After calming herself down, Britney walked over to her daughter, who was a few steps ahead of her. "I know I'm not a good mother, and I have a weakness for saying hurtful things when I'm headless. But, Roxy… I didn't mean every word I said. I was stupid and abandoned you at your lowest point."

Britney gripped Roxy's hands gently as her eyes fell.

"In these nine years, there has not been a day that I have not thought about what I said back then."

Roxy fell silent hearing that. She didn't expect his mother to think about that day either.

"I wish I could turn back time, but I can't. I don't mind if I suffer, but I don't want to see you suffer." Britney raised her gaze and looked at her daughter with tears in her eyes. "Tell me, Roxy. What do you want me to do? I'm lost and I… I…"

Roxy could see her mother's teary eyes and her heartfelt like being slashed by a knife. She felt the strings binding her tightened so much that she couldn't breathe.

Roxy didn't know what to do. She wanted to do something, but just like her mother… she was lost. If only she could escape, she would.

But now she has come to her parents' house and confronted her past. She even met face to face with her mother and talked about that night from heart to heart.

Then… what should she do next?

"Can't we just go back to how we used to be?"

Roxy felt tears begin to gather in her eyes. She wasn't a girl who cried easily, but somehow she became a crybaby whenever she thought of her mother.

Why? Why does she always cry because of her mother? No. Her heart always cried seeing her mother shed tears.

She didn't want to meet her mother, right? Then why does her heart feel sad to see the older woman suffer?

Roxy realized that both herself and her mother had suffered from unsolved rifts in the past. Her mother wasn't well even though she always had a smile on her face, neither was Roxy.

Why did Roxy insist on not wanting to forgive her mother when in the end, neither of them were happy?

'If you want to see the sun, you have to try it.' was Declan's advice when Roxy refused to forgive her mother.

Her eyes do see the sun because the sun always rises every morning. But her heart… had not seen the sun for a long time and was in darkness.

'You have to try it.'

She has to try it—repeated Roxy inside her head.

Roxy pulled away from her mother's grip making Britney feel sad. Would her daughter never want to see her again?

But what Roxy did stun her.

Roxy put her arms around her mother and whispered, "I forgive you, mama. I miss you." Roxy closed her eyes, and a tear fell one by one.

Britney felt herself standing in a vast field, and a cool breeze blew against her as soon as she heard her daughter's words.

Roxy herself felt the unbreakable thread that had previously bound her heart suddenly breaking and freeing her. She felt light and could breathe effortlessly.

'I forgive you.' she didn't think those words were the magic words of her misery.

It was like she saw the sunlight illuminate her entire world of darkness, and she was pulled out of the cold abyss into a vast expanse of color.

"I miss you, too, my baby girl."

Roxy chuckled at the name of the endearment. "Mama, I'm not a baby."

"Okay. A little girl."

"Ma," protested Roxy inviting laughter from her mother, and Roxy couldn't help but laugh with her too. "But… since when did you know that I created my other self?"

"I followed you one night and saw you talking to Wendy. Once a month, you would show up and go out in the middle of the night."

"That…"

"It doesn't matter now. You're back, and that's all that matters." Britney stroked her hair affectionately.

"Mama, 'Kaylee' is gone. She will never come back. I'm afraid…." Roxy was worried that she wouldn't be able to be a sweet girl like Kaylee again.

"I'm sorry. It seemed my words hurt you badly."

Roxy bit her lip and lowered her eyes level. She did forgive her mother, but what she has said and heard, she could never forget. The scar was there and would remain forever.

"Roxy, please mind my words this time. You and Kaylee are different, and we… I never expected you to be Kaylee or vice versa. I already know what kind of character you are, and it will be difficult to change it. When I met this tiny baby for the first time and was in my arms, I knew I would love you and accept you completely. You are the greatest gift that we can receive. I meant it."

"Mama…"

"I know it won't be easy for you to forget my mindless words at that time, but I hope you remember what I said today. I meant every word. And besides, I love to see your papa's frustrated face, so I pardon you to do naughty things."

Roxy laughed at her mother's last sentence, and the two decided to go in and join the others.

"I prepared a present for you."

"Your coming back is the greatest gift for us."

"No, you will like it. I promise."

Britney tilted her head in confused hearing a mysterious but mischievous tone from her daughter.

"Did I miss something?"

Both mother and daughter turned towards a voice and smiled broadly to see Robert standing there with a curious look.

"Why are you crying?"

"No, I'm not."

"You should see yourself in the mirror. It's red."

Roxy pouted and clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Ma, Robert is teasing me again."

"I thought you said you're not a child. Why are you even complaining to me?"

Robert grinned widely at this, but his smile vanished the next second. "Wait. What did you just call her?"

"What?" Roxy was still irritated and subconsciously answered her cousin in an angry tone.

"Roxy?"

"…" she didn't expect that. "What?"

"You are Roxy, right? So... you remember?"

Roxy: Why does it feel all her family members already know about her?

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!

Report chapter

Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter