Victoria's mother, however, was nothing like Shayla. She lacked that same strength.
Sometimes, Richard would catch himself wondering—if only Shayla had been a little gentler, a little softer—how different things might have been.
Perhaps because he had finally found someone willing to listen, Richard began reminiscing about the past—his tender moments with Shayla, the little habits and preferences she'd once had. Even after all these years, he still remembered them vividly.
It was clear he had loved her once. But how deep that love had truly run—no one could say.
Suddenly, Sharon asked, "Then what about Victoria's mother?"
Richard's voice faltered. He hesitated before answering, "To tell the truth… what I feel for Audrey was more gratitude than love. If she hadn't saved me back then, I would've died. She's my savior.
"Sharon, she rescued me. She stayed by my side when I had nothing—nursed me, cared for me, and never left. We were married for several years, and she bore me a child. No matter how things turned out, a child is always innocent.
"You have a child now—you must understand. As a parent, no matter the reason, you can never abandon your own blood, can you?"
Sharon said nothing.
So Richard continued, recounting the story of the fisher girl who had once changed his life.
Victoria's mother was named Audrey Patrick, a fisherwoman from a remote coastal village.
When Richard first woke after his accident, he had lost his memory and treated Audrey terribly. Yet she bore it all in silence, caring for him without a word of complaint. To pay for his medical expenses, she worked several jobs, rising before dawn and coming home long after dark.
Audrey had lost both parents as a child and grew up with her elder brother. She was the most beautiful girl in the entire village, her looks attracting the unwanted attention of many men with ill intent.


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