Chapter 199

Esther reached out and gently felt her chest as she asked, “I heard you mention that one of them is sick?”

“Yes, Sunshine has a heart condition. She recently underwent a heart transplant surgery and will need around six months of recovery before fully engaging in regular activities.”

Anna, curious as well, inquired, “I heard you have a son?”

“Yes,” Esther replied with a wry smile. “He had leukemia before and recently underwent a bone marrow transplant.

Upon hearing about Esther’s son’s bone marrow transplant, Anna warmly comforted her and suggested, “Since the children have gone through surgeries, they will soon recover. When Twinkle comes over, you can bring your son along, and we can spend time together.”

“That sounds wonderful.” Esther thought about Felix’s lack of friends due to his illness, and she hoped he could play and have fun with children his age. “My son also needs to make some friends.

“Previously, he was always in the hospital due to his illness, so it’s understandable that he couldn’t make friends. Now that he’s undergone a bone marrow transplant, his health will improve, and he’ll gradually make good friends.”

Anna shifted the conversation by picking up papers from the table while Esther adjusted and redesigned 2/3 of her discarded drafts.

As Anna flipped through the redesigned sketches, her eyes sparkled with excitement. Each design reinforced her determination to guide Esther onto the path of design. “Esther, you have incredible talent.”

Upon hearing Anna’s words, Esther’s previous anxiety and unease melted away. “Really?”

“Yes. Esther, join my studio,” Anna encouraged, urging Esther to embrace design and regain control of her life. “Don’t let your talent go to waste. You should fully utilize it.”

“But…” Esther had never worked before, and she was uncertain about what having a job would entail.

Moreover, she had a past of being in prison.

“Anna, I don’t know if I can pursue design,” Esther confessed, not wanting her past as an inmate to be exposed one day.

Anna expressed surprise, asking, “Why not?”

Esther held Anna’s hand, finding solace in her genuine thoughts. “Anna, I’m telling you this in confidence. Please don’t share it with anyone else.”

Anna held Esther’s hand and made a promise, “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”

“Actually, I’ve spent time in prison.”

As soon as Esther revealed this, Anna burst into laughter. She playfully patted Esther’s hand and fearlessly declared, “Is that all?”

“Isn’t it serious?” Esther questioned, puzzled. “What if people discriminate against me and look down on my designs-”

“Silly girl!” Anna lightly flicked Esther’s nose and spoke with conviction. “Who doesn’t have faults?

Making mistakes is okay as long as you learn from them. Esther, if you’re worried about others discriminating against you because of your past, then you’ll always be controlled by their judgments.

Your life should be guided by you, yourself.”

Esther had never experienced the guidance of a woman in her life, someone who would offer motherly advice and comfort like Anna. This realization made Esther reflect on how her mother, Faye, would have guided and consoled her with gentle words if she were still alive.