After the Last Tear: Rising from the Ashes of a Broken Marriage novel Chapter 53

My mother came to meet me at the airport, resplendent in a red dress. She looked as vivacious as ever, though time had left subtle traces I couldn't ignore.

She enveloped me in a warm embrace, murmuring that I'd been through enough. Her arms felt like home, despite our years apart.

Though I'd left abruptly years ago, I'd never completely severed ties with her.

She knew the whole Luke saga, every painful detail. She'd warned me from the start that we were incompatible, that he wasn't right for me.

I'd dismissed her concerns then, but now her prescience was undeniable.

During the drive home, she updated me on all the neighborhood changes. Everything felt simultaneously foreign and familiar. I'd heard most of it during our calls, but I listened anyway, finding comfort in her familiar chatter.

When I powered up my phone, it exploded with notifications. I silenced it without answering a single one.

Catching my mother's questioning glance, I dismissed it as "Just spam calls." She gave me a knowing look but didn't press further.

The impending wedding threw me into a whirlwind of preparations. Suddenly, I found myself being whisked away to bridal fittings – an experience I'd been dreading.

Staring at my reflection, I felt oddly disconnected, as if watching a stranger.

My mother, ever the peacemaker, jumped in. "Why don't we get a photo of you two together? For memories?"

Gavin sought my approval with a glance, and I nodded, too numb to object.

My mother, social media enthusiast that she is, immediately posted the photo with an effusive caption.

【My daughter looks so beautiful! /Picture/】