Chapter 8
After I arrived at the branch office, I thrived and quickly became the head there.
Whether I wanted to return to the headquarters depended solely on my own wishes.
The artistic atmosphere abroad was rich, and Andy was a diligent and eager learner.
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At that moment, he had become a somewhat famous writer.
Over the years, many handsome local men pursued me, but I rejected them all.
Now, I was strong and confident, no longer relying on illusory love for emotional support.
I was very satisfied with myself.
After work, I enjoyed the meals Andy cooked for me.
Indeed, as I had said before, it was not me taking care of Andy, but rather, he was taking care of me.
Tracy probably had the same plan in mind.
Thinking of her contradictory nature warmed my heart.
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Chapter 8
Andy carefully picked out fish bones for me and said slowly, “Catherine, I want to go home.”
He had completed his studies here, and he was also supposed to hold a book signing event in our homeland soon, so it was time for him to return.
I nodded.
“What about you?‘
“I…” I hesitated.
”
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After all, I quite enjoyed life here.
But Andy’s words made me surrender.
“My mom said Dad hasn’t been doing well lately.”
My dad only reported good news, never bad, and even hid his illness from me.
He was getting older, and my time to accompany him was limited.
So, I promptly submitted a report to the headquarters, applying to transfer back.
Fortunately, my dad only had minor health issues, and after treatment, he was back to his energetic self, insisting on going back to manage his fish pond.
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Tracy and I agreed to go together to Andy’s book signing event.
There were quite a few people at the signing.
I was surprised to see several long lines.
“Andy has really achieved something now,” I said to Tracy with a bit of admiration.
Tracy almost responded, “So have you.” But then she seemed to think better of it and closed her mouth.
I understood why she hesitated and pretended not to notice, looking around instead.
Not far away, I saw a familiar figure begging on the street.
He seemed to have noticed me and ran away with a broken sign
in hand.
Tracy followed my gaze and sighed.
“They have really hit a rough patch while you were abroad.”
Henry couldn’t find a job, so he sold the house I left him.
If he had used that money to raise Jasper, it would have been fine, but he chose to gamble instead.
Henry accumulated a lot of gambling debts, even using the alimony I left for Jasper.
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When he couldn’t pay, he got his hands and feet broken, and later, he collapsed mentally and drowned himself in a river.
Jasper couldn’t afford to continue his education and dropped out, but no one would hire him for odd jobs, leaving him to beg on the
streets.
I sighed, too, but I didn’t pity them.
Everything was their own doing.
The book signing event wrapped up around six in the evening.
Tracy said she wanted to take us out for a nice meal.
After many years, I finally got to enjoy this meal with her.
Andy and I stood at the entrance of the convention center, waiting for her to drive over.
As I got into the car, I seemed to hear someone shout, “That little beggar jumped into the water…”
My heart skipped a beat, and my thoughts drifted away.
“Catherine?” Tracy called my name several times before I snapped back to reality.
“What?”
“Buckle your seatbelt. What are you thinking? You look so distracted.”
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I quickly buckled my seatbelt and murmured, “Nothing, I might have
misheard.”
Sometimes, I wondered if I had really done something wrong.
At that moment, Andy leaned over and said to me, “Catherine, you are truly amazing!”
In an instant, the fog in my heart dissipated, and everything became clear.
Life doesn’t lead back on itself.
I only lived once, and I should make the most of it.
As for Henry and Jasper, I felt no guilt. I only hoped that in my next life, I wouldn’t encounter them again.
And I still had a brighter future ahead.
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