Chapter 174:.

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“We don’t need to dwell on the past. I appreciate what I have suffered, it has made me stronger. So all of this belongs to you, Not me!”

Ashley was still trying to say, “Sherry…”

Sherry shook her head, “Thank you so much! I’m satisfied with what I have now. Happiness cannot be measured by money; more money cannot bring more happiness. My mother had no fun in her life. At first, I think she could be happier after marrying your father. But it seems that is not what I think. Now, they both left the world; it doesn’t matter who is right. Anyway, Ashley, take courage.”

She knew Ashley was the last of her family in the world. Ashley was only twenty-two years old; how could she still be running such a large company? But she also understood that humans were always capable of being powerful in hardship; Ashley would definitely make it.

“Sherry, money doesn’t mean much to me either. You’re the last of our family; I’d just like to provide for you. Without Dad and Sierra, you’re the only one for me.”

Ashley would hate to lose her older sister Sherry. That’s why she decided to give shares of the company to Sherry.

“You have Leon – he’s a really nice guy!” said Sherry.

Ashley shook her head to say, “No! We broke up a long time ago.”

Then she drank some coffee in a hurry, but it brought on a cough and was soon followed by a nauseous, “I’m sorry…”

Ashley covered her mouth to run to the bathroom. Sherry stopped to think for a while and started to worry about something; she followed Ashley to see her. Ashley threw up a lot by the sink. Something occurred to Sherry at that moment.

“Ashley, do you have a baby in your belly?”.

Ashley looked up to realize she was very sick in the mirror. She hesitated to answer but finally didn’t deny it, “Yes. Sherry, please keep it a secret from me.”

Sherry asked, “Leon?”

“Yes.” Ashley answered quietly.

Then they went back to the table. Ashley said, “He doesn’t love me. I know he loves someone else. So, I hate being with a man who doesn’t love me. Even if I have the baby, I will let him go. Sherry, don’t tell anyone else, okay?”

Sherry said with great concern, “Is it good for the child if you don’t tell Leon?”

Ashley replied, “He’s my son! Nothing to do with him.” She touched her belly, “I have one more relative than you!”.

Sherry sighed unable to speak. If Leon didn’t love Ashley, how could they live together? Even if they did live together, how could they live their whole lives? Ashley passed Sherry the stock transfer form, “Sherry, please accept it.” Sherry handed it back to her. “Sherry!”

“I won’t accept it, please don’t talk about it again! I’m going to the cemetery. I didn’t attend her funeral; now I hope it’s not too late to see her. Take care.” Sherry got up to leave.

“That’s fine. Sierra would be very happy about that.”

…

Sherry was silent after returning from the cemetery. Everything stopped since Sierra died.

William did not propose to her one more time. Cohen did not attend Sierra’s funeral or go to see him afterwards. No one understood his mind.

Susan was also quiet; there was an unusual silence in the house. Daniel had transferred to a school that enrolled only boys; he would not have classes with girls later in school.

Sherry was also worried that Daniel wouldn’t like having classes with girls in the future, but she agreed once she thought the girls around him would bother him too much.

He had a quiet couple of days. But Sherry received a letter.

She was surprised to see the envelope with no return address or sender’s name. She doubted the sender very much. Opening the letter, she read the printed letter which gave some information about her father Clark’s car accident.

The car accident eight years ago?

In the accident, the other driver she hadn’t seen was William.

Sherry was shocked! William had something to do with her father’s death. Sherry was stunned by these events.

William went over to get a glass of milk and saw the stunning Sherry. He didn’t know why she was like this and asked, “Sherry, what happened, did someone send you a letter?”

“Yes.” Sherry went blank and turned around to look at William.

“Sherry?” William could tell Sherry was upset and asked, “What happened?”

He knew it wasn’t an easy problem from her eyes. Sherry looked at him sharply to ask, “William, do you remember the car accident eight years ago?”

William was not expecting this question and gave Sherry a look of great surprise. Her face became paler and her hands began to tremble. He was trying to control his emotion of feeling guilty.

“Sherry, how do you know?”

Sherry looked at William and knew what he was thinking, “You know too? You knew the day back from the cemetery?”

