Chapter 190

By the rocky shoreline, Kimberly Hale stood quietly as the sea breeze tugged at her clothes. More than twenty years had passed—where in the world was her daughter? She had poured everything into the search—money, time, energy. Been scammed more times than she could count. Every time she'd get her hopes up, only for them to be shattered. "Mom!" Julian rushed over, gently pulling her away from the edge. "Why are you standing here? It's not safe." Kimberly glanced at him and gave a soft smile. "You thought I was gonna jump, didn't you?" At over fifty, the natural lines on her face didn't make her look worn—on the contrary, there was a warmth, a calmness to her, like the sea on a quiet day. "N-No, of course not..." Julian fumbled, clearly scared of upsetting her further. "Mom, don't do anything crazy, okay? We're just here for Uncle Reuben's daughter's wedding," Nicholas let out a breath, relieved. "I'm not doing anything crazy," Kimberly said with a hint of sadness. "I just... haven't fou