Chapter 156

"I always thought you went with your mom, thought she’d find someone else to give you two a better life, thought at least you’d be happy. Never in a million years did I expect you’d end up on your own. I’m not saying this to excuse myself. I was wrong—so, so wrong. I betrayed my first wife, I failed Forrest, I hurt Emma Woods, and worst of all, I abandoned you and your sister. I’ve got no way to make any of this right. Even if I died a hundred times, it wouldn’t be enough to atone. But I’ll keep living—I’ll do everything I can to take responsibility for the mess I caused." Gerald White's voice cracked, every word weighing heavy like a boulder crushing his chest. His son resented him, and honestly, he got it. He’d made the choice back then—to create a ‘complete’ family for Forrest, he gave up on Emma and the girls. And look how that ended—his marriage still collapsed, he hurt Murong Ying, and Forrest too. If he’d seen back then that he couldn’t have it both ways, maybe he would’ve chose