CHAPTER 14: CHAPTER 14: MEMORIES ARE PAINFUL

On the day Clara Sterling was discharged, the snow had just cleared and the weather was bright. The trees by the road were adorned with frosted branches, the sky was a clear, deep blue.

Shawn Rhodes drove to the hospital himself to pick up Clara Sterling. The couple remained silent throughout the drive, the atmosphere heavy and oppressive.

Little Talia sat in the back seat, breathing against the window, drawing pictures with her fingers, filled with joy.

Mom was finally discharged.

Little Talia drew a picture of the three of them on the window, her eyes and brows brimming with smiles.

Seeing the drawing on the window, Clara Sterling felt a pang of bitterness in her heart, her eyes welled with tears.

She turned her head to secretly wipe her tears, adjusted her emotions, and forced a smile, "In a few days it will be Talia’s birthday. What gift would you like, Talia?"

Still drawing on the window, little Talia cheerfully answered her mother’s question, "Mom, I want a Cinnamon Dog."

"Cinnamon Dog?" Clara Sterling’s voice was gentle, "Is Cinnamon Dog... a pet dog? Mom hasn’t heard of this breed before."

"Nope." Little Talia shook her head, "It’s a cartoon dog. I want a ceramic Cinnamon Dog. I heard from Winter that there’s an artisan shop on Changan Road, we can buy a colorless ceramic dog and paint it ourselves."

Little Talia turned to look at her mom, "Last week Winter and brother Adrian went there and painted two very cute ceramic dolls."

Clara Sterling gazed down with a light smile, "Alright, if Talia wants to go, mom will accompany you."

On Talia’s twelfth birthday, heavy snow began to fall.

Talia Rhodes and her mom held hands and walked into the artisan shop, having pre-ordered a colorless ceramic Cinnamon Dog, they didn’t have to wait when they arrived. The shop owner took out the finished Cinnamon Dog, and Talia and her mom started painting.

It was their first time working together to complete a handmade item.

In the end, Talia was very satisfied with the outcome. Her Cinnamon Dog looked exactly like the picture, even cuter.

Mother and daughter left the store and went to a nearby cake shop.

Clara Sterling carried the cake in her left hand, held Talia’s hand with her right, they walked a stretch in the swirling snow, suddenly stopping to turn and gaze tenderly, affectionately at little Talia.

"Talia, mom loves you, very much, very much." Clara Sterling’s voice was soft, quickly scattered by the north wind.

Little Talia’s nose tip was red from the cold.

Mom used to often say she loved her, she didn’t notice anything unusual, her voice crisp as she replied, "Mom, Talia loves you very much too."

Clara Sterling felt a pang in her nose, about to be overwhelmed by tears again.

Her Talia was still so young, only twelve years old, she couldn’t be with her in the future, what would she do?

Afraid of Talia seeing her tears, Clara Sterling turned her head, continued to step forward.

Talia was led by her mom, crossing through the bustling crowd on Changan Road’s pedestrian street to the outdoor parking lot.

Shawn Rhodes’ car was parked there.

From afar, little Talia saw her dad standing in the snow, smoking, his expression sad and lonely.

This expression she rarely saw, puzzled, Shawn Rhodes raised his head and saw the mother and daughter, the sadness on his face vanished in an instant, returning to his usual look.

Talia thought it might have been her illusion.

Shawn Rhodes put out the cigarette, his voice hoarse as he said, "You’re back."

Clara Sterling softly replied, "Mm."

That night, Shawn Rhodes cooked dinner.

The family of three gathered around the dining table, cheerful and harmonious, little Talia wore a crown, made a wish, and blew out the candles.

The accident happened while eating cake.

A piece of cake was brought to Clara Sterling’s mouth, and she suddenly began coughing up blood.

Talia Rhodes was frightened, the cake in her hand dropped on the floor, messing up her newly bought little leather shoes.

Shawn Rhodes frantically picked up Clara Sterling, his voice choking, "Clara, Clara don’t scare me, I’ll take you to the hospital right now."

The housekeeper hurriedly dialed "120", Talia stood by with vacant eyes, her mind blank.

Why did this happen, things were fine just now, why did mom suddenly cough up blood?

Didn’t the doctor say she could be discharged?

Wasn’t mom already recovered?

The ambulance arrived quickly.

The medical staff lifted Clara Sterling onto the vehicle.

Before leaving, Talia saw her mom gazing at her with tears, her mouth moving with difficulty, seemingly wanting to say something to her.

Mom was already in so much pain that she couldn’t speak, her lips moved, Talia understood her mouthing.

She was saying "I’m sorry."

In an instant, Talia was in tears, and she ran out like crazy, dashing into the swirling snow.

"Mom, mom, don’t go..."

The ambulance, racing against time, couldn’t wait for Talia and immediately started, swiftly driving away.

Talia Rhodes chased the ambulance for a bit until the white ambulance carrying her mom disappeared from sight, and only then did she stop.

That night, Clara Sterling passed away.

Shawn Rhodes stayed by her side all night, crying until he couldn’t control himself.

These things, Talia Rhodes didn’t know.

She hadn’t caught up with the ambulance and fell in the snow. It was the worried nanny who came out and carried her back inside.

That night, Talia developed a high fever, mumbling "mom" in her dreams, intermittently crying through the entire night.

When she came to the next day, she heard the news that her mom had already passed.

Talia didn’t dare to go to the hospital to see her mom one last time; she was afraid of seeing that lifeless, cold body.

During that time, she deceived herself, thinking that as long as she didn’t see her mom’s body with her own eyes, her mom was still alive, just on a long trip far away.

In Talia’s heart, that gentle, smiling woman as bright as spring sunshine was forever alive.

After Clara left, Talia Rhodes clutched onto that ceramic doll, neither eating nor drinking, sleeping when tired, and waking to silently shed tears.

Shawn Rhodes seemed to have aged ten years overnight; the light in his eyes disappeared, his hair grayed significantly, and he no longer had the energy to care for his daughter.

Later, Shawn Rhodes was even diagnosed with depression.

Talia Rhodes once thought that Shawn Rhodes would never remarry in his lifetime. After all, he loved mom so much, how could he possibly have space in his heart for another woman?

But two years later, Shawn Rhodes brought the best friend of her mom into the house as his wife.

She went on a rampage at the time and moved to the school dormitory that very day, even spending winter and summer breaks alone in her room without speaking to them.

After two years of university, the relationship between her and Shawn Rhodes had barely smoothed over, but right after graduation, Shawn pushed her to marry into The Jennings Family, which added insult to injury to the fragile father-daughter relationship.

Shawn Rhodes was probably truly angry. In the past, he had indulged Talia, but he wouldn’t back down on this marriage matter, even suspending Talia’s funding card to force her back home.

For Talia Rhodes, the marriage issue was just the trigger, the final straw that broke the camel’s back.

The ultimate reason she ran away from home was Shawn Rhodes’ remarriage.

He had betrayed mom.

Talia also felt that Shawn, pushing her to marry right after graduation, was trying to drive her away. It was said that married daughters were like water splashed out, and The Rhodes Family no longer had a place for her.

So she left in a huff, and that departure lasted three years.

She always kept this ceramic doll with her.

This was her spiritual sustenance, the last gift from mom, her most treasured possession.

But now, it was shattered.

And with it, Talia’s heart also shattered.

...

After crying enough, Talia began to think of ways to save it.

If she could find a top restorer, there might still be hope.

She snapped a photo of the shards and posted it on her social media.

[Looking for a top restorer.]

Talia had a wide network in Oakhaven, with some relatives who were quite important figures and friends who were heirs to wealthy families, so finding a restorer shouldn’t be difficult.

Just a few minutes after posting, Adrian Jennings called.

Talia Rhodes thought he was going to recommend a restorer, so she answered the call immediately.

Adrian Jennings’ voice was urgent with concern, "Talia, are you hurt?"

Talia was momentarily stunned but quickly realized, the blood on the porcelain pieces hadn’t been cleaned up yet.

"No, it’s not my blood."

Adrian inquired further, "What happened? How did the ceramic doll that Aunt Clara gave you break?"

Talia Rhodes remained silent.

She didn’t know how to start explaining.

What surprised her more was that Adrian Jennings recognized it as the doll her mom gave her just by looking at the shards.

A moment later, the man’s voice was resolute, leaving no room for doubt, "I’m heading to the airport now. Wait for me, I’m coming to Mirehaven to see you."