She came to understand why he seemed so nervous and why he was almost crazy when they made love. He was afraid that she would leave after knowing everything. However… Sherry asked, “Why didn’t you tell me right then and there?”

Several minutes later, William turned to look at Sherry guiltily and replied, “The accident…. I was the driver who caused the accident…. Your daddy lost his life because of me; Lucille can’t have a baby anymore because of me…” Sherry became angry and clenched her fists.

She tried to calm down and asked, “Why did you ask the policeman to confirm that my dad was driving drunk? Do you know that my dad never drank alcohol before?”

“No, I didn’t know that.” William said hesitantly. “I didn’t ask the cop to do it. I just let him protect me; he helped me work out all the kinks. I always believed that more compensation would make me forget everything. But really, Sherry, I always feel guilty these years.”

Sherry said coldly, “Tell me why, I need to know the truth.”

The letter hit her hard; she almost stopped breathing from all she came to know today.

“Lucille and I had some wine that day. On the way home, near the bypass, a truck loading sands was driving the wrong way down the lane. Lucille told me that its driver mistakenly occupied the lane we were in and asked me to avoid it. I was to avoid the truck. But I did not control my temper well after drinking, but drove to push him back into the correct lane. We don’t know if the driver of the truck had also been drinking. As soon as I saw him lose control to come towards us, it was too late; I turned the steering wheel, but still crashed. Lucille was hit in the belly and suffered a uterine rupture. The driver was hit through the front window for not having fastened his seat belt. At the same time, the truck rolled down the side of the mountain, which injured the driver in the center; he eventually died from being rolled by the truck.”

Sherry asked further, “You mean my father was beaten to death?”

The car accident occurred when she was a teenager. Only Sierra was involved in all the paperwork to settle it. Sherry knew nothing of the truth; anyway, she knew her dad never drank alcohol.

“No. Sherry, I didn’t mean that. I haven’t been that brazen. It’s my fault. If I controlled myself to avoid it, I wouldn’t die.” William had been commiserating with Lucille about the accident for years; besides, he sometimes went to the cemetery to mourn Clark, too. “Sherry, whatever, I’m the cause of the accident. Your father died because of me.” William’s voice was full of regret and guilt. “I’m so sorry for you and your dad!”

“Stop!” Sherry turned to take a look outside the window.

She’d refused to ask the cops the truth for the past few years. She hated to remember how miserable her father’s death had been. To her great satisfaction, today Sherry learned that her father died because of her deep love for the man.

She didn’t judge whose fault it was. Her father had never drank. After the car accident, Sierra told her that the driver was too prestigious to interrupt much, but they were paid double as compensation, which was used to cure Luke.

Lowering his head guiltily, William spoke sadly as if he had lost all the energy of his life: “At that time, the doctor confirmed Lucille’s infertility; she attempted suicide several times. So I had to stay with her and couldn’t see you. I asked my assistant to take care of it. I know I was explaining now…”

“Stop! I don’t want to see you anymore! Go away.” Sherry didn’t mind the next words.

“Sherry…” William tried to speak more but was stopped by Sherry.

She continued, “Stop it! I don’t want to hear any explanations. Go ahead.”

William had to leave her then. The door closed.

Sherry closed her eyes and soon burst into tears.

She had too much shade in her heart even when there was great sunshine outside.

Several hours later, she wanted to go to the cemetery.

As she opened the gate, she saw William standing outside and looked at her carefully. “Sherry…” Sherry ran past him and hurriedly left him. She had to get out as quickly as possible to control the tears, or she feared he would turn around to see her in a second. Finally, William came to catch her by the arms and said breathlessly, “Sherry, please! You said you wouldn’t leave me forever.”

Sherry turned to see his red eyes. William held her arms tightly as if he was going to disappear once he let her go.

…

Sherry used all her power to control the tears, saying, “William, let me go!”

“You said you wouldn’t leave me! No matter what happens, you won’t walk away from me!” William didn’t know what to do, just saying, “Sherry, I know I’ve made the accident. I’m blaming myself for these years.”

“I didn’t see how much you were blaming yourself! I just know you killed my dad! My dad died in the accident! My dad left…!” Sherry gave a bitter smile and said, “Please leave me alone. don’t bother me!”

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