Chapter 20

"And here we are," Cindy said in front of the door. "Mom's inside. She's been locking herself up for the past week. I hope you can tell her to stop being so depressed since you're her favorite daughter, after all."

"A whole week?" Winter frowned. "Has she been eating properly at least?"

Cindy shook her head sadly. "She barely eats anything. She said she has no appetite…" 

Cindy hesitated to disclose the real reason behind Gina's current mood. She glanced at Winter, who seemed distressed by the information.

"You know the reason, right?" Cindy asked. "I tried telling her that you're not abandoning us. But old people are very sensitive. Mom's hurt because you didn't invite her to the wedding." 

…

Winter bit her lower lip. 

Of course, she knew the reason and understood how much her mother liked her. So it must be a big blow for Gina because her daughter didn't even want her to attend the wedding. 

"She needs to eat…" Winter murmured. She turned to Cindy and asked, "Cindy, can you make a bowl of soft food? Porridge or soup would be fine. Mom must eat something easy to digest before eating solid food."

"I'll whip up some instant porridge. It'll only take five minutes," Cindy said before she went to the kitchen, leaving Winter standing in her mother's bedroom.

Winter took a deep breath. In her previous life, she had never visited her mother after her wedding reception with Sebastian because Camilla intimidated her. 

On top of that, neither Cindy nor Gina accepted her phone calls, so she was left wondering what truly happened to her mother and sister even until the end of her life on that penthouse's balcony. 

Thus, after gathering enough courage, she pushed the door open, and her heart ached when she saw Gina sitting on a small chair, staring gloomily out the window. 

Her mother usually wore a big smile on her face. She was already in her mid 70s but still active, chatty, and pranced around the house. Gina even cooked Winter's favorite meal whenever she came for a visit. 

But now… Winter saw her mother had lost a lot of weight, and she no longer had that smile on her beautiful face. 

Winter approached her slowly and gently tapped her mother's shoulder to avoid startling her. "Mom, I'm here," she said softly.

Gina slowly turned her head, staring at Winter for a few more seconds before responding dejectedly, "Why are you here, Winter?"

"I came for a visit. It's been a while, Mom," Winter replied. She tried to keep it casual so Gina would be back in high spirits, but she also couldn't help but wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes. She smiled kindly at her mother and added, "You're getting thinner, Mom. Why don't you eat more?'

Gina paused for a while before she returned her gaze to the window. "I have no appetite."

"Why?"

"Because I've been abandoned by my daughter…"

"Mom, please don't say that…" Winter knelt next to the chair. She placed her hand on top of Gina's and tried to coax her mother. "I'm sorry I didn't invite you to the wedding. But I'm so powerless because my new mother-in-law is the one setting up everything. I can't even invite Cindy."

Gina didn't seem to listen to Winter's explanation, and her thoughts derailed as she started to reminisce.

"I still remember when I found you on my doorstep as a baby. You were small and delicate, and your skin blended with the snow around you," Gina said, looking up, recalling the good old days. "I found you in the middle of a cold winter night, so I named you Winter."

Gina chuckled as she recalled a funny image and continued, "Do you remember our weekend walks to Central Park? I remember how much I hated going there, but you love going to the park."

"I hated it because people were looking at us with scrutiny and pity. Because they thought that I was an irresponsible single mother, even my families thought that I got pregnant by a random man," Gina smiled while retelling their lives as mother and daughter.

She faced much bitter discrimination when she raised Winter. But she toughened it up, knowing that Winter was very attached to her as a child. "I turned down a few men who came into my life because they refused to accept you as their own daughter, and I couldn't bear the thought of us being separated."

"I raised you as a single mother and saved money so you could go to university to change your life," Gina added. 

"Mom, please, stop it…" Winter begged. She didn't know if her Mom was just recalling the good times back then or if she was trying to guilt-trip Winter. 

Nevertheless, it worked damn well because Winter couldn't hold back her tears. 

"You're a grown woman now. You're gorgeous and wealthy. I know you're admired by many men out there, and you married another wonderful young man who could give you everything. So maybe you don't need me anymore…" Gina turned her head to stare at her daughter again. "But I need you, Winter…"

…

Winter didn't say a thing. She simply stared at her mother with a pleading gaze. They stayed like this before Cindy broke the silence by storming inside the room.

"Here's a bowl of porridge—did I come at the wrong time?"

"No, you came at the right time, Cindy. Give me that bowl," Winter replied while wiping her tears. 

Cindy handed the bowl of warm porridge topped with shredded chicken to her sister and said, "I'll wait outside, okay? You should eat, Mom. Winter's here for you…"

Cindy's last sentence contained a trace of sadness, but she quickly turned around and left to give space for Winter and Gina.

Winter dragged a stool next to Gina's chair and stirred the porridge gently as she tried to talk to her mother. "Mom, I never meant to abandon you. It was all a misunderstanding."

"Why then did you not contact me for two weeks before your marriage? Why didn't you invite me there?" Gina asked. "Are you ashamed to have a poor woman like me at your wedding? Are you scared they'll know you were raised by a single mother?"