Chapter 3
“Don’t hurt yourself. Get some rest.”
I reminded him one last time, turning to close the door. I packed my things but couldn’t leave because of Mrs. Taylor’s arrival.
Dressed head to toe in luxury, she was adorned with jewelry. Seeing the suitcase in my hand, she softened her tone for the first time. “Nora, after all, Asher is your nephew. Are you really going to let him be all alone?”
“Besides, staying in the Perry Family is for our good too! If Declan marries and has more children, we might end up empty-handed!”
It all boiled down to not wanting to lose the villa and BMW Declan provided, afraid of losing the luxury and wealth.
With a calm smile, the voices of two people approaching interrupted what I was about to say.
“Aunt Luna, I’ve missed you!”
Asher Perry clung to Luna Foster’s hand, acting all cutesy.
Luna Foster smiled as she picked him up, affectionately rubbing her cheek against his. “Really? Then why didn’t you come find me?”
“Anyway, staying with the Perry Family is for our own benefit! Otherwise, if Declan Perry marries and has children in the future, we might end up with nothing!”
At the core, it’s all about clinging to the villa and BMW that Declan Perry provided, fearing the loss of such luxuries.
I managed a faint smile, but my thoughts were interrupted by the cheerful voices of two people approaching.
“Aunt Luna, I’ve missed you!” exclaimed Asher Perry, holding onto Luna Foster’s hand and acting playfully.
Luna Foster chuckled as she picked him up, affectionately rubbing her cheek against his.
“Really? Then why haven’t you come to see me?” she teased.
Asher Perry rolled his eyes at me before hugging Luna Foster’s neck. “If I keep visiting you, Dad will get upset!”
“Besides, if I go to you, who’s going to help me deal with the bad woman? I embarrassed her yesterday!”
Watching Asher Perry’s triumphant grin made my heart ache.
When he was three, he had a persistent high fever, and I stayed with him in the hospital room for three sleepless nights.
Later, I tried to make him some porridge but fainted in the kitchen.
Sparks ignited the curtains, nearly engulfing me in flames.
Thankfully, he was worried about me and came looking for me. Seeing the fire in the kitchen, he cried and drew the attention of the security guards.
Afterwards, he clung to my neck, sobbing, “Auntie, I can’t be without you!”
Who could have known then?
The nephew who once cried and called me Auntie would later wound me deeply with his actions.
This seemingly gentle woman greeted me with a smile, but her words were full of provocation.
“Miss Taylor, please don’t be upset; Asher is still young.”
It’s absurd.
The child I’ve cared for so attentively listens to others without question.
Once they left, I turned to Mrs. Taylor.
“You see, Asher isn’t short of people to look after him.”
Luna Foster was originally just a waitress, but with a face that resembles my sister’s by seventy percent, she easily won over both father and son.
Declan Perry handed her an entire perfume production line, holding her hand tightly both in public and private, as if they were family.
Mrs. Taylor glared at me coldly. “Are you really planning to leave?”
I replied firmly, “I don’t have many more seven-year periods to waste…”
Before I could finish, she slapped me.
“In the end, you’re just the daughter of a shameless mistress, a bastard through and through!”
“If it weren’t for me pitying you and raising you, you’d have died out there already!”
Back then, my father pretended to be a wealthy bachelor, deceiving my mother who had just arrived from the countryside.
After my mom got pregnant with me, she found out he was already married.
Mrs. Taylor cornered her at school, humiliating her, making it known to the world that she was a mistress seducing a married man.
Heartbroken, she gave birth to me in a rented room and then jumped to her death.
If I weren’t indeed the Taylor family’s daughter, they would have discarded me, which would have been illegal. What chance did I have?
When the second slap was about to fall, I blocked Mrs. Taylor’s hand.
“For thirty years, I’ve given everything to the Taylor family.”
“I owe you nothing.”
I endured endless humiliation and abuse at the Taylor family, being beaten and scolded whenever Mrs. Taylor was unhappy. I grew up without ever attending a day of school until I was eighteen.
For the past seven years at the Perry Family, I was merely an outlet for Declan Perry.
I devoted myself to taking care of Asher Perry, giving him everything I could.
But what did I get in return?
My grandmother’s jade bracelet was smashed, my puppy died, and Declan Perry cut off my fallopian tubes, ending my chance of motherhood.
I’ve done my utmost and owe nothing to anyone.
The only one I’m sorry to is myself.
Mrs. Taylor stormed off in anger. I turned around, meeting Declan Perry’s complex gaze.