Chapter 5: So This Is How I Look in Their Eyes
His light, offhand remark left Wendy’s face full of disappointment.
Her gaze was almost numb as she looked at Michael. “Michael, I’ll give you one last chance. Say it again.”
“You said you wanted to make up with me, so you took me out of school to play…”
He bit his lip, looking terribly wronged, fat tears rolling down his cheeks.
Wendy’s mind went blank. Drawing a deep breath, she said heavily, “There are security cameras here. Check the footage–you’ll see who’s lying.”
Steven gave a cold snort. “Michael’s arm is already broken and you still want me to stand here pulling surveillance? Wendy, how can you be so vicious toward your own son?”
Cradling Michael, he strode off.
Queenie shot Wendy a triumphant look and followed them out.
Wendy could hardly breathe.
Vicious.
In the eyes of that father and son, she had actually become synonymous with “vicious.”
What had all these years of giving been for?
She drifted down the street like a soul torn loose.
Before long, a doctor called her. “Dr. Ulrich, your son keeps crying and won’t let us touch his injured arm. Could you come?”
Wendy tightened her grip on the phone, voice chilled. “Steven is at the hospital. Let him do the comforting.”
“He’s the one who asked us to call you. The arm’s quite serious. If we delay surgery much longer, there may be permanent disability.”
Her heart trembled. She couldn’t harden herself. “I’m coming now.”
When she arrived, Steven and Queenie were in the ward along with the entire orthopedics team. Michael kept crying and refused to let the doctors
near.
Wendy went to the bed, gently stroked his head. “Michael, it’s okay. Mom is here. It’s just surgery–you’ll be fine.”
She took a sedative from the doctor, and while he wasn’t looking, injected it into his arm. He soon fell asleep and was wheeled into the operating room.
Not once did she look at Steven.
Two hours later, the operation succeeded. Only after confirming that Michael was out of danger did she leave.
Watching her back, Steven’s eyes darkened.
The old Wendy would have sat at the bedside until the boy woke. She was… different.
The next day, between rounds, Wendy stopped by the ward with a thermos of soup she’d stewed that morning.
After feeding it to him, she asked, “Why did you lie yesterday?”
She had hoped the son she raised would stand by her, so that after the divorce she’d have the will to fight for custody.
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My Ex Called Me the Help. Now I’m Untouchable
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Chapter 5: So This Is How I Look in Their Eyes
But his words had cast her straight into hell.
“Because if I said Auntie Queenie took me out, Dad would be mad at her and she’d be unhappy. But you’re different–Dad doesn’t like you.”
Her heart sank inch by inch, cold spreading through her limbs. Her lips trembled. “But I am your mother. How could you smear your own mother in
front of everyone?”
“I didn’t smear you. You’re the one who’s always blaming Auntie Queenie.” There wasn’t the slightest hint of remorse in him.
Disappointment flooded her eyes. Her voice sharpened. “Michael, you’ve completely lost your way.”
Used to her gentle tone, he flared at her sudden sternness. “What right do you have to get mad at me? You never let me play games. You’re always watching my studies, my meals, my sleep. I’m a person, not a toy for you to arrange.”
Her “rules” had never been harsh; when he was younger he was constantly getting hurt, so she simply accompanied him and kept him from dangerous outdoor games. Yet in his eyes, this was the mother she had become…
“What are you two arguing about? Sister, Michael is injured–don’t make him angry.”
Queenie hurried in at the noise, gently gathered him into her arms and patted his back. “Sister, Michael has his own ideas. He should do what he wants. You can’t control him so tightly.”
“You’re being selfish. That only makes him hate you more!”
“I’m selfish?”
“This is all because you keep sowing discord–that’s why he’s like this!”
Wendy had no idea how Queenie had brainwashed him, but in just half a year the obedient, sensible boy had become so unreasonable.
She stepped forward, grabbed Queenie’s arm, and pushed her toward the door.
Queenie was about to explode when she saw Steven arrive.
At once, she put on a wounded little voice. “Sister, you’re hurting me.”
As she spoke, she shoved Wendy hard and deliberately fell backward. Coming through the doorway, Steven saw it and lunged to catch her.
“Steven… don’t blame my sister. She didn’t mean it…”
Her words had barely fallen when she “fainted.”
Steven hurriedly sent his assistant for a doctor, holding Queenie tighter with worry.
Wendy’s lower back slammed against the cabinet. She hissed in pain, face going pale. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the two of them clinging together and felt her eyes sting.
Then Michael jabbed an accusing finger at her. “Dad, Mom hit Auntie Queenie first! She fainted! You have to punish Mom. Make her apologize to Auntie Queenie!”
Steven’s gaze cut like a blade. His face was stormy. “Wendy! What do you have to say for yourself? You’re completely unreasonable!”
“Just you wait. When Queenie wakes up, I’ll make you-”
Wendy didn’t let him finish. “You’re sure she fainted?”
She picked up the water glass on the table, walked step by step to his side–and hurled it straight at Queenie.
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