Never to Return

In an instant, the words that Quinn White had carefully prepared got stuck in her throat.

She stared at the child she had carried for nine months in disbelief.

"N-nanny?" she repeated.

"Yes," Levi Horton answered without hesitation. "Why else would Dad and I be by your hospital bed?"

Quinn did not say anything. She stared fixedly at Levi, desperately searching his face for any hint of a joke.

Perhaps, in the next second, he would rush to her bed, take her hand, and act like a spoiled child. He would tell her that he had known all along she was only pretending, and that he was just playing along with her.

However, to her disappointment, Levi looked completely serious. He even pulled Daniel Horton's sleeve in a solemn, businesslike manner.

"Dad, Nanny Quinn got into a car accident just to save me. You should give her a bigger bonus."

An overwhelming sense of absurdity washed over Quinn.

In the heart of the son she had risked her life to save, was she really only worthy of being a nanny?

Then who held the position of mother in his heart? Was it Charlotte Scott?

A sharp pain pierced her heart. Quinn bit her lower lip hard, barely managing to hold back the questions that almost burst out of her.

She turned her gaze toward Daniel, who had remained silent the entire time.

She wanted to know if she had a place in the heart of this man, who had been her husband for seven years, or if she meant nothing to him, just like their son.

Meeting her gaze, Daniel remained silent for a moment. Without a word, he took Levi by the hand and led him out of the room.

Quinn's heart sank inch by inch.

No denial was the best possible answer.

Enduring the fierce pain throbbing through her body, she got out of bed and pressed against the hospital door.

Through the glass window, she saw Daniel crouch down. Suppressing his anger, he asked, "Levi, why did you lie and say that your mom is a nanny?"

Levi pouted, a look of grievance covering his small face.

"I want Aunt Charlotte to be my mom. I'm always so happy when I spend time with her. She's not like Mom, who's always bossy and makes me angry.

"Besides, Aunt Charlotte can play the piano. Mom stays only at home. She doesn't know how to do anything."

Hearing her son personally admit that he wanted Charlotte to be his mother, Quinn felt as though all the strength in her body drained away. She slid weakly to the floor behind the door.

So... she had not misheard.

Levi actually liked Charlotte so much that he wanted to demote her, his own mother, to nanny just to make room for Charlotte.

Upon hearing Charlotte's name, Daniel's anger softened considerably, though his face remained serious.

"Even so, you should not lie."

"Mom doesn't know who she is right now," Levi clutched his dad's hand and begged. "Please, Dad. Aunt Charlotte said that she also wants to be my mom. Now that we finally have this chance, will you please just play along with me?"

"Besides, you're clearly very happy when you're with Aunt Charlotte too. It is only a white lie, and Mom has amnesia. Nothing bad will happen."

Daniel was clearly swayed by his words. He hesitated for a long moment before he finally nodded.

"Fine. However, it can only be for one week. After that, regardless of whether your mother recovers her memory or not, Aunt Charlotte cannot be your mother anymore."

Seeing that he agreed, Levi jumped up and down in pure excitement.

"Awesome! Let us go find Aunt Charlotte right now and tell her the good news!"

After saying that, he enthusiastically pulled Daniel away.

The two of them completely forgot about Quinn, who had just been through a severe car accident and was still lying in a hospital bed.

Hearing the footsteps fading into the distance, Quinn suddenly let out a laugh. Big drops of tears fell from her eyes and splattered onto the cold floor.

She had never expected that a simple test would reveal the true faces of this father and son.

Neither the husband she had been married to for seven years nor the son she had meticulously taken care of for five years had a place for her in their hearts.

The happy, perfect family she thought she had was nothing more than a complete joke.

At that exact moment, her cell phone rang loudly.

It was a call from the Medical Research Institute.

"Quinn, have you thought it over? Do you want to join this project?"

Quinn looked at the wallpaper on her phone screen, which was a photo of their family of three. Nothing but emptiness remained in her eyes.

"Yes, please, Professor."

In the quiet room, her voice sounded light yet incredibly resolute.

"Before the project begins, I hope you can erase all of my personal information."