Chapter 2
With those final words, my mom ended the visitation.
I left the prison, my heart heavy with unanswered questions.
When I returned home, silence greeted me like an unwelcome guest. The house that had once been filled with laughter and warmth now felt hollow, its only remnant of my dad, a black–and–white memorial photo staring back at me.
A sharp pain twisted in my chest, and my confusion only deepened. Desperate for answers, I stepped into my parents‘ bedroom, hoping to find something, anything, that could explain what had happened.
time.
Inside the wardrobe, their clothes remained neatly folded, untouched by
My dad had only ever worn white because my mom once said he looked
best in it.
A whole drawer glittered with gold jewelry because my mom loved gold, and he had always indulged her.
His bedside table was stocked with medicine because my mom had poor health, and he never wanted her to suffer.
Everywhere I looked, traces of love surrounded me.
This wasn’t a home filled with resentment or misery.
It was a home built on devotion.
So why? Why had my mom been the one to destroy it?
I needed answers, but after that day, my mom refused to see me again. No matter how many times I reached out, she remained cold and unyielding.
Her indifference crushed the last of my hopes.
With nothing left for me in that sorrowful house, I packed my things and left.
I moved in with my longtime boyfriend, Lincoln Adamson.
During my darkest days, he never left my side. He was gentle and patient, offering quiet strength when I felt like falling apart.
In a world that had turned its back on me, he was the only warmth I had left.
Three years passed, and we finally set our wedding date.
22:52 Thu, 13 Mar
༨ ཏཱི, 76%E
On the eve of the ceremony, Lincoln hesitated before speaking, his voice
cautious.
“Sasha, your mom is out of prison now. This is one of the most important moments of your life, are you really not going to invite her? Do you still hate her?”
I stilled for a moment, his question weighing on me. Then, with quiet resolve, I answered, “I just don’t understand. My dad was a good man, so why did my mom have to hurt him?”
Lincoln didn’t hesitate.
“What if it was just a misunderstanding?” he said gently. “Can a single sentence really push someone to take their own life?”
He squeezed my hand, his warmth steady and reassuring.
“Maybe your dad’s death broke her more than she could admit. Maybe she couldn’t bear to talk about it.”
His gaze held mine; his voice was soft yet firm.
“No matter what, she’s still your mom. This is your wedding; it’s a once–in–a–lifetime moment. You should at least let her know.”
“If she finds out her only daughter got married without her, imagine how
much that would hurt.”
Lincoln had always been thoughtful and compassionate, always seeing the pain in others, even when I couldn’t.
For years, when I was drowning in grief and confusion, he had been my anchor. My warmth. My light.
Now, his words stirred something deep inside me. A bittersweet ache.
After a long silence, I finally reached for my phone and sent an invitation to
my mom.
