Chapter 2

I repeatedly assured Jude that I wouldn't harass him with random calls again.

His expression grew darker. After a long pause, he said coolly with certainty, "You're just throwing a tantrum, Serena Braun."

Then, he turned to leave and tossed a single sentence over his shoulder. "If you want to make a fuss, go ahead. Just remember to clean up my study."

I opened my mouth to say something, hesitated, then thought better of it. Instead, I took out my phone, yawning as I started searching for a suitable nanny.

I was done. I simply couldn't do it anymore.

Looking back, I actually admired my past self.

Every morning at 6:00 am, I would be in the kitchen, meticulously preparing breakfast for Oliver, who had a long list of allergens. By 7:00 am, I would have another breakfast ready for Jude, who had a sensitive stomach.

After hastily choking down a few bites for myself, I would begin deep cleaning the entire house. Jude was a compulsive neat freak and wouldn't tolerate a single speck of mess in the house. His study had to be especially spotless and perfectly organized.

Today, I tried to recreate that version of myself in my memories and nearly collapsed from exhaustion. I had probably shoved files back randomly while tidying the study. Maybe that was why Jude had come in earlier to give me a special reminder.

I drifted off to sleep, but minutes later, loud banging on the door woke me up.

"Why aren't you up making breakfast yet? I'm going to be late for school!" Oliver impatiently shouted.

It was time to make breakfast, but luckily, I had planned ahead.

"I ordered takeout for breakfast. It'll arrive soon," I said before rolling over and going back to sleep.

Just before I drifted off, I could hear his angry kicks against the door. "Dad shouldn't have brought you back. Maddie usually makes me breakfast, while you're just useless."

The next time I opened my eyes, Jude was roughly yanking me out of bed.

"What did you feed Oliver?" he demanded.

While I was utterly confused, he dragged me straight to Oliver, who was covered in red blotches and struggling to breathe.

"Even if you're mad, you shouldn't have taken it out on Oliver. He has a severe allergy, and if I'd found him another later, he could've suffocated."

The ambulance soon arrived and took Oliver to the hospital.

I followed and quickly explained, "I don't know why this happened. When I placed the customized breakfast order, I listed all his allergens and discussed everything in detail.

"They promised it would be safe, so I never thought Oliver would show an allergic reaction."

Jude shot me an annoyed glare. "Stop making excuses. You drove away the two nutritionists I hired and forced a strict diet on Oliver. He was so fed up with your control and said a few nice things in Maddie's favor, so now you're trying to punish him."

"No, that's not it. It was because—"

"Save it," he coldly cut off the rest of my explanation. "Don't make me regret restoring your memory."

In truth, I controlled Oliver's diet and stopped him from eating recklessly because he had a unique, allergy-prone constitution. The two nutritionists had quit within a week because they realized managing a child with his level of allergies was exhausting and troublesome work.

But that was fine. Explaining to Jude took too much effort, and none of that would be my concern once the new nanny arrived.

The doctor said it was a honey allergy. Since Oliver hadn't eaten much, it wasn't serious. All he needed was an IV drip.

When I called the restaurant to inquire, the manager said the honey item was a complimentary side, clearly labeled as an allergen with a warning sticker attached.

Oliver must have let his sweet tooth get the better of him.

He had always loved sweets, but he was allergic to honey and chocolate. In the past, my strict rules kept him safe, and now accidents happened the moment I wasn't paying attention.

Just as I turned to explain to Jude, a soft, warm weight suddenly wrapped around my legs.

"Serena!"