Chapter 3

Yasmine quietly made dinner.

Her cooking was always delicious. The smell wafted into Noah’s room, and he came running out. When he saw her carrying a steaming bowl of seafood porridge, a wicked smile spread across his face.

He stuck out his leg, and Yasmine stumbled. The porridge spilled all over her, and the scalding heat made her cry out in pain.

But the very next moment, Noah’s loud sobs drowned her out.

“Auntie Yasmine, I know you don’t like me, but how could you burn me like this?

“Mom, it hurts!”

Yara and Leo rushed out at once.

Yara took Noah into her arms, and her eyes welled up with tears.

“Yasmine, if you’re upset about quitting your job, take it out on me. Don’t pick on Noah!”

Yasmine was about to explain, but Leo pushed her away.

She staggered back and slammed into the cabinet. The pain in her waist nearly doubled her over.

Leo looked at her with disgust, as if he could not see her pain at all. “Yasmine, Noah is just a child! He’s my brother’s only son! How can you be so cruel?”

Yasmine lifted her head and glanced at Noah’s arm. His so-called burn was no bigger than a fingernail, while her own arms were covered in blisters. The sight was almost laughable.

Such a tiny scratch, and yet he had managed to pin such a serious accusation on her.

Such a tiny scratch, yet Leo’s heart ached so much he insisted on rushing Noah to the hospital.

As they were leaving, Noah peeked over Leo’s shoulder and made a face at her.

The look reminded Yasmine of another time, when he had been running a high fever.

Yara had been nowhere to be found, and Leo was away on duty. Yasmine had come home from work to find Noah burning up.

With no buses running and no rides to the hospital, she had staggered down the dark streets, carrying him on her back the whole way. She then spent two nights in the hospital, watching over him as he received his IV.

She had truly cared for Noah like her own child.

In her past life, she had never had children of her own, so she poured all her love into him.

She had barely used any of her parents’ inheritance for herself. Instead, she bought Noah a car and a house.

But what did she get in return?

That boastful phone call before her death and the boy’s cruel smirk today, made her realize just how worthless her loyalty and devotion had been.

There was no guarantee that true affection could get genuine care in return. Noah was already twisted at such a young age. She would not waste her love on him again.

She went back to her room to tend to her wounds.

The blisters on her arms were so large that they made her tremble in pain. Gritting her teeth, she held a needle to the flame, pricked the blisters, and applied some ointment to them. The pain was unbearable.

To distract herself from the pain, she packed her belongings.

After half a day of sorting out her things, she had only managed to fill a small bundle.

It was almost laughable. After all these years with Leo, all she owned were a few sets of clothes and some shoes.

The only jewelry she had was those her parents had left her.

The Quinton family was not poor. Leo’s parents were retired soldiers, and Leo himself had been a regimental commander. His monthly allowance was several thousand dollars.

But when she thought about it, Yasmine realized she had never taken a single penny from him. Instead, she had used her own salary to support the household and never dared to spend it on herself.

Yet Yara, a primary school teacher earning only a few dozen dollars a month, somehow had gold necklaces and bracelets.

Once again, Yasmine felt the sting of Leo’s favoritism. It was like a needle pricking at her heart.

She continued packing and finally pulled out the two marriage certificates she had once guarded so carefully from the bottom of a drawer.

She remembered the day Leo had brought them home. His face shone with guilt.

“My brother just passed away. We can’t have a big wedding. Yasmine, I’m so sorry.

“But from now on, you’re the lady of the Quinton family. I’ll treat you well.”

Looking back, what had he really felt guilty about? Was it really because they could not hold a grand wedding?

Every word he had said back then had been a lie.

He had tricked her for half a lifetime, and the pain of it had nearly ruined her.

With tears stinging her eyes, Yasmine ripped the worthless papers to shreds.