His Unveiled Passion

The day Tyla was discharged from the hospital, the snow had just stopped, leaving behind a pristine winter wonderland. The trees lining the road were coated in frost, and the sky was a clear, brilliant blue. Samuel had driven to the hospital to pick up Tyla. The couple sat in silence, the atmosphere was thick and heavy between them.

In the backseat, Tessa breathed on the frosted window, her small finger tracing playful pictures on the glass. Her joy was uncontainable.

Finally, Tyla was leaving the hospital.

As they drove, Tessa drew a picture of their family on the window, her face lighting up with delight.

When Tyla caught sight of the drawing, her heart ached, and tears welled up in her eyes.

She turned her head to wipe away a tear and forced a smile. "It's almost your birthday, Tess. What would you like as a present?"

Tessa kept drawing shapes on the fogged window. "Mommy, I want a Cinnamoroll," she replied sweetly. "Cinnamoroll? Is that a type of dog?" Tyla asked gently. "I've never heard of that breed."

Tessa shook her head. "No, Mommy. It's a cartoon dog. I want a ceramic Cinnamoroll. Sienna told me there's a workshop on Serenity Avenue where we can buy an unpainted ceramic dog and paint it ourselves."

Turning to face Tyla, Tessa added, "Last week, Sienna and Henry went there and painted two really cute porcelain dolls."

Tyla's smile softened. "Alright, Tess. Let's go."

On Tessa's twelfth birthday, the snow fell thick and heavy.

Tessa and Tyla walked hand in hand into the workshop. Their pre-ordered unpainted Cinnamoroll figure was ready and waiting. The two of them eagerly began to paint.

It was the first time they had worked together on something like this.

Tessa was overjoyed with the final result. Her Cinnamoroll turned out exactly like the picture-perhaps even cuter.

Afterward, they left the shop and headed to a nearby bakery.

Tyla carried the cake in one hand while holding Tessa's hand tightly with the other. As they strolled through the falling snow, Tyla suddenly stopped and turned to Tessa, gazing at her with a tender expression.

"Tessa, Mommy loves you very much." Tyla's voice was soft, carried away by the breeze.

Tessa's nose was red from the cold.

Her mother said those words often, so she didn't think much of it. "I love you too, Mommy," she replied with a cheerful smile.

Tyla's nose twitched, and she felt tears begin to well up.

Tessa was still so young, and she was only 12 years old. Tyla couldn't stay with her much longer. What was she going to do?

Fearing that Tessa might see her tears, she turned away and kept walking.

Holding Tyla's hand, Tessa strolled through the bustling Serenity Avenue pedestrian street and made her way to the outdoor parking lot.

From a distance, she spotted Samuel's car. Her father stood nearby in the snow, a cigarette between his fingers. His face was etched with sadness and loneliness.

It was an expression she had rarely seen on him. As if sensing her gaze, Samuel looked up. The sorrow vanished in an instant, replaced by his usual calm demeanor.

For a moment, Tessa wondered if she had imagined it.

Samuel stubbed out his cigarette and, in a hoarse voice, said, "You're back."

Tyla gave a quiet nod.

That night, it was Samuel who prepared dinner.

The three of them gathered around the table, sharing a joyful moment. Tessa wore a crown, made a wish, and blew out the candles.

But just as they were about to enjoy the cake, something unexpected happened.

As Tyla reached for a bite, she suddenly started coughing up large amounts of blood.

Tessa was terrified. The cake slipped from her hands and fell onto her new shoes.

Samuel rushed to Tyla's side, his voice thick with emotion. "Tyla, Tyla, don't scare me. I'll get you to the hospital right away."

The nanny scrambled to call for an ambulance while Tessa stood frozen, her mind racing but unable to process what was happening.

Why was this happening? She had been fine just a moment ago. Why was Tyla suddenly coughing up blood?

Didn't the doctor say she could be discharged?

Wasn't Tyla already recovering?

The ambulance arrived quickly.

The paramedics rushed to load Tyla onto the stretcher.

Before they left, Tessa caught a glimpse of Tyla looking at her with tear-filled eyes. Her mouth moved as if trying to say something.

Tyla was in too much pain to speak, but her lips formed the words, and Tessa understood.

She was saying, "I'm sorry."

At that moment, Tessa broke down in tears, rushing out into the swirling snow, shouting, "Mom, Mom, don't go..."

The ambulance sped off, leaving Tessa behind.

Tessa ran after it for a while, but soon the white vehicle carrying Tyla disappeared from view.

That night, Tyla passed away.

Samuel stayed by her side all night, sobbing uncontrollably.

Tessa had no idea.

She had fallen in the snow while chasing the ambulance and was later carried back inside by the nanny, who had followed out of concern.

That night, Tessa developed a high fever and called out for Tyla in her sleep.

When she woke the next morning, she was told that Tyla had passed away.

Tessa couldn't bear to see Tyla's lifeless body and avoided the hospital.

She clung to the hope that as long as she didn't see her mother's still form, Tyla was still alive, simply away on a long trip.

To Tessa, the gentle woman with a smile as bright as spring sunshine would live forever.

After Tyla's passing, Tessa spent days and nights clutching her porcelain doll, refusing to eat or drink. She would sleep when exhaustion overcame her, and when she woke, she would cry quietly. Samuel seemed to age ten years overnight. His eyes lost their spark, his hair turned gray, and he no longer had the energy to care for Tessa.

In the end, he was diagnosed with depression.

Tessa had always believed that Samuel would never remarry, especially after loving Tyla so deeply. But two years later, he married Tyla's best friend.

Tessa was furious. That same day, she moved into the school dormitory. Even on holidays, she stayed in her room, refusing to speak to them.

After two years of college, Tessa's relationship with Samuel had finally begun to improve. But as soon as she graduated, he insisted she marry into the Jacobson family, further straining their already fragile father- daughter relationship.

Samuel seemed genuinely enraged. While he had always indulged her in the past, he refused to back down on this marriage, even going as far as canceling her credit cards to force her to come home. To Tessa, the arranged marriage was the final straw.

The real reason she ran away, however, was because Samuel had remarried.

He had betrayed her mother.

Tessa also felt that Samuel's push for her to marry so soon after college was simply a way to get her out

of the house. There was a saying that a married daughter was no longer her family's child, and she couldn't shake the feeling that the Yates family no longer had a place for her.

Out of anger, she left home and stayed away for three years.

She had always carried a porcelain doll with her. It was her emotional anchor, a final gift from Tyla, and her most cherished possession.

But now, it was broken.

And so was Tessa's heart.

After crying for what felt like an eternity, Tessa began searching for a way to fix it.

If she could find a top-tier restorer, maybe there was still hope.

She took a photo of the broken pieces and posted it on her social media, writing, "Looking for a top-tier restorer."

Tessa had a vast network in Rivertown, with influential relatives and wealthy friends. Finding a restorer should have been easy.

Just a few minutes after posting, Stephen called.

Tessa assumed he was calling to recommend a restorer and answered right away.

However, Stephen's voice was filled with urgency and concern. "Tess, are you hurt?"

She was momentarily stunned, then realized the bloodstain on the porcelain shards hadn't been cleaned up yet.

"No, it's not my blood."

Stephen asked again, "What happened? How did the porcelain doll Madam Somerton give you end up broken?"

Tessa fell silent.

She wasn't sure where to begin. What struck her even more was how Stephen immediately recognized, just from the photo, that it was the doll Tyla had given her.

After a brief pause, Stephen's voice became firm and resolute. "I'm heading to the airport now. Wait for me. I'll come to Haverford to see you."