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No one knew Isobel's secret until now.
What a happy family, with no worries about anything, everyone thought so. Isobel faked it well, even fooled herself. A born liar, just like her father. She loathed it, so much.
Why me? She couldn't understand why all of this happened, to her. All these years, she remembered, she had resisted, only that one time. It was only after that time that she realised that the power of women was so insignificant in the face of the power of men, and she gave up, in the end.
She still remembered that her mother had a big fight with her father when she found out. Guilt filled her heart, deep down knowing that she was the reason for their divorce. She knew that without her father's financial support, the high medical expenses would only make her mother's life more difficult. The reason they chose to get married was because of them finding out her existence, who made them lived a life of fighting over trivial matters every day in the past. She held back her mother, who was going to go to the police, not to settle through the law. She couldn't open her mouth and say anything about what happened, even to her mother. She also knew deep down that with his connections, they would not find a good lawyer, and her father would leave them in dire straits.
She couldn't drag her mother into this, and in spite of her mother's resistance, she pronounced that converant and unfamiliar name when the judge asked her who she wanted to live with, setting out on the thorny road. Taking care of her mother while she could and being able to spend the night at her mother's place half the week was her greatest comfort through her darkest time.
Jubal holds her. He knows the first night after her father's funeral is always going to be difficult, but this is something he didn't expect.
It never comes to him that such a delicate flower of life could blossom on such treacherous and barren soil.
He is not surprised that she has once chosen to give up, the answer she gave to a puzzle that was impossible for her to solve. Despite her covering it up well, he noticed a thin scar on the skin under her watch. He doesn’t know whether he should feel lucky that she chose to keep going, or she wasn’t accepted to heaven this soon. Perhaps some selfishness playing tricks in secret, Jubal is grateful that God hasn’t had the heart to take away this kind, precious soul.
He doesn't need to say anything. He doesn’t need to do anything. He is by her side quietly when she confides in him, and lets her know that the weight of the world once being thrown on her thin shoulders harshly is now shared by another person.