Chapter 2

Before I fell asleep, I heard Felix trying to calm Mandy down from a temper tantrum.

“Daddy, I don’t want that woman to go with us.”

“Mandy, go to sleep. No matter what, she’s your mother.”

Mandy flung Felix’s hand away. “I don’t like her! She’s a bad woman! Ruby should be my mommy instead!”

I felt chills all over my body, and I started trembling.

The next day was the Parent-child Sports Day at Mandy’s kindergarten.

I prepared my sportswear excitedly but did not notice Mandy’s slightly disgusted expression.

When we got out of the car, Mandy jumped into Ruby’s arms, and I looked at Felix in confusion.

He just glanced at my blind right eye and pursed his lips before coolly saying, “You’re the one who’s always pretending to be weak. It only makes sense for you to not participate in the Sports Day.”

Just then, Ruby approached us with Mandy in hand.

She noticed my sad expression but still shed a few crocodile tears. “Liana, you don’t want me here, do you? I’ll leave right now and stop interrupting your time with Mandy.”

However, Mandy held Ruby’s hand tightly, and anger burned in her beautiful eyes. “You’re the one who can’t run and jump. My classmates all say that I have a sick and blind mom, so I’m asking Ruby to come with me. You’ll only embarrass me as my mother!”

I could only watch as they ran the three-legged race and played Pictionary together.

When they got first place, Felix pointed at me. “Take a photo of us.”

A parent who did not know the truth marveled at them, “Your family has such great teamwork. You’re handsome, your wife is beautiful, and your daughter is gorgeous too.”

I forced a smile as I watched Felix gently hug Ruby and Mandy.

The moment the photo was captured and immortalized, I felt as if something had been taken from me.

Suddenly, Felix and Mandy seemed like strangers to me.

That night, I did not make them any herbal soup.

Following their transplants, I had gone to a culinary nutritionist and studied under him for three months. I learned what to cook for them so that they could recover faster.

Not quite used to the sight of an empty dining table, Felix looked around the kitchen and asked in puzzlement, “You didn’t make soup tonight?”

I nodded and said nothing.

Mandy found it strange too, but she sighed in relief. “It doesn’t taste nice anyway. It’s not as good as Ruby’s. You shouldn’t be making such strange soups anyway. It’s gross.”

I hung my head, as though I did not hear her grumbling.

I was not going to make it anymore.

There was no longer anyone worth my care in this house.

The next morning, Ruby came to apologize with a beautiful vase.

With teary eyes, she tried to hold my hand. “Liana, I know that you’re bothered by Mandy being so close to me. But you’re the one who left without a word for half a year, and I was the one who took care of Felix and Mandy.

“They’re like family to me. I’m begging you. Don’t stop me from meeting them, okay?”

She looked pitiful with those tears in her eyes, but I saw malice when she looked at me.

Then, she sank to the floor, and the vase in her hands shattered.

Feeling pity for her, Felix hugged her. “Liana, could you stop being so jealous?! I didn’t even hold it against you when you cheated on me while Mandy and I had our surgeries! I didn’t even say anything about your return after you became blinded in one eye, but you’re bullying Ruby now?!”

He kicked the back of my knees and made me fall on the shards.

Blood flowed out of my kneecaps, and I knew that my skin had been cut open.

However, Felix did not notice my pale face and said coldly, “You’re kneeling here for the night. It’s about time you’re taught a lesson.”

My cornea was in his right eye, but he never looked me in my remaining left eye anymore.

An unknown time passed, and my knees went numb. Even so, the pain from the shards stabbing into my flesh stood stark.

In my daze, I saw the day I celebrated Mandy’s third birthday. I put on a crystal tiara on her head while Felix stared at me lovingly.

At that time, Mandy would still call me her mother sweetly, and Felix’s catchphrase was, “I’ll protect my dearest wife and daughter for life.”

Slap!

A sharp pain on my face abruptly pulled me out of memory lane.

Mandy stood in front of me angrily. She had thrown her art board at my face.

“You evil woman! If you bully Ruby again, I’m asking Daddy to chase you out!”

She tried to push me.

My dress was soaked through with blood and stuck to my skin. Any minute movement brought about searing pain.

My heart monitor vibrated; this was the fourth alarm.

The doctor who operated on me told me that after the fifth alarm, I would have to get a new heart in time. Otherwise, my life would be in danger.

Yet, when I saw the disgust on Mandy’s face, I discovered that no one cared about my life.