Derek's POV
If this statement were spoken by someone else, it might seem a bit heartless, but for a heartless mother who once threw a three-year-old child from upstairs, it was all too typical.
She didn't even care about her own child, let alone other people's children.
From a certain perspective, Andrea and Ambrose were the same kind of people.
They were both extreme egoists. In their world, there was no existence of others except for love.
Andrea elegantly brushed a strand of hair away from her ear.
"She's been coming around here since two years ago, sometimes to keep me company, sometimes to give me a leg massage. I didn't stop her because I saw she was bored."
I said helplessly, "I think it was because you were bored."
My mom was never known for being the epitome of a virtuous wife and mother. Instead, she was more like an antagonist straight out of a story.
In order to make Ambrose change his mind, she did a lot of things that hurt his crush back then.
In the end, she pushed Ambrose away so much that their relationship broke down completely, beyond any hope of repair.
She spent a long time reflecting on her past behavior, realizing how absurd it was to have caused herself so much pain over a man.
"I was pretty bored, but who can refuse entertainment that comes knocking on the door?" Andrea smiled.
That smile was like the bright moon emerging from behind the clouds, suddenly illuminating everything.
I looked blankly. Over the years, I had never seen Andrea's smile.
Once upon a time, all I wished for was for my mom to give me a smile.
When I was a child, she always wore a cold expression or stared at me with a hatred that chilled me to the bone.
"You really seem to have figured things out."
"Derek, can you forgive me?" Andrea reached out her hand to me.
Without the fear I had in my childhood, her presence seemed softer, almost gentle.
But I didn't reach out. I hadn't forgotten what she had done to me when I was a kid.
Andrea sighed, "Anyway, I knew you wouldn't forgive me so easily. I can give you time."
"So, you're not against me and Tabitha?" Throughout this walk, what I cared about the most was my mother's attitude.
Who in the world didn't want their parents to sincerely bless them?
"Why would I be against it? With the Black Thorn Pack and the Thunder Pack where they are now, do you really think I'd care about the status of your Luna? It wouldn't bother me even if she's a rogue who scavenges for a living. As long as your love is real, that's what truly counts."
"Thank you for your blessing." The weight in my heart finally lifted.
Andrea patted my shoulder, "Has he contacted you over the years?" The "he" in this context was naturally Ambrose.
I shook my head. "No, not really. I might bump into him at some events, but I've always managed to avoid him."
I would never forget when I was just three years old. I was so excited to see him, but when the other kids covered me in cake, he looked at me like I was the dirtiest thing he'd ever seen and told me to get out of his sight.
I would never forgive that man in this lifetime. Not being his enemy was my greatest tolerance.
"There is no need to keep such a person in mind."
"And what about you? Have you really gotten over him completely?" I asked in return.
Andrea gently touched her chest. "I suppose I've gotten over him. At least when his name comes up, it doesn't hurt here anymore."
"That would be best so that you could let go and suffer less."
Andrea stared at me. "I can let go, but what about you? Don't think I haven't noticed something's off between you and that girl. Back in the country, you had quite a fuss with that girl from the Amber's Eye Pack. The way she looked at you was neither love nor hate. It doesn't make any sense."
I didn't expect my mom to notice something was wrong so quickly.
"What did you know?"
Andrea absentmindedly played with her nails and calmly said, "I heard that recently, Poison and Wolf Shadow was taken down in one swoop, causing them to lose a lot of drugs and information. Among them, there was a potion that Madam Rose had been working on for over a decade. Once consumed, it would wipe out all of a person's memories."
I was silently wondering how much Andrea really knew.
I looked at Andrea and said calmly, "What do you want to say?"
Andrea squinted her eyes slightly. "I'm just reminding you that once certain things are done, there's no turning back."