The President’s Mistake A Tale of Love and Regret

Mandy, struggling to regain her composure after a cough, felt as if she had been caught doing something wrong.

"Uh... where do you live? I can give you a ride home!" she offered.

Taylor responded flatly, "I don't know."

Mandy was taken aback. What did he mean by not knowing?

"Where have you been staying lately?" she pressed.

Taylor answered slowly, "I stay wherever. Sometimes it's a small hotel; other times

I just sleep on the street with a newspaper for a bed. Occasionally, I rent a hotel room if I need some peace and quiet. And sometimes, I just collapse wherever I end up when I'm drunk."

Mandy's curiosity was piqued.

"Mr. Taylor, if it's not too forward to ask, why did you and Mr. Nathaniel fall out? Despite his flaws, he seems like he'd be a decent brother, right?"

Taylor fell silent for a moment before finally opening the bag he had been carrying. Despite his inebriation, the bag was always with him. Thankfully, Pontenero was generally accepting of diverse cultures; otherwise, he might be considered eccentric.

When Taylor opened the bag, he said, "Because of her!"

Mandy's eyes widened as she glanced at the contents of Taylor's bag, and she nearly crashed into a tree, slamming on the brakes in shock. Her heart raced.

The screeching brakes disrupted the evening tranquility. Mandy looked in disbelief at what was inside Taylor's backpack.noveldrama

She rubbed her eyes, thinking she must be imagining things, and looked again. It was, indeed, an urn.

Mandy had seen that urn before; it was similar to the one she used to bury her mother's ashes in the cemetery.

"Whose is this?" The small amount of sympathy Mandy had felt for Taylor evaporated instantly.

What was happening?

Taylor carrying an urn and wandering around seemed almost unsettling.

"Hold on a minute!" Mandy parked the car in a temporary spot, took a deep breath, and turned to Taylor.

"Is this your partner?"

Taylor, who had been enduring personal torment for days, finally let down his guard, allowing some of the burden on his chest to lift it was the first time he had allowed himself a brief moment of relief.

He held the bag tightly and shook his head slowly.

Mandy's voice softened. "Then... is it a family member?"

Taylor gathered himself and nodded before offering a sad smile. "These are the ashes of my sister, Abigail."

"What?" Mandy almost choked on her own saliva, coughing a few times.

She struggled to find words, unable to fully express her astonishment.

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At that moment, Mandy wished she could be a tabloid reporter. This shocking news would undoubtedly be a top headline if she sold it to the media.

Given her association with Freya, Mandy saw Abigail as a truly despicable, foolish, and malevolent person.

After all, Mandy had been involved in gathering evidence against Abigail when Ms. Freya confronted her in court.

Additionally, she had helped uncover the victims and their families affected by Abigail's actions through her and Sawyer's investigation.

Now, having Abigail's ashes so close, held by someone she never would have suspected, was deeply unsettling. To make matters worse, Taylor had been carrying the very bag she had touched when he helped her catch the thief.

Feeling profoundly disturbed, Mandy resolved to go home, change her clothes,

and shower three times to rid herself of the unsettling vibes.

Though she had no interest in Abigail's story, Taylor seemed to open up, his voice calm yet filled with profound sadness and despair.