Annie found herself at a loss for words when asked about her rtionship with Henry.


    What were they, exactly? Without a marriage certificate, they weren''t officially boyfriend and girlfriend anymore. Their rtionship was kept in the shadows.


    Annie squirmed in difort, but Kate, sensing her unease, said, "You don''t have to say anything. Ever since Henry got out of the hospital, I hadn''t seen him smile. Buttely, whenever I dropped by the office, he''s seemed so much happier and more talkative. I knew it had to do with you."


    Annie didn''t know how to respond and just listened as Kate continued.


    "Henry''s always been shy, talking to him is like pulling teeth. His peers never seemed to be on the same wavelength as him, and he struggled to make genuine friends. By twenty, he acted with the poise and gravity of a man twice his age. I tried setting him up with countless women, but none of them clicked - until you came along..."


    Kate locked eyes with Annie and said, "I used to think he was passionless, but after he met you, everything changed. He started to show his emotions: joy, anger, sorrow. The image of him in that chapel, hurting himself... I''ll never forget it. You''re the person he would protect with his life."


    Annie understood what Kate was implying - no mother wants her son to be reckless for someone else.


    Annie pulled the car over by the riverside, fell silent for a moment, then looked earnestly at Kate and said, "Aunt Kate, I love him, I can''t help it, but I promise you, I won''t step foot in the Salstrom household again. If he falls in love with someone else, wants to marry someone else, I won''t stand in the way. I''ll bow out gracefully."


    Kate shook her head, "A woman who can earn a man''s undying care is envied by many. As a mother, I''m proud of my son''s loyalty. As for Granny Anita''s interference, maybe it was fate. Lately, I''ve been thinking, if Granny Anita hadn''t meddled with me and Feiman, he wouldn''t have had an affair, and we wouldn''t be where we are today."


    "Aunt Kate..." Annie sensed Kate''s bitterness towards Granny Anita.


    Kate looked weary as she spoke, "Since time immemorial, it''s been women who make it hard for other women. I don''t want history to repeat itself. I just want my son to be happy."


    Stunned, Annie asked, "Aunt Kate, you mean you approve of me and Henry being together?"


    Kate replied, "Whether we approve or not won''t change Henry''s decision. He''s my son, and how could I make things hard for him? Annie, love freely. As a woman, that''s living a life without regrets."


    Kate was a romantic at heart and had her own regrets. She once believed Feiman would be devoted to her, but reality had proven otherwise.


    "Thank you, Aunt Kate," Annie said, gripping Kate''s hand. "Can''t you and Uncle... reconcile?"


    Even though she was no longer part of the Salstrom n, Annie still knew a bit about Kate and Feiman''s recent situation.


    Kate shook her head, her voiceden with emotion, "Annie, external wounds can heal, but when there''s a rift between two hearts, it''s irrevocable. I spent over thirty years as Feiman''s wife, trying to forget, but when I saw him arranging Joseph''s wedding, knowing he had more than just a drunken night with Tina, learning of Tina''s suicide from depression... there was no turning back."


    Kate couldn''t ept that another woman had taken her life over Feiman.


    Holding Annie''s hand tightly, Kate said, "Talking to you has lightened my heart. Tomorrow morning, I''ll be off to Ennd for a while, to clear my head. I''m leaving Henry in your care."


    Annie asked, "Do Flynn and Henry know?"


    "Boys can be so careless, they never get personal. My biggest regret is not having a daughter." Kate chuckled sadly, "Annie, call me ''Mom'' just once more." Annie murmured softly, "...Mom."


    "There," Kate smiled, slipping a diamond bracelet off her wrist and onto Annie''s, "This is a Salstrom family heirloom, meant for the daughter-inw. Keep it."


    This was Kate''s way of acknowledging Annie as part of the family.


    Annie epted it, knowing Kate''s greatest concern was her sons'' happiness.


    It was apparent that Kate had been hesitant to leave, but after meeting with Annie, she''d made up her mind to go to Ennd.


    Because Kate no longer had to worry about Henry''s happiness.


    After parting ways with Kate, Annie still called Henry to tell him about his mother''s ns to visit Ennd.


    Henry pondered for a moment on the phone before saying, "Mom leaving might not be a bad thing. It''s good for her to get out and about. You can''t cling to one tree for life." Annie was silent, thinking, "What kind of son wants his parents to split up?"


    "On matters of the heart, like drinking water, only the person knows whether it''s cold or warm. Outsiders shouldn''t interfere."