Imperfect Desires

As the ladies were laughing, chatting, and enjoying themselves, Francesca suddenly bumped into someone and all of the shopping bags in the other person's hands fell down. 

"Oh, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry for this!" Francesca hurriedly crouched down to help the other person.

"It's okay," said a gentle voice that made Francesca stiffen. 

She slowly looked up and when she looked at the face of the woman before her, her expressions shifted. How many years had it been since she last saw this face? 28? 29? She couldn't recall it. In all those years the only time she had recalled this face was whenever she found Darren too lonely.

She always believed that there was a lot of anger filled up inside her heart for this woman because she heartlessly left Darren behind. But now facing her sister, Florence, she didn't even know why she felt nothing at all. She didn't want to get angry with her or yell at her at this place because that was not like her. Besides, there was no point at all.

Darren had made her realize one thing in life; Those who are meant to leave will leave. They don't need excuses either.

Taking a deep breath, she picked up the shopping bags and handed them to Florence with a calm face. She bowed her head silently and turned to leave.

Suddenly she heard her name being called out, "Francesca!"

Francesca stopped in her steps but didn't turn around at all.

"Are you just gonna turn away?"

Francesca turned her head and sneered, "If you can turn away from everything, I can do it too."

With that, she didn't even look at her and left. Seeing the atmosphere between them the others didn't say a word. However, whether it was the Zhao sisters or Cali, all of them were smart people. The uncanny resemblance between these two was a clear giveaway to the fact that the other woman was Francesca Salvay's elder sister Florence Salvay. And also, Regan Darren Salvay's birth mother.

Cali was the only one who had taken an extra look at Florence before she followed the others out. 

"France, you're okay?" inquired Zhao Wei when they came out of the shopping mall.

"I'm perfectly fine," replied Francesca, looking especially fine. She didn't look sad, happy, or angry to come face to face with her sister whom she hadn't seen for decades. And she neither did lose her temper at her. 

No one could understand her mood right now. She had once looked for her sister but couldn't find her. She even wondered if she was alive and well. Whether something happened to her and that's why she never came back to see Darren. One could say that she had kept making excuses for Florence for years. 

But today when she saw her alive and well right before her eyes, her heart turned cold. Indeed, excuses are just excuses. No matter how she put it to herself, it'll all be a lie in the end. And lies are like sandcastles, they eventually collapse.

"Let's go for dinner," said Francesca putting on a smile. "Didn't Cali say she was gonna take us to someplace for dinner?"

Cali happily agreed, saying, "Of course! My dad used to take me there when I was young. I used to love the food there. I heard from my butler that the food there is as exceptional as always. So, I'm gonna treat you, pretty ladies, tonight." She looked at Zhao Wei and added, "And since Auntie is not in good health, I've requested them to make something light for you."

"Weiwei, your daughter-in-law is trying to flatter you," said Zhao Huan as she nudged Zhao Wei. 

It was true that Zhao Wei hadn't fully recovered from her illness. But since it was Francesca who was getting married, she still insisted on following this good friend around to help her. But she wasn't as fragile as Cali had been taking her since they came to Italy. Then again, she couldn't blame her either.

This daughter-in-law was quite attentive and never faked her feelings either. Zhao Wei could feel her sincerity and it made her like Cali even more for her son.

Cali didn't know about the others but during the dinner, her attention was still on Darren's birth mother whom she saw at the shopping mall. She couldn't help it either. She had known Darren for years. It was inevitable that the topic of his birth mother would have come up between such close friends. 

However, Darren never had a violent reaction towards the name of his birth mother. He seemed too indifferent. Whether that indifference was real or fake, none of them ever figured it out.

But now that this absent mother has suddenly made an appearance, what difference could she bring? Cali didn't dare to let her imaginations run wild.

Although Darren was her best friend and she cared very much about him, she still had no right to interfere in his personal matters. Especially ones involving his mother. But she still had to let someone know to give some heads-up. 

So, she texted Xiu, 'Xiu! We just ran into Florence Salvay at the shopping mall!'

Xiu: 'Who is Florence?'

Cali rolled her eyes at Xiu's reply, 'Regi's birth mother!'

Xiu: 'Oh? Sorry, my brain clears up the memory of unimportant things.'

Cali almost choked when she read that, 'Unimportant? That's your husband's birth mother!!!'

Xiu: 'Unimportant! Just as I said earlier!'

While Cali was fuming over Xiu's reply, she received another reply from Xiu.

Xiu: 'A person who threw away my Regan is unimportant. She only gave birth to him. A surrogate mother can do that as well. It doesn't make her any important.'

While Cali was staring at Xiu's message, another popped on the screen.

Regan: 'My Sweets is always right.'

Cali was shocked when she read that and almost dropped her phone, 'Why are you here?'

Regan: 'Dumbo! First, check the group you're texting in!'

As Cali's eyes zoomed in on the group name, the phone really dropped from her hand.