What I Wish You Knew | ꪜ

Chapter Forty Eight

48. The beginning of the end.

Long chapter ahead! 3000 words, you have been warned!

Hayley's POV

Parker's grip on my hand loosened as he visibly relaxed the moment we were out of Valeri's view. He sighed, "I'm so sorry if I hurt you, I'm still having trouble containing my anger around her." He said as he halted abruptly, forcing me to stop along with him.

He raised my hand to his lips and kissed it softly, a puppy dog look in his eyes. I giggled and bit back the urge to squeeze his cheeks. "You didn't hurt me, silly. It's understandable why you reacted that way, though. I often find myself in situations like this, so don't worry, I get it."

He nodded his head and sighed in relief, "okay, good. Now come on, I wanna show you something. You remember my garden room, right?" How could I forget when it's the place you asked me to be your girlfriend? When I started school this year, I expected to have continued to keep my head down and go about my business as normal.

Sure, I'd have a few bumps in the road with Landon and Vanessa, but it would be like any other school year. However, I befriended a guy too friendly for his own good and then became his girlfriend. It's funny how life works.

He pushed the door to the room open, and once again the sight took my breath away. He converted his mother's sanctuary into such a beautiful garden to honour her memory and honestly, that's the most tear-jerking thing I've come across all year.

"Come this way," he led me down the tiled path leading towards a set of white glass double doors and when we arrived he pushed them open and a gust of cold wind swept across my face, brushing back my hair behind my ears.

Parker dragged me into the balcony then motioned forward, "look down," though I was confused, I still obliged and peered down from the balcony. "Wha-wow," I gasped in astonishment as my eyes assessed the white rose garden.

It looked pretty much like inside but it was the added features that amazed me. A round tiled pound sat at the center of the garden, surrounded by the white and red roses that sprouted up from the ground. Sat right beside the pond was a brown bench, the handlebars carved to look like roses themselves.

I looked up and caught the eye of the warm glowing crescent moon that bathed the garden in its bright showers. As if the moon were looking directly at me, my chest warmed and I had the urge to cry from how peaceful and beautiful this place was.

Parker really made it his own.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I turned towards him, only to find his eyes focused on me, "it is, yeah." He smiled and leaned his arms on the balcony, "your mom would have loved it, I'm sure." He bobbed his head up and down for a few silent moments before sighing, "I'm gonna show it to my dad.

He deserves to see it as much as I do. After he told me everything that really happened between him, my mom and Valeri I don't have it within me to hate him anymore. It was both their fault that I had a rough upbringing. They were both equally in the wrong. I realized that it wouldn't be fair to hate my dad and not my mom as well.

She's dead, what use would it be to hate her now? She did what she thought was right, and he did the same but out of spite. I've finally forgiven my dad, crazy huh? I tried to do the same for Valeri because at the end of the day she got hurt too, I can't villanize her alone. But she won't give in because she's a conniving woman by blood.

So what you witnessed is Valeri continuing to put on this facade that she loves me, when she doesn't. I'm okay though, no one can replace my mom. I-I forgave Jingyi, my dad, Valeri and I have you. This is hands down the best year I've had since my mom was alive. I still have a lot to work on but in hindsight, I'm doing great."