Chapter 3 Bittersweet Farewell

Julia's heart sank like a stone in her chest as she listened to the tremor in her mother's voice, a mixture of shock and disappointment. Her mother's eyes held an unmistakable look of hurt as she questioned why Julia had returned from school with seemingly nothing to show for it, only to leave again so soon. The weight of her mother's disbelief hung heavy in the air as she confronted Julia about the rumors of her quitting school and now living with her good-for-nothing boyfriend. Alicia couldn't believe what she was hearing.

She had sent her daughter off to university with high hopes and dreams, only to discover that Julia had seemingly vanished from campus.

Desperate for answers, Alicia visited the university and sought out the administration to confirm Julia's enrollment status. To her utter dismay, the records revealed that it had been months since Julia had attended any classes. The revelation felt like a crushing blow to Alicia's hopes and dreams for her daughter. How could her daughter have quit school when she was so close to completing her degree?

In her quest for understanding, Alicia reached out to Julia's friends for information, feeling a turmoil of emotions churning within her. Each conversation with Julia's friend and teacher only deepened her anguish. Julia's friend expressed genuine concern and revealed that Julia had given no valid reasons for leaving school when they last spoke. To add to the distress, the friend disclosed that Julia was indeed living with her boyfriend.

Alicia was caught in a turmoil of emotions as she gazed at her daughter. She felt the fiery waves of anger crashing against the deep ache in her heart. Despite her persistent efforts to persuade Julia to come home and resolve their issues, all she received was disheartening silence. Julia had opted to keep her distance from the family in favor of being with her boyfriend, leaving a festering wound of bitterness that seemed to expand with every day that went by.

During a tense family gathering, Julia's father struggled to find the right words, managing only a weak, bittersweet farewell. His faint hope that Julia might finally find success in New York hung in the air, tenuous and fragile. Her mother fought to hold back tears, mustering only a simple farewell before leaving the table. Even her elder sister, usually a pillar of support, remained silent, unable to bridge the emotional chasm that had opened between them. Julia's brother, though saddened to see her go, knew that this departure would give her a fighting chance to start over without any distractions.

As Julia gazed upon the anguished expressions etched on the faces of her family members, a profound determination took root within her. She resolved that she would never again be the cause of such profound anguish for her loved ones. She was determined to seize the moment and make something meaningful of her life without wasting any more time.

During a tense family gathering, Julia's father struggled to find the right words, managing only a weak, bittersweet farewell. His faint hope that Julia might finally find success in New York hung in the air, tenuous and fragile. Her mother fought to hold back tears, mustering only a simple farewell before leaving the table. Even her elder sister, usually a pillar of support, remained silent, unable to bridge the emotional chasm that had opened between them.

As Julia looked at the pained expressions on each of her family members' faces, she made a solemn vow within herself. She would never allow herself to inflict such deep pain on her loved ones again.