Chapter 1
The day I was released, my husband and son came to take me home. I was moved by their unwavering support and loved them even more, never doubting their words.
Until one day, I unintentionally overheard a conversation in the study between my husband and son:
“Dad, when are you going to marry Aunt Nora? I don’t want a murderer as my mom.”
“Enough. If you hadn’t put peanut powder in your mom’s food back then, causing her allergy, she wouldn’t have ended up in jail.”
“I only did it because Aunt Nora lost the department head election to Mom. And Dad, you didn’t oppose it either.”
My husband angrily slammed the table: “I told you never to bring this up again. If it weren’t for Nora being upset, I wouldn’t have agreed to your plan.”
I stepped back, covering my mouth as tears streamed down.
“Dad, do you really want Aunt Nora to be with someone else? Didn’t you say she would be my mom?”
Declan hesitated, furrowing his brows.
“Are you worried that woman will find out? Don’t worry, she’s so naive, she listens to us without question and won’t suspect anything. But Aunt Nora, if you don’t act soon, she’ll marry someone else.”
My son tugged at his hand, seeking affection.
Declan tapped his forehead with a mix of indulgence and worry, “For now, don’t let her find out. Nora needs to become Master Blake’s disciple and needs that acupuncture manuscript of hers. Once she hands it over…”
He was interrupted by his son’s excitement: “Then we can be a family, and that murderer woman can go away.”
“Keep your voice down, don’t let her hear.”
My son nodded, covering his mouth: “Got it, Dad. You better explain to Aunt Nora. If it weren’t for that murderer, Aunt Nora wouldn’t have misunderstood us. I hate her so much, why didn’t she die in prison?”
The child who usually wore an angelic smile now spoke with disdain and hatred. It seemed my existence was their biggest obstacle.