Married At First Sight By Gu Lingfei

Hank tried to convince himself that his pain stemmed from seeing how well Sonny got along with Duncan. Sonny was his biological son, yet from now on, he'd live with Duncan. There was even a chance that Sonny might start calling Duncan "Dad."

As these thoughts spiraled, Hank felt a wetness on his face.

Raising his hand to his cheek, he realized his palm was damp with tears.

He was crying.

But why?

Deep down, Hank knew the reason. He just couldn't bring himself to admit it—not out loud, not even to himself.

Unable to process his emotions, he slumped forward, resting his head on the steering wheel, and let the tears flow freely. He sobbed, releasing the torrent of regret and sorrow that had been building inside him.

Once the tears dried, Hank pulled himself together. He had made a plan for the day, and despite the turmoil, he would stick to it. Starting his car, he left the Civil Affairs Bureau and drove toward the prison to visit Jessica.

saw Hank in the visitor's area, her eyes immediately landed on his swollen, red-rimmed eyes.

you been crying? Your eyes are all puffy. Did something happen

mix of concern and curiosity, though the latter had a darker edge. Jessica still harbored a deep grudge against Hank's mother, Mrs. Brown, and his sister, Chelsea. The two women had caused her nothing but misery. In fact, Jessica sometimes

bitterly, she would have stabbed Chelsea instead of Hank during that chaotic confrontation. Chelsea had been the puppet master behind so much of their chaos. She had fueled the conflicts between Hank and Liberty, pushed Jessica into her current predicament, and destroyed any

calm, lacking his usual arrogance. "No, my parents

defend his mother or sister in front of Jessica. The way they had treated her in the

tilted her head, her brow furrowed in confusion.

pressure of her incarceration had already taken a toll on them, both emotionally and socially.

best as they could. But over time, their visits stopped. The occasional package delivered by a third party was the only connection they maintained. She later learned that her brother and sister-in-law had forbidden

heard the news.

proudly boasted about their capable daughter who had "married well.” Her brother and sister-in-law were eager to enjoy the benefits of her city lifestyle-cars, money, and the promise of a better future for

the moment Jessica's life fell apart, she became a stain on their reputation, no longer worthy of love or