Chapter 3
860 Words
Barry opened his mouth, about to speak.
"June eighteenth!"
Herry's eyes sparkled. "Every birthday only Mom and Uncle celebrate with me. I want Auntie to come too!"
Lucy's face changed. She quickly covered Herry's mouth.
Kate narrowed her eyes and looked at Barry. "June eighteenth? Barry, do you still remember what day that is?"
Barry lowered his eyes, his voice weak. "I remember... it's the death anniversary of our first child."
Kate let out a bitter laugh, her eyes stinging.
Every year in the past, she went to the cemetery alone, placed a bouquet of white roses on the grave, and stood there for a long, long time.
She cried, blamed herself, and said "I'm sorry, baby" countless times.
Barry always had an excuse not to come, but he never forgot to send flowers or even ask a master to recite scriptures.
She thought he just couldn't face it.
Now she knew the truth.
At those very moments, he was celebrating with Lucy and Herry—lighting candles, cutting cake, laughing happily as a family of three.
And she, crying for four years in front of an empty grave.
Like a fool.
During dinner, Kate focused all her attention on Herry and unconsciously piled food onto his plate.
Barry noticed something was wrong and tested her, "Kate, you today..."
Kate said calmly, "I've made up my mind. Maybe I really wasn't meant to have children. I might as well treat Herry as half my son."
At those words, the expressions of both Barry and Lucy turned strange.
Lucy forced a smile, and the whole meal was unusually quiet.
After dinner, Kate had just climbed the stairs when she heard Lucy scream, "Herry! Herry, what's wrong with you?!"
She turned around sharply and saw Herry unconscious in Lucy's arms, his face pale, white foam at the corners of his mouth.
Lucy looked up, her eyes red. "Kate! What did you do to Herry?! You were acting strange at the table, keeping giving him food. Did you put something in it?!"
Kate reflexively denied it. "Impossible! I ate the same food. Why am I fine?"
Lucy sneered. "You did it yourself, of course you took the antidote ahead of time!"
Kate looked at Barry, her voice trembling. "You think it was me too?"
Barry held Herry, his eyes cold enough to freeze.
"You were the only one feeding him the entire meal."
His voice was flat. "What do you expect me to think?"
A sharp pain stabbed Kate's heart.
He didn't even investigate. He convicted her directly.
In the next second, a hard slap landed across her face.
Lucy's eyes were full of hatred. "Kate, if anything happens to Herry, I won't let you go!"
Kate stumbled back two steps, her face burning with pain.
Anger rose from her chest. She raised her hand, but her wrist was grabbed tightly.
"Enough! You hurt a child already. What else do you want to do?!"
Her wrist ached fiercely. Kate's voice trembled. "Barry! I would never hurt Herry!"
Barry frowned tightly and threw her hand away. "Herry isn't your own. What makes you so innocent?"
Kate froze.
Barry's words pierced her heart like a knife.
He was the last person qualified to say that!
She was about to speak when Barry had already rushed away with the child.
As Lucy passed Kate, she smiled triumphantly and revealed a small white pill hidden in her hand.
It was her!
Herry was the child she had raised for years. She could actually bring herself to hurt him so badly!
Kate snapped back to her senses and chased after them.
Outside the emergency room, she waited in the corner, staring at the closed door, her heart twisted into a knot.
No matter what happened, he was her child.
Mother and son were connected by blood. She still cared about him.
After an unknown amount of time, the light went out, and Herry was wheeled out.
Kate hurried forward.
But Lucy stepped up and pushed her aside, her voice choking. "Kate, I'm begging you, don't hurt my child again... I know you don't like me, but the child is innocent!"
Her voice was loud, drawing stares from everyone in the hallway.
"How could that woman hurt a child..."
"She looks so decent, but she's so evil?"
The whispers pricked like needles.
Lucy cried harder and held Herry tighter.
Seeing this, Barry roughly pulled Kate away. "Enough! Stop upsetting her here!"
Kate lost her balance and hit her forehead hard against the wall.
A dull thud. Warm liquid trickled down her temple.
Barry froze for a moment, watching the blood seep through her fingers.
Kate looked up at him, her eyes red but calm—so calm it made his heart race.
His chest tightened instantly. He was about to speak when Lucy tugged at his arm. "Barry, let's go back to the ward, okay?"
Barry looked away, gave Kate a complicated glance, and turned into the ward.
The door closed right in front of Kate.
She leaned against the wall and slowly slid to the ground.
Blood dripped from her forehead, striking bright against the white floor tiles.
- Writer
