Chapter 4

Hadley seemed super excited.

I thought she was concerned about me, so I quickly adjusted my expression, ready to greet her as she approached.

Hadley had always treated me super well.

Even before Curtis and I got married.

Hadley once told me, "Aurora, you're a good girl. I know my way of living is different from yours, so after you and Curtis get married, I won't interfere or get in your way.

"You two just do your thing. I'll just swing by now and then with some homemade treats."

I had been deeply touched by how much she cared about us.

After we got married, Hadley really kept her word.

Even when Curtis and I had a little spat, she always stood firmly by me, no matter what.

I tried to get her to move in with us a few times, but she brushed it off.

No matter how much I tried, she wouldn't budge.

Every time Hadley visited, she'd bring things like stewing hens or fresh eggs from the countryside.

I genuinely wanted to look after Hadley. She was getting up there in age, and living alone out in the countryside made me worry—if anything ever happened, who would be there for her?

I thought about talking to Curtis about having Hadley move in with us in the city. We had three bedrooms, and she was always so reasonable. We never had any of those classic family problems.

But before I could even bring it up, Curtis was diagnosed with stomach cancer.

My lips twitched, and I was just about to call out to Hadley—the words were right there, stuck in my throat.

She just breezed past me, heading straight for Cara.

I froze on the spot.

My mind went totally blank.

What was this?

Hadley grabbed Cara's hand, her eyes lit up with excitement, and her hands were trembling a little.

"Sweetheart, why are you still standing? You've been on your feet for so long—you'll wear yourself out," she said, her voice full of concern.

Then Hadley turned and shot me a glare, her usual warmth gone. Her voice was way harsher than usual.

Hadley snapped at me, "Aurora, you only ever think about yourself. Cara's been standing here all this time, and you didn't even bother to get her a chair.

"She's carrying my precious grandbaby, and if anything happens to my baby, you'll have me to answer to."

Then, just like that, Hadley's face lit up again as she turned to Cara, pointing at the hen tied up on the floor. "These are especially for you, sweetheart. They are really good for you."

I was left stunned and confused by Hadley's sudden change in attitude.

Hadley had never been harsh to me before.

Judging by how she acted around Cara, it was obvious they had met more than once.

Hadley knew Cara was carrying Curtis's child.

She even deliberately showed up just to give Cara all these good things right in front of me.

This was just adding insult to injury.

I played dumb and kept my feelings to myself. "Mom, what are you talking about? Who's your precious grandbaby?"

Hadley snorted. "Whatever, I'll tell you. Cara is carrying my grandson. You'd better start taking good care of her. If anything happens to her, just wait—when you die, no one will even care enough to bury you."

She added, "Who do you have besides Curtis now? If Curtis doesn't bury you, you'll just end up out in the wild, left for the bugs and ants to eat."

Curtis really was Hadley's son—their attitude was exactly the same.

I always thought I had a place in their hearts.

After all, I was Curtis's wife.

But reality slapped me in the face—I was dead wrong.

Not a single tear for me, not even a word to make me feel better.

I felt completely heartbroken.

Turns out, I seriously suck at reading people.

With just one choice, I saw who Curtis and Hadley really were.

I always thought that if I was the one who got cancer, it would just make sense for me to take care of Curtis and help him recover, and he'd slowly get better.

But all my good intentions ended up meaning nothing. Curtis brought his mistress right into our home, and even Hadley, who always had my back, started treating me like dirt because of Cara.

"It's getting late. Go make dinner, and make it extra spicy—I like it that way," Curtis called out, acting all bossy.

After he finished setting up the master bedroom, he started ordering me around like he owned the place, clearly enjoying playing the big shot.

I went along with it, letting him think he was getting away with his little schemes.

Fine, if he wanted spicy, I would make sure he got it.

I made every dish twice as spicy as usual. But to avoid raising suspicion, I also prepared a bowl of oatmeal.

The food was heavy on oil and spice.

It tasted amazing, sure, but for someone with stomach cancer, it was pretty much a recipe for disaster.

After I brought out the chicken soup and set it on the table, Hadley wasted no time placing the bowl right in front of Cara.

"Drink up, Cara; this soup is packed with nutrition," Hadley said, doting on her.