Chapter 2

This was a villa my mother left behind, decorated to my taste.

After my mother passed away, my brother Les said,

"I won't fight my sister over Mom's things. My sister can keep this house."

Later, Lambert said he had a friend who could help manage the assets, so I handed everything I had over to him and never asked another question.

I never expected he would actually give this house to Deidre and their child to live in.

In the garden, toys were scattered all over the ground, and a brand-new swing sat on the lawn.

These children's playthings stung my eyes deeply.

Just then, the little boy named Harvey ran out of the house carrying a soccer ball.

He saw me, took a step back, and asked suspiciously,

"Who are you? What are you doing standing at my door?"

It felt like a punch to the chest, and I couldn't get out a single word.

This child was Deidre and Lambert's son.

But the heart beating in his chest belonged to my son.

Seeing that I hadn't spoken for a while, the little boy said impatiently,

"Are you mute?"

But then he tilted his head and looked at me a few more times, suddenly pressing a hand to his chest and frowning, his tone softening for no clear reason.

"You... are you lost? You look terrible."

I froze for a moment.

He pouted, thought about it, and then said,

"Are you waiting for my parents? Why don't you come in and have a cola? It's so hot out here."

"Seeing you standing here all alone, you look kind of pitiful."

Harvey ran over and punched in the door lock code.

I stood behind him, looking at those numbers.

The code used to be my birthday.

Now it was Deidre's birthday.

I followed him inside, and it had changed.

This house used to have a retro decor in natural wood tones, my favorite look.

Now everything had been replaced. The wallpaper was a bright color, the sofa was bright yellow, and even the curtains were a vivid floral print.

Deidre had turned my home into her home.

Harvey took a bottle of cola from the fridge and handed it to me.

"Sit there and drink, don't wander around."

I sat on the sofa, clutching the icy bottle of cola in my hand.

On the table beside the sofa stood a picture frame.

A photo of the three of them, the whole family smiling neatly together.

I laid the frame face down on the table.

Not long after, there was a noise at the door, and a woman's voice came in first.

"Harvey! How many times has Mommy told you! Don't just let people you don't know in—"

The moment Deidre saw me, the smile on her face froze for half a second, and then she put on a cautious expression.

"Professor's wife..."

Lambert came in behind her and was also stunned, but he quickly regained his composure.

"What are you doing here?"

I looked at him.

"This is my mother's house. Can't I come?"

He frowned and explained,

"That's not what I meant."

"Deidre has been having a hard time abroad, got involved with the wrong man, and she just came back to the country with nowhere to stay, so I let her stay here temporarily to tide her over. I hadn't had a chance to tell you."

Before he finished, Harvey ran down the stairs and threw himself into Lambert's arms.

"Daddy!"

Lambert's face instantly went stiff.

"This child, he..."

I finished the sentence for him.

"You saw Deidre's child was pitiful, so you let him call you Daddy, right?"

He paused, then quickly nodded.

"Yes, this child is quite pitiful. Once some other kids called him a fatherless bastard and he cried his eyes out. I happened to be passing by, so I played his father that one time. Afterward he didn't stop, and I felt too awkward to correct him."

Deidre stood off to the side, forcing a smile.

"Yes, ma'am, it's all thanks to the professor helping us. Harvey... he's been without a father since he was little, and he's always been bullied. The professor just couldn't stand by and watch..."

As she spoke she lowered her head, her eyes reddening, her voice dropping.

I listened quietly and did not point out the holes in their story.

Looking at the two of them playing off each other in front of me, that scene from back then rose up in my mind.

Back then, I had just come back from the funeral, pushed open the bedroom door, and found them naked in each other's arms, the sheets in disarray.

I dug my nails hard into my palms, forcing that knot of anger back down.

Lambert glanced at me, then put on a helpless expression.

"Eleanor, don't overthink it. I really did just feel sorry for the child."

I said nothing.

Suddenly my gaze fell on the dress Deidre was wearing.

Light blue.

That was the one I'd bought for my mom.

It had sat in the closet for years, the tag still on it. My mom never got the chance to wear it before she died.

Deidre's smile stiffened.

"Ma'am, what's wrong?"

I said coldly,

"That's my mom's dress."

Deidre's hand trembled.

"I... I got my period that day and stained my pants, so I just grabbed one from the closet..."