A busy Monday in the summer of August. The world struggled to get through the hot sunrays and escape the heat. The few birds to be seen in the city jumped from one puddle to another, looking for the few drops of water available in them. Almost 12:00 pm, and the high schoolers were rushing to catch up with their classmates from different sections to grab snacks at their favorite spots while gossiping. Amidst them is Tannie, the silent and reserved girl who seems to enjoy the stories of her beloved friends while avoiding talking much about herself. "Are you coming to the party tonight?" someone from the group asked, not really expecting a positive response. And Tannie, as always, nodded her head from side to side with her usual response, "got some stuff to do." Her friends didn't try to force her, already understanding her reaction. Meanwhile, as they were trying to go back to their class, a black car came by the cafe where Tannie and her friends were sitting. Without delaying, Tannie grabbed her school bag and jumped into the car. The car drove off while Tannie's friends watched it eventually vanish in front of their eyes. Her friends were worried but not surprised as it became a normal sight for them since they were in middle school. "She is again at it, isn't she?" Tannie asked. The chauffeur felt uncomfortable answering the question. Tannie didn't ask twice and leaned back on the car seat, letting out a big sigh.
The car stopped in front of a huge mansion with fountains and a garden. It dropped her in front of the main entrance of the mansion and went away. Tannie entered through the door and crashed her school bag onto the couch. She ran upstairs while mumbling, "What is wrong again!? Didn't she take her medicines? Who the fuck was in charge today?!" Tannie opened the door, and in front of her was a huge mess! A group of house helpers stood in agony on the door of a room, helplessly. As Tannie walked through them, she found everything inside the room shattered as if it had been hit by a storm. And amidst this whole mess sat a woman, pale-skinned, in a white satin gown, and a stream of blood flowing through her left wrist... Tannie paused for a brief moment in utter disbelief, seeing the condition of that woman. At once, she ran towards her while shouting at the helpers for immediate action. The workers rushed into the room. "Mom!" Tannie screamed again. The woman fainted in her arms as she tried to help her up. She was rushed to the hospital immediately.
Tannie's father was immediately informed.
"Name?" the new nurse at the reception asked. "Tyler Williams," a well-built man in his late 30s, replied. "What's your relation with the patient?" she asked again. "I am her husband," he calmly replied. "She is admitted to the private room. You may go and see her. Please do not disturb her rest," saying this, the nurse showed him the way. As the nurse returned to her reception, the Head nurse, who was passing through and witnessed the conversation, was already waiting for her. " Aren't you aware of who he is?" she yelled at the poor new nurse's naivety.
The man immediately rushed to see his wife. He opened the door and saw Tannie sitting beside her mother. Poor Tannie looked at him with her eyes like two pools of deep water. Tears started to roll down her cheeks as the helpless child ran toward her father. She hugged him tight and started weeping until her eyes couldn't produce any more tears. "Why was I born, Dad? It would have been better if you hadn't married Mom because of me. It was all my fault! I wish I could just vanish! Mom regrets me... Mom regrets us!!", Tannie spoke breathlessly while hugging her father. Her dad was the only person she expresses herself to without any filter, and seeing him makes her really vulnerable. Tyler gently wiped away Tannie's tears with the cotton handkerchief he carried in the back pocket of his pants. He sat Tannie on the chair beside him and said as he caressed her hair, "No, darling, Mom loves you. We love you. She just needs some rest for now. She will be fine once she sleeps well, okay? Now don't worry and go home with Han. Don't forget to do your homework, okay?" Tannie nodded and left the room quietly as Tyler watched her leave with a vague smile on his face. He walked towards his unconscious wife lying on the hospital bed. He felt a chill as the bandaged wrist of hers caught his eye. He stopped right beside her bed and sat on his knees. He gently held her hand full of scars from previous failed attempts and kissed it. Tears started rolling down his face as he looked at his pale and thin wife. "Nora," he spoke with a gentle voice. "Please....please let's stop now. Okay? Please...please....I beg you. Think of Tannie for once...she is our only daughter!" His voice started to crack as he continued to weep, "It's been more than 18 years! Why can't you forget him? I have been asking for your forgiveness each and every day since that day...can't you even consider it for once! Forget about me....Our Tannie! That poor soul is your own flesh and blood; she is innocent...! Can you stop being so harsh on her just for one day!?" Tannie leaned on the wall outside the room with tears dripping down her face as she listened to her father begging her mother inside. Nora gently lifted her eyelids, trying to differentiate reality from hallucination. She heard her husband's every word, but there was no reaction on her face. Tears rolled down the corner of her face without a word coming out of her mouth. She got her hand released from Tyler's light grip and turned away from her husband without uttering a word. Tyler felt helpless as he could do nothing but accept his cursed fate. Nora slept with her body faced towards the window, looking into the zero. She was just breathing; no desire, no hope, nothing. She was desperately waiting for her days to end and break free from the bonds of the universe. She lived her whole life with regrets. With every breath she took since birth, all she had collected were not sweet or bitter memories but a bunch of regrets. Her life had only been miserable as far as she could remember. Nora had Tannie when she was barely 20, but there were almost no memories of them together in her mind. She didn't have any hatred for anyone in her heart except for her own husband. Sometimes she would recall her first day of high school when they first met. She cheerfully befriended him, and they became good buddies who clicked right away. Their classmates would often ship them together for fun. But looking at the time now, she would often wonder if there even existed such times in her past... She often has sleepless nights remembering the Friday night 19 years ago. That night had been the biggest regret of her life and made her into what she was then. She was left with nothing but enormous hatred for her husband and her life!...