The Mocked Miss’s Hidden Crowns novel Chapter 1764

"I know... nothing I say now will change a thing."

A guy like him, he had no right—not anymore—to ask anyone for forgiveness.

Back then, Charlotte and Anthony could’ve ended him a hundred times over. But they didn’t. In the end, they let him live. Not because they felt sorry for him, but because they wanted him to come here someday, to stand in front of Winnie’s grave and pay for everything he’d done.

"The gene mutation project is up and running again," Allanson said. He was sitting on the ground, his back resting against Winnie’s headstone, his voice soft and rough. "They’ll probably have a cure before too long."

"Using genetic mutations to help people... Your dream is about to come true."

"If you were still here, you’d be happy about that, wouldn’t you?"

"Winnie... I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry." Allanson dropped his head, his voice raw and breaking.

He knew he’d messed up. That one split-second mistake all those years ago had taken more than the research away from him. It had taken Winnie, too.

"If I could go back... If I could do it all again—"

"If time turned back, Winnie still wouldn’t choose you."

Robert’s voice drew closer, his cane sinking into the soft soil as he stepped up to the grave. "Winnie was a good person. She knew right from wrong. She believed in justice, always. And honestly..."

Robert stopped and turned, glancing over at Allanson, who looked totally lost. Robert’s words cut right through the heavy air. "I should thank you."

Allanson looked up at him with tired, old eyes.

"If it hadn’t been for you, I never would have met Winnie." For a second, Robert’s whole face softened with a gentle joy. "Meeting her was the best thing that ever happened to me."

"I kept your gifts, by the way. I talked Lottie into letting me keep them."

She had once cared about him?

That thought left Allanson hollow, staring blankly at nothing for what felt like ages.

If there was such a thing as a second chance, he’d go back, change everything. Most of all, he’d never lose her again.

"You should leave now."

Robert bent low to wipe the dust from Winnie’s photo, his voice barely above a whisper. "My wife, my kids, we don’t want to see you here anymore."

Allanson finally stood, gaze fixed on Winnie’s grave, something dark and deep flickering in his eyes.

It was okay. She didn’t want to see him, but that didn’t matter. One day, when the gene cure was finished, he’d see her again. And when that day came, he would finally say sorry, face to face.