Like something had broken.
“Useless,” she thought more than once.
Because what else made sense?
Why would a man return like this… unless he had failed?
Unless he had nothing left?
So she kept her distance.
Watched him struggle.
Watched him pretend everything was normal.
Until one day—
Everything shifted.
She hadn’t meant to hear it.
She was just walking past his room when his voice stopped her.
Lower than usual.
Fragile.
“Yes… I understand,” he said softly. “If I go through with the surgery, the chances aren’t good… and the cost is too high.”
She froze.
“I’m not asking for anything,” he continued. “Just… a little more time.”
Her heart started racing.
Surgery.
Low chances.
Time.
Her father…
Was dying.
The thought hit her all at once, knocking the air from her lungs.
The anger she had carried for years twisted into something else.
Something heavy.
Something painful.
Why didn’t he tell us?
Why didn’t he trust us?
Why did he choose to face it alone?
That night, he made stewed fish.
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