Chapter 3

Everett had chosen some beautiful words to make his point. Angeline was very happy.

They sounded like a happy family, but their joy was built on my pain. Angeline’s evil laughter was like daggers to my heart.

"Don't argue with your mother." Angeline continued to express her fake kindness and said, "Even though she’s quite petty and likes to hold onto grudges from years ago, she’s still your mother. She can’t help thinking about what happened after you were just born."

Angeline began to break into sobs as she spoke. "I thought she would eventually change. I could accept it if she never did, but she actually got even worse!”

I stuffed the last of my clothes into my suitcase and recalled that fateful day.

Angeline had discovered that I was secretly feeding stray dogs. She was furious. Thinking that I would harbor germs from being in close contact with dirty animals and harm her dear unborn grandson, she chased the poor dogs with a kitchen knife. She intended to stab those poor puppies to death.

I chased after her in tears. I tried to persuade her that the stray puppies were already very pitiful, so she should not hurt them any further.

She responded by calling me a shameless, sanctimonious witch. She said I was pretending to be kind while wasting her son's money to feed wild dogs. During the scuffle, she pushed me into traffic, and I was hit by an oncoming car. I was injured and even gave birth to Everett prematurely.

My heart ached at the memory. Everett stayed in the incubator that entire year. Now, he was all grown up.

I zipped up my luggage and pushed it to the living room. I looked at all of them and laughed helplessly. "Back then, you pushed me into a car accident. Everett was born prematurely and stayed in the intensive care unit for a whole month. Did you ever visit him back then?"

Everett was born prematurely that year.

Angeline cried and refused to allow Rowan to pay the hospitalization fee. She cursed and made a fuss at the hospital, claiming that they were scamming her. She argued that I was just giving birth to a baby, so why should I be hospitalized for so much money? She sobbed and caused trouble at the hospital for two days straight.

In the end, my parents rushed over from another state to pay for the medical expenses.

Angeline's expression changed at my questioning, so I pressed further, "Why did you suddenly stop crying after my parents paid the bills? Why did you suddenly change your tone and insist that we should follow the doctor’s advice?”

Guilt flashed across Angeline's face. I had never told Everett about what happened back then. I saw it as a matter that should be handled among adults and not forced on children.

Considering Everett’s response today, I decided to tell him the truth.

"Everett was hospitalized for a month before he was discharged. Who was it that didn’t want to ‘waste’ hot water and gave him a bath in ice-cold water? He contracted pneumonia right after he finally came home!"

It was a cold winter, and it was snowing heavily outside the house. I had just come back from buying baby milk powder and bottles at the mall when I saw Angeline giving Everett a cold bath in the heated room.

I was shocked to my core. I pushed Angeline away and scooped Everett up in my arms. He was so cold and shivering. I quickly put him under a quilt to keep him warm.

Angeline merely complained that I was making a big deal out of nothing by coddling him. She insisted that children would end up spoiled if they never faced any struggles. She claimed she was using the cold water to improve his physical fitness.

Everett developed a high fever that day. I was about to take him back to the hospital when Angeline stopped me and said the fever was caused by evil spirits. In cahoots with Rowan, she snatched Everett from my arms and took him to the church to ask for blessings. She then boiled three bowls of holy water and fed it to Everett.

When I finally arrived at the scene, Everett was almost dead.

As Everett listened to me talk about the past, all emotion left his face. He turned to look at Angeline.

"Grandma, is what Mom said true?"

Of course it was true.

I met Angeline's guilty eyes.

Just as Angeline was about to succumb to defeat, Rowan walked out of the study and said, "It's been so many years. Why can’t you let go of this old matter?"

"No matter what happened," Rowan blamed me, "it’s your fault for failing to communicate with Mom properly.

"Mom had Everett’s best interests at heart, but you think it’s an unforgivable crime that she loves him too, right?" Just like that, Rowan wiped Angeline’s slate clean with just a few words.

Everett caught on.

"Mom, don't blame Grandma." Everett tried to make peace and said, "Grandma is uneducated and doesn't understand such complicated things. You shouldn’t keep bringing old matters up. Besides, grandma is sick now. Don't hold on to those old grudges anymore."

I looked at Angeline, who had regained her composure after faltering a bit earlier. "Yes, Daphne. We’re still a family, after all."

Angeline looked at me sideways and noticed the luggage I was holding. She quickly changed the subject and asked, "What are you doing with your luggage?

"You're not going to run away from home again, are you?" Angeline deliberately brought up the past and said, "You pulled this trick before to force Rowan to drive me away. Do you really think..."

Angeline started crying again. "I shouldn't have come home after all! Fine, I’ll just leave!"

She did not even move an inch to make it look convincing.

Everett stood in front of Angeline, and Rowan looked at me angrily. I suddenly realized that all was lost.

I had dedicated my entire life to this family, but all I got in return was being called too calculative for continuing to bring up the past.

In that case, I wanted to see how harmoniously the three of them could live without me, the ‘calculative’ one.

"You don't have to leave."

I interrupted Angeline’s act. Under her surprised gaze, I looked at Rowan coldly and said, "We’re getting a divorce."