Chapter 156
156.Chapter 156
Jennifer continued, “Then I said, ‘Dad, Mom, I’m going to the restroom Evelyn and Philip didn’t care. Honestly if I went missing, they probably wouldn’t even notice.
“I watched them argue, and I didn’t know what I was thinking. I walked alone to the edge of the cliff, thinking that if I jumped, my family might finally be happy. My face hurt so much, my body was exhausted”
Jennifer wiped away a tear and continued, “I overestimated myself I was just a kick then I got scared I couldn’t jump I wanted to leave, but maybe the heavens had other plans for me. The rock I was standing on suddenly gave way, and I fell
“I thought I was going to die. When I opened my eyes, I found myself hanging from a tree. It was raining, and I was freezing My clothes were soaked through. I cried out for Mom, yelling. ‘Morr, save met
“I screamed until my throat went hoarse, completely drained of strength. I waited for them–Philip and Evelyn–for a whole day and night at the bottom of the mountain. Not one of them came looking for me”
Hearing that, Teresa’s eyes filled with tears. As a mollier now, she could finally understand Jennifer–the poor, helpless little girl she used to be.
“And then how did you get rescued, Hannah? Teresa asked, her voice cracking
Jennifer said with a bitter smile, “Maybe I hadn’t endured all the suffering I was meant to in this life, and the heavens decided to let me stay and suffer a little longer. I really thought I was going to die.
“I was cold and hungry, and images of our family flashed through my mind. I remembered how Grandpa and Grandma visited last month, and Grandma hugged me, saying, ‘Hannah is turning five soon. We must celebrate properly
“I thought, “I won’t even make it to five. I started crying harder. To this day, I’ve never cried that loudly again. Since I was three, I’d been unusually mature for my age. I learned to watch my parents‘ moods, afraid to upset them.
“Whenever family or friends visited, I’d be cautious, fearing a single wrong word would anger them. Everyone praised me for being understanding and well–behaved– a good kid. But that was the first time I cried out loud without caring about anyone else’s feelings.
“My cries caught the attention of a kind woman. I’m forever grateful to her. She was a teacher called Ms. Nelson. She was finding something that could stop bleeding because one of her students was injured.
“She rushed over, carefully brought me down from the tree, and took me back to her place. She cleaned my face with warm water and asked for my name. I shook my head because I had given up on Philip and Evelyn.
“I was terrified of going back to that horrible home, so I lied and said I had no parents. The sympathy and concern in her eyes gave me a glimmer of warmth. She told me her name was Genevieve, and I could call her Ms. Nelson.
“She took me to an elementary school in a small town. I found out that the school was for girls–those left behind in the mountains. She had been doing voluntary teaching in the small town and wanted to help the girls, so she set up the school
“Many of them were orphans. All the girls took Ms. Nelson’s last name. When Ms. Nelson asked me what I wished for said, ‘I want to restore my life and make things right.
“She replied, “Then you’ll be called Jennifer from now on. I’ll never forget that moment. I had a new name, Jennifer. It felt like I could truly leave the past behind and start fresh with a new identity p>
Jennifer choked up again as she spoke.
“For a while, I fantasized that Philip and Evelyn might come looking for me, that they’d take me home. But they never did. I gradually adapted to the tough life in the small town–reading, writing, cooking. Ms. Nelson taught us everything
“She often told us girls, Study hard, get a good education, and don’t rely on men. Don’t marry young
“Only later did I learn that Ms. Nelson had been deeply hurt by a man. She had lost all faith in love and came to teach in the small town to heal and escape her past. She never expected to find so many left–behind girls. She dedicated her life to teaching them
“I grew up, eventually turning 18 and getting into medical university. I worked part–time to pay for my tuition and relied on scholarships to get by. When it came to choosing a career, I thought long and hard about it.
I
“Should I start my own business or choose a stable job? But I didn’t have a safety net–no connections, no resources The risk of failure was too high. So, I gave up on the idea and chose a stable path instead.
“But I longed for money and recognition. I knew doctore had kink enzialeratus and good pay. I didn’t mind the hard work if it meant I could move up to become a departm Successfully unlocked!
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Jennifer smiled gently and continued, “After becumy a oca, the maing I did with the 15,000 dollars I saved was send it to Ms. Nelson and visit her. She refused to accept the money, saying she was happy just to see us doing well
“I’m deeply influenced by Ms. Nelson. She’s my guiding light. She’s the reason I never believed in love. I’ve seen the pain Evelyn and Philip’s marriage caused. That’s why I’ve never been in a relationship even though I’m already 28
156 Chapter 156
“When I was in university. I’d rejected every man who tried to pursue me, focusing on my
my camer instead I couldn’t let love distract me from my goals. And I don’t believe a man could give me the happiness and life I want.
Jennifer paused and looked at Teresa with a pained expression. She continued, “I originally wasn’t planning to return to Nareigh. I was going to join a university friend to work in Shaville
“He reached out to me several times, but I said I wanted to go back to Nareigh once more. I was thinking of returning to Nareigh to see you, to check on Grandpa and Grandma, to see how everyone is doing
“Knowing that Evelyn remarried and had another daughter, I watched her from afarne day, holding her little girl in her arms. Tears streamed down my face. After so many years, she must have already forgotten about me, her daughter”
Teresa suddenly remembered something and continued, “She called me earlier this year, after drinking a lot. She said she saw you and wasn’t sure if she was mistaken. I scolded her, saying, ‘Hannah has been dead for many years. How could you possibly have seen her p>
Jennifer curved her lips into a faint smile and nodded, admitting it was her.
She said, “She held my hand, tearfully calling me Hannah, asking if I was Hannah. Thankfully, I reacted quickly, shook her off, and told her she had mistaken me for someone else.
“When I got home, I drank a lot too, I thought… I thought she wouldn’t remember me anymore. I never expected her to call my name. At that moment, I was a little surprised. ”
Teresa added, “How could a mother ever forget her child’s name? Besides, in her heart, your image probably hasn’t changed much from when you were a child p>
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167 Chapter 109