Chapter One hundred and ninety-seven

Narrator’s POV

Freda’s smile faltered for the briefest of moments, a shadow crossing her eyes before she quickly regained her composure. She leaned back in her chair, interlacing her fingers and resting them on her desk.

“That’s quite a heavy topic, Fred,” she said, her tone now more serious. “Why are you suddenly interested in this?”

Fred shrugged. “Perhaps after Kathy’s death, I realised something. I just want to know why he abandoned my mother, why he chose his other family above us, and why he caused us so much pain and loss. I want to understand all of these things; perhaps it would help me forgive, let go, and move on.”

A shadow of a smile crossed Freda’s face. “Ahhhh... I guess it runs in the family then.”

Fred narrowed his eyes, wondering what she meant by that statement. “I don’t understand. What runs in the family?”

Freda stood to her feet and approached the floor-to-ceiling window, which offered a great view of the city. From here, he could view the city’s skyline and wat