309 Forever Grateful (2/2)

Senior Liu sighed and asked for a glass of wine.

After a few more minutes, he looked at his wristwatch. ”It's almost time…” he murmured before the door opened. The same waitress entered the room, and this time, Sheila was behind her.

”This way, Ma'am,” said the waitress as she led her to her seat.

Senior Liu automatically stood up and sat back down when Sheila was already seated.

”I'm really sorry to take your time, Sheila… But I would like to personally apologize for the things that had happened in the past. It was all my fault. If I had not told mother your location at that time, nothing like that would have happened,” Senior Liu said in a shaky voice.

Sheila sighed and reached to hold his hand that was on the table.

”Even if you hadn't told your mother, things would have not been easier… We led a difficult life at that time, having to hide all our lives. I believe things happened because they were bound to happen. It's just fate… I would also like to apologize for hiding Zach from your family. I was just too scared. I knew your mother would have tried her best to take him away from me. So feigning my death was the only choice I had...” explained Sheila.

Then she added, ”We can't go back to the past and change the beginning, but we can always start where we are now and change the ending. So please, let go of the past, Thom… Charles won't be happy to know that you haven't been able to move on. Because even though you're good at hiding it, I can feel that you are still trapped in the past, Thom.”

At that moment, Thom failed to suppress his tears from falling from his eyes. He started to sob, while Sheila comforted him with a hug and gentle pats on his back. Thom was someone who had been very close to her, and she knew him so well. He had been suffering all these years…

”Your nephew grew up very well… Like your brother, he is a fighter…. See how he managed to excel despite all the hardships. You saved him, Thom. Charles is surely grateful to you wherever he is now for saving his son… Like how I have always been grateful because you gave my son a chance to live… Charles and I will forever be indebted to you, Thom...” Sheila stressed, as she also began to cry.

After the heart-to-heart talk and as soon as they regained their composure, Thom and Sheila talked about their children. About Zach and Jeru…

Thom opened up to Sheila about her mother's plea for a chance to get to know Zach more and to give him his rights as a Liu.

Sheila was not surprised. She had already expected this from the moment she witnessed how tender and loving the old madam was toward Zach on the day of his wedding.

”It's out of my hands, Thom. Zach decides everything concerning his life on his own now, and I don't meddle in his affairs… The only thing that I could do is relay your request to him…” answered Sheila.

Then she added, ”All I can say is, your mother should show her sincerity to him… My son is an easy man to deal with if he sees that a person's heart is true… ”

”I understand. I will tell mom about it… I will also meet Zach soon... I'm really glad that you and Zach are alive, Sheila…” Thom genuinely stated.

It was, indeed, a small world. Who would have thought both Zach and Jeru, who had been in the military for so long together, were related…

'Everything is really connected and meant to happen,' he mused.