No More Waiting, She Chooses Love

Overnight...

Ever since I left the Wagner family, it seems Jacqueline made her way here.

Watching her kneel on the ground, hunched over, prostrating herself on a cushion, my heart felt as if it was being clenched in a giant fist.

Master Mathew had left, and there I stood, unable to move for what felt like an eternity.

Eventually, I made my way over, gently kneeling beside Jacqueline, and called out to her, "Jacqueline."

Jacqueline's body shook, and then, with disbelief, she lifted her head to look at me. She didn't speak, her lips trembling, followed by tears that flowed freely.

Looking at her face, observing her disheveled hair, I realized that seemingly overnight, it had turned significantly grayer.

"Felicia," Jacqueline finally spoke after trembling for a while and then embraced me.

Her embrace was the most familiar to me, once the warmest place I could be, yet now I couldn't bring myself to wrap my arms around her. "Felicia, I've come to confess, I've prayed to God," Jacqueline sobbed in my ear.

But her confessions and pleas couldn't bring back my parents. Looking at the religious icons in the chapel, I knew that no matter how much I harbored hatred or did anything else, it wouldn't change the fact that my parents were gone.

And all these actions would only cause pain to both me and the living.

Thinking of Fanny's words, and the stories Master Mathew had shared with me, I suddenly felt that clinging to the past was utterly pointless.

The reason I harbored hatred was that they had taken my parents from me.

And my hatred couldn't bring them back, so what was the point? It was nothing but self-inflicted agony.

"Jacqueline, you can't ask for anything to come back, you're just seeking peace of mind," my voice was choked with emotion, "but that peace of mind can't be given by God, only I can give it."

Because, before I uncovered the truth about my parents' death, they were happy and at peace.

It was because I uncovered everything that they felt guilt, so by letting go, they too could find peace.

"Jacqueline, let's leave the past in

the past.

Herschel... I woPublished by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

an saying this felt like

a giant weight off my chest.

ntent

"Heaven has already punished him," Jacqueline cried.

Indeed, heaven will punish every wrongdoer, so what was I still clinging to?

Let everything be left to fate.

"Jacqueline, please don't kneel anymore, get up," I said, reaching out to help her.

But she had been kneeling for too long and couldn't get up.

Master Mathew then came over, lending a hand to help Jacqueline up, and gestured, "Mrs. Wagner, please go home."

Jacqueline, holding onto me, asked, "Felicia, will I still be able to see you in the future?"

People are greedy, but her greed was tinted with love for me.

I nodded, and she hugged me again, crying.

"Jacqueline, you should go back. Conrad... he was in a car accident," I

knew this news would be a blow to

her, but I chose to tell her anyway.

CUMS

Just a moment ago, while tending to the chapel, Master Mathew had mentioned that the cycle of karma has its own order, so even if I didn't tell her now, she would find out eventually. It was better she knew sooner so she could go back and take care of her son.

Jacqueline's face turned to one of horror, "Felicia, how is Rad?"

"Jacqueline, I don't know his condition, Dustin told me," my words made her realize something, her expression freezing.