She left her family

The gates of the Los Angeles Psychiatric Hospital slowly opened. Lucy Morano, wearing a beige coat, her hair loose, walked out with her arms folded across her chest. Though she was shivering with cold, she was in a good mood. Today was her daughter, Susanna William's birthday, and they hadn't seen each other for a full year. At this moment, she couldn't wait to see her daughter again. She hurried to the curb and hailed a taxi. "Sir, could you please take me to... Long Beach Manor?" After speaking to the driver, she instinctively leaned toward the door and turned toward the window. The taxi slowly moved along the snow-covered streets, the city outside covered in white. Lucy Morano's heart raced, her mind filled with the image of her adorable daughter. She vaguely remembered the day she left home a year ago, when her daughter had clung to her thighs, crying bitterly and refusing to leave her. A year had passed since they'd last seen each other. She imagined her daughter's surprise upon seeing her, and a smile crept up her lips. The car finally arrived at the manor gate. Lucy Morano paid the fare, got out, and hurried toward the gate. Arriving at the door, she instinctively reached out to unlock it with her fingerprint. "Ding ding ding..." Unexpectedly, as soon as she pressed her thumb against it, the lock began to chime. She glanced down, thinking her hand must have been frozen stiff, and the fingerprint path was unclear, preventing it from being recognized. So, she rubbed her thumb vigorously against her clothes to warm it up and tried again. Just like the last time, the chime was the same. Lucy Morano finally gave up. She hadn't been home for a year, and yet the locks had already been changed. She reluctantly raised her hand and rang the doorbell, eagerly anticipating the sound of her daughter's cheerful footsteps. After a long moment, the door slowly opened, and Nanny Marinette poked her head out, looking her up and down. Just then, recognizing her, "Ms. Lucy Morano, why... are you back?" "Where's Susanna?" Lucy Morano asked calmly. Ever since her parents passed away, William Frye had taken over everything in her family. She had gone from a brilliant medical student in Los Angeles to a housewife. Everything had changed since then. Now, her only attachment to this home was her daughter, Susