Tina spotted the father and daughter from afar, a sight she had once longed to see. Back when she had stayed by Magnus’s side, she had eagerly anticipated a family reunion. Regrettably, their reunion took place under such circumstances, where they met but pretended not to recognize each other, leaving Tina feeling helpless.
“Tina, you’re here! Come, have a seat,” Aurora said as she quickly got up to greet her.
Tina had always wanted to ask her a question. She had considered herself a mother to Aurora, yet had abandoned her for many years. She should have resented her, yet there was no blame, only warmth in her greeting.
“Hmm,” Tina responded, her expression still cold.
“What would you like to eat?”
Aurora handed her the menu.
Tina’s tastes had changed significantly. Aurora gave the menu back to the waiter.
“Do you like it here?”
“It’s nice.”
“When I was little, I always wanted to go to the aquarium with my parents, but we never did before mom left. Now, it’s finally happening. Although you’re not my mom, it still fulfills my wish. Look at those fish, aren’t they beautiful?”
Aurora pointed at the fish swimming in the blue water above them, smiling brightly.
The light flickered through the rippling water, casting patterns on the table and their bodies, matching Aurora’s radiant smile. Tina’s heart softened a bit.
“I’m honored to fulfill this wish for you, Miss Montgomery, Mr. Montgomery. We revised the contract again today; it should be finalized now. I’ll be heading back tomorrow,” Tina said, hinting at departure.
“No!”
Aurora tightened up at the mention of Tina leaving. She had just found Tina again and couldn’t let her leave so soon. Seeing Aurora’s strong reaction, Tina asked, “Why not?”
“It’s like this, the day you grabbed the knife from Zachary and saved me, I was so grateful, I wanted to have dinner with you,” Aurora quickly found an excuse.
“Isn’t that why we are here now?”
“This dinner is to celebrate our successful partnership with my father. Our dinner will be next time.”
“No need, it was merely a small effort on my part,” Tina said lightly.
“To you it was a small effort, but to me, it was significant. I might still be in the hospital if not for you. Plus, my grandfather is very grateful and would like to invite you to our home for a simple meal,” Aurora quickly added, hoping to bring Tina back to the places she once lived, slowly reclaiming the past feelings.
“No, I…”
Tina really didn’t want to revisit that place she loved yet resented.
Aurora took her hand, pleading playfully, “It’s just a meal, why put it off?”
“Well, alright.”
It’s hard to refuse a request from a child, even if her expression remained cold, her heart had already melted.
Aurora smiled at Magnus, having bridged a gap. Everyone at the meal had different thoughts, but Aurora was the happiest, feeling like she had returned to the past where she was the cherished little princess of her parents.
“Dad, it’s getting late, you should drive Tina back to the hotel,” Aurora tactfully created an opportunity for them.
“No need, I drove here myself,” Tina instinctively refused.
“Tina, it doesn’t make sense for you to go back alone. Let my dad drive you,” Aurora found her words effective; Tina usually agreed, perhaps out of the instinctive bond between a mother and child, and perhaps from the guilt of not being there for her over the years.
“What about you?”
Tina glanced at Aurora, who was alone.
“I’ve already called Julian; he’ll be here soon to pick me up. Dad, make sure Tina gets to the hotel safely,” Aurora said with a slight smile, pushing them towards the car.
Tina was forcibly pushed into the passenger seat, and Aurora considerately buckled her in, as if afraid she might run away.
“Aurora, let’s go,” Magnus said as he bid farewell and rolled up the car window, leaving just the two of them.
Magnus felt as nervous as a young boy in love for the first time.
“Um… would you like some more snacks for the road?”
“Thank you, I’m not hungry,” Tina replied coldly.
To alleviate the somewhat awkward atmosphere in the car, Magnus turned on the radio, and the host’s magnetic voice came through.
“Next up is… Apologize! This song is requested by a listener in a long-distance relationship, who wants to tell his beloved:
My dear, I was wrong, I have always been sorry for the past, and you have always been the only one in my heart…”
The sentimental music played, accompanied by the host’s pleasant voice, suggesting that the requester had done something wrong that made his wife leave, and now he was seeking her forgiveness in this way.
The atmosphere in the car turned subtle. Magnus clearly knew she was his wife, and their situation mirrored that of the couple in the story. Suddenly, Tina’s mocking voice sounded, “Men really are despicable creatures, not knowing how to cherish when their wife is around, and only saying such things after she leaves, how hypocritical.”
Her words sent a chill through Magnus’s heart. Tina glanced at him and continued, “Mr. Montgomery, don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about you.”
She was clearly using the story on the radio to scold Magnus indirectly, yet Magnus had to keep a smile on his face.
“Even if you were talking about me, it doesn’t matter. I am a scoundrel who has hurt the person I care about the most.”
“Mr. Montgomery, you must be joking. If they were really cared for, how could you bear to hurt them? Only those who are insignificant can be hurt,” she said with a self-deprecating laugh.
Having been with Magnus for so many years, she had never judged their relationship, nor had Magnus ever reproached her.
After more than a decade, she finally expressed her thoughts, and they both knew well what she was referring to.
“Yes, I was once blind, not protecting the person I should have protected, letting her leave heartbroken. If I could have another chance, I would never treat her that way again. I would treasure her and never let her be hurt again.”
“The interesting part of life is that there is never any room for regret. In this life, we encounter many crossroads.
Whether the chosen path is right or wrong, there is no turning back. Even if the path ahead is dark, we must go on.
All the consequences of this path must be borne by oneself, and everyone must take responsibility for their own choices,” Tina murmured, looking at the flickering lights outside.
“Why is there no room to turn around? As long as the road exists, there is still room,” Magnus insisted.
“Is that so…”
Tina did not argue further on this topic, simply closing her eyes gently. Aurora, seeing her silent, did not dare to speak either.
The car stopped in front of the hotel. Tina opened her eyes, unfastened her seatbelt, and politely thanked him, “Mr. Montgomery, thank you.”
“I’ll walk you upstairs,” Magnus offered, but Tina had already smoothly gotten out of the car.
“Mr. Montgomery, not every mistake in life can be forgiven. What’s done is done, goodbye.”
Tina withdrew her gaze and closed the car door with a flourish, leaving decisively.
Watching her departing figure, Magnus’s eyes also deepened in thought. Was there really no turning back?