Without Adam, Niamh would not have had the faith to live when she had been in prison without hope back then.
Jackson, who had been growing inside her womb at the time, was the final source of light during that dark period of her life.
It had been that source of light that had guided her till the end, and Adam had been the sole reason that the light had not burnt out.
It had been the same for Cathy.
Cathy had always stepped forward without hesitation whenever Niamh or Kendrick needed help.
Now, however, they had been burned to death. Niamh’s heart still ached for them no matter how much she thought about it. In addition, she felt a deep sense of regret.
The funeral for Adam and Cathy was held three days later. All funeral-related matters were being handled by Niamh.
Cathy had very few friends in Glendale, and the only family members she had were her two young children. However, Niamh certainly would not tell them that their mother had left forever.
Adam, too, had very few family members, but his reputation as Dr. Brown had earned him quite a bit of influence.
After learning about the accident, Adam’s colleagues and former patients began dropping by to pay their last respects.
By the time everyone had expressed their condolences and left, it was already evening.
The initially beautiful sunset suddenly turned gloomy as a drizzle began to fall without anyone realizing it.
Kendrick went out, saying he had an important task to handle. At that moment, Niamh was alone cleaning the house.
While cleaning, she saw Cathy and Adam’s photos. Her actions came to an abrupt stop as tears began streaming down her cheeks uncontrollably.
“I used to think that we could remain friends for a very, very long time, that we could still arrange to meet for tea when we turned old and grey.
“You’ve helped Kendrick and me so much, but neither of us had done anything for you in return.
“Don’t worry, Cathy. I’ll take care of your children and raise them as if they were my own.
“This is the only thing I can do for you.”
Just as Niamh finished her words, a gentle voice came from behind her. It was a voice she recognized from her memory.
“It’d be more appropriate to entrust this heavy responsibility to the biological father.”
Niamh paused. Turning around, she looked behind her.
A man wearing an ink-black coat and a pair of wide-framed sunglasses stood before her. Solemnly, he took a step forward.
As he approached her, the man removed his sunglasses and revealed his striking, gallant features.
Felipe stared at Cathy’s photo with red eyes, not speaking another word for some time.
Niamh was not surprised at all to find that Felipe was still alive.
She was merely shocked to see Felipe appear at that exact moment.
However, when she noticed Kendrick coming through the door, Niamh slowly began to understand.
Kendrick had left the house an hour ago, saying he had an important task to handle. It turned out he had gone to bail Felipe.
Felipe reflected on what had happened a few months ago. He had lost all hope and accepted the execution by shooting, giving up any chance to appeal.
Later, however, he had been finally persuaded by Niamh and Kendrick, and Felipe finally came around.
He had decided to appeal. He chose to live rather than die.
After that, the matter had been handled discreetly. Apart from Niamh and Kendrick, nobody else knew that Felipe was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
While they were at the prison’s visiting room, Felipe had repeatedly asked that they keep this a secret.
Felipe had hoped that he, a heinous scoundrel, was truly dead in Cathy’s impression.
He had not wanted to cause Cathy any further trouble or worry and had sincerely hoped that Adam and Cathy could have a happy ending.
He would disappear forever from Cathy’s life.
Even after serving twenty years in prison, he would not see her again.
Kendrick had not intended to tell Felipe about this, but Felipe had seen the news on television during lunchtime and begged the prison warden to contact Kendrick.
Felipe only had an hour of bail time; the police were waiting for him outside.
“Come on, Nia.”
Kendrick stood at the door, extending his hand to Niamh.
Niamh understood and strode toward Kendrick.
“Nia, let’s wait outside.” Kendrick held Niamh’s hand and walked toward the door.
Niamh turned her head and caught a glimpse of Felipe. At that moment, his tall, big build appeared fragile.
To stare at your loved one, knowing that the separation was eternal, was the most painful thing in the world.
Niamh, too, felt a stabbing pain in her heart.
She lifted her eyes and looked at the man standing beside her as the dense spring rain silently poured before them, and Niamh suddenly felt that she was indeed lucky.
Despite all the darkness and pain she had suffered, being able to remain with her loved one was already a blessing to her.
Inside the house.
Felipe stared at Cathy’s photo, utterly lost in thought.
He recalled their first encounter on the beach. The memory remained fresh in his mind, but that little girl was no longer here now.
Felipe closed his eyes as they began to fill with tears.
He lit a candle, then wondered if the candle smoke was getting into his eyes as tears began to run down his face against his volition. He then chuckled. “Maybe God had determined our fates from the very beginning. One of us had to die.”
Felipe’s voice trembled. Even his hand, which held the candle, began to shake.
He tried to hold back his tears, but he could not stop the grief from flooding his heart.
He recalled bits and pieces of his memories. If he had been nice to Cathy in even the slightest, perhaps he would not be so pained to the point of having difficulty breathing.
He had, however, mostly brought her tears and heartache over those years.
“Cath, I’ll personally raise our children.
“I’ll remember what you had told me. I’ll teach our children to be righteous and be useful members of society.”
Felipe promised from the bottom of his heart. His tear-filled gaze remained fixed on the photo of Cathy, who was smiling brightly like a blooming flower.
“Cath, let’s arrange to meet again in our next lives. When that time comes, let me be the one to court you. Let me be the one to love you.”
Felipe reached out and gently brushed his cold fingertips across the photo.
‘Cath, I actually knew.
‘The day we parted on the beach, I remained in your tears.
‘You never resented me despite all the pain I caused you.
‘All this time I had not dared to tell you. These three words have been buried deep inside my heart for a very long time.’
At this thought, Felipe struggled to lift the corners of his lips, smiling faintly at Cathy’s photo.
“Cath, I love you.”
Facing Cathy’s photo, Felipe finally confessed his feelings for her, which had been buried deep in his heart for a long time.
Sometimes, he would resent the heavens and everybody else. He would blame God for making him confused between Niamh and Cathy.
It had been due to his confusion he and Cathy had missed the opportunity to be together forever.
Whether or not Cathy had been alive, they had no possibility of starting over.
Of course, if he could, he sincerely wished that she was safe and well. Even if she had another man, he would still give her his heartfelt blessings.
However, the ending he had imagined would never come true.
Felipe sat there in silence for an hour, holding Cathy’s photo.
An hour later, the police came into the house with handcuffs.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.