Second Chances: A Price to Pay

e don't go! I'

essa Shaw, not Emilia. The Emilia you're ta

iting for you all these years, sufferi

lost you. But from now on, your mother and I

lung cancer diagnosis, watching the h

name was Emily Shaw that I re

ack. So? What did

the moment she saw me standing there, h

st a cold, it'll go

hind my back, just as I carefull

tood I was nothing mo

uh? Mom, you really kn

berate meaning, as if to remind me that my exi

l daughter of t

nstead of bringing them wealth, I

alk to Gavin about calling off the wedding? After all, the

was calm, firm, an

a trace o

ref

iagnosis tightly

everything, but n

rt, bit by bit. There was no way

erything that belongs t

y quickly let go of my hand and clung

ation to the orphanage yet. You're a smart

y to me, the warmth in his eyes gradua

e of kindness, ju

o him. But whether he agre

ave

t the orphana

l dozens of kid

you,

s at the corners of her mouth

ily, I returned to the apa

gement, I had insisted

er my endless pleading and pe

ark; Gavin was

sat quietly on the sofa, star

it would be excruciating and that my c

e had just begun, and now it

out letting Emily have Gavin. Maybe t

, would he rea

y eager to wit

ht had already fallen, and the c

hing w

, then at my serious expression, bef

is back. My mom wants me

ned, making it

ore wordlessly placing a car

ng. It'd be

nt waves crashing through my

e loved me, but because it wou

, I'm allerg

llness, but my tone lacked i

milk back in the fridge, and walked stra

bed with my back to h

my waist, and his chin rested g

of apologizing for not k

kissed the tip of his nose, and

comfort. But only w

fusal to call off the wedding, he threat

the urge to punch him

, my voice shaking, my hands clenched so tightly that my

Emilia. Those kids are t

enough, clung to my father's arm,

it a good deed for

head, as if he truly coul

ured a thank-you to Emily, a

away, I was severing ties. There

bright today. I opened the window and absentmindedl

ed wanting to keep a plant by the window, some

ome from work, carefully car

ift he ever gave me. I was so happy I made t

d a full table of Gav

way, a thought crept into my min

ve many min

ought settled,

ide were Gavi

o Gavin's arm. They l

t mind me being w

what

rnoon at the amusement park, the

Lou plush in her hands, her pride pr

to go to an amusement park with me.

pending an entire after

she was the rea

meone who cared abo

wanted to kn

ve already eaten, I'll ju

izziness crashed over me, n

m before I started vomiting, my

down my face

I love succulents!

them. I'll pick out a few more for

ily from taking my plants. But the di

ren't you che

letting her t

't want me. And now.

ely make out the sound of them leavi

ome home until

azzling cityscape through the floor-to-ceiling window.

hadows, watching the vibrant world fr

ill

aiting f

d that was when I noticed it-a f

shot through my lungs. But compared t

u like

inking I'd be angry, devastated, maybe even hy

ike my heart had alre

And that silence hurt

our wedding? That way, you ca

came back, so I was just showin

lked toward the bedroom, clear

frie

re if he heard me. Not that it mat

nothing more than a stand-in. In the Shaw fa

came home drunk, mumbling

rambling. That deep down, despite how dis

h I begged him to say "I lov

but now I knew those word

inside m

m. But what was the point?

told me he was going

his luggage and drov

ou coming with

h him. Gavin didn't pull away, he

ahead. Have

roat felt tight, like it was clogged w

urself. You don'

d through Gavin's eyes, but

ka

he would feel when he ca

so full of life, could really

sea, if I had to die, at leas

I gathered up a

e day and casually taking my thing

ght disg

e he never let me enter. He even in

s birthday. The door clicked o

oto of him and Emily, proba

r, I found h

, it's exhausting. I've told her a million time

ith her hair all soaked, she looked so

ks... she reminds me of Emily. If on

mily loved succulents, so I got her some. When I ga

ng. I don't care about all that 'real daughter' or 'f

out, that childhood engagement was supposed to be between me and her. If it weren'

Emilia looked sick today-she was throwing up in the bathroom for ages. I wanted to check on her,

nausea rising in my throat. I hated

d Emily. I won't anymore. And, don't bo

ords on the first p

where it was and left my m

e orphanage one last time. I grab

s where I first

business trip, so they left him at

hey came to

in. He pulled me to my feet, took my hand, and said, "Fr

rranged engagement, made me, an abandone

friend. After we got engaged,

arm his heart. And now, I was

s ever. I spent the afternoon with them,

anything. I was sti