenting his very sad fate. Alex came to visit Angeline in the hospital, and now they were outside talking. "I heard your surgery was successful and your baby is safe. Why do you look so down?" "It's because I wasn't careful; I almost lost my child. I'm not a good mother," Angeline said, holding back tears. "Angeline, I hope you don't blame yourself, it was an accident," Alex shook her head. "No, it's my fault, that's just an excuse. I've always lived my life passively. I've never had the courage to do anything on my own. So it's easier to let people choose me or reject me. That's how I've lived until now. And now I almost lost my innocent child because of it. Alex didn't want to prolong Angeline's grief with questions, so she took a box she had brought with her and handed it to Angeline. "I brought some art supplies from the studio because I know you like to draw the most. You look happy when you're drawing. When you're suffering from sad thoughts, you can draw." Angeline smiled and thanked her. Bryan arrived outside Angeline's room. He didn't go in, but hung his bag on the doorknob of Angeline's room. In his heart, Bryan said, "You told me that people who like sweet things always want to be happy. If there's any happiness left in my life, I'll give it all to you. You must be happy, Angeline." A few days later, after being discharged from the hospital, Angeline met Bryan at the office. They looked awkward during this meeting. "Why did Bryan lie to me? Why didn't Bryan admit that his memory had returned? Did Bryan do all this because he was very uncomfortable with me?" Angeline began the conversation. Bryan was silent for a few seconds before he finally answered. "Yes, I thought it was best for you, so I kept my returning memories a secret." "It seems like a stupid question. How would you feel... if I asked you to forget everything and start over? It might be short... but can you be with me as before?" Bryan fell silent. He really wanted to say yes, but it stayed in his heart. Instead, his lips said sorry. "I'm sorry; I know you have to understand." Angeline nodded. "I understand the meaning of Bryan's apology," Angeline replied, then handed over the divorce papers. "I should have agreed to this divorce in the first place if you really wanted it." "It's all my fault," Bryan said weakly. "No, it's nobody's fault. We just didn't know we were wrong from the beginning." Then Angeline took off her wedding ring and gave it back to Bryan. Now there was no connection between them. After Angeline left, Bryan held his wedding ring with Angeline. He cried as he remembered their memories together. John's words had made it impossible for Bryan to keep Angeline by his side. "It's all Madam Rose's fault, but it's so hard to prove that the CEO and Angeline's accidents were intentional." Angeline packed her things in Bryan's room. There she found her baby's diary. She smiled as she looked at the book and opened it. But Angeline's smile turned to tears as she read the entries in the diary. Angeline's tears increased as she read page after page in the diary. In her sobs she apologized to the universe. Her body shook with uncontrollable crying. She held the baby's journal tightly as she continued to apologize to the universe. Grandmother walked Angeline to the front door. She could only hug Angeline, unable to say a word. Her heart was also very saddened by Bryan and Angeline's decision to separate. She cared deeply for Angeline. "Are you sure you don't need a ride?" "Yes, Grandma. Thank you for staying with me until now," Angeline said and hugged Grandma. "Call Grandma if anything happens." After hugging Angeline, Grandma went back inside. Now Angeline was with Alex. "So when are you leaving for France?" "I leave the day after tomorrow. I've already sent my things, so I can go anytime. You must be disappointed that I'm leaving, right? There won't be another neighbor like me, will there?" Angeline smiled and nodded in agreement. Suddenly Alex showed her a brochure about an art institute in Paris. "I have a feeling that you could learn well and improve your skills there, Angeline. I hope you'll consider it seriously. You said you've been living passively for so long, so maybe it's time for a change. If you have the courage to change, why not give it a try? This could be a new beginning in your life." Angeline looked interested and considered Alex's offer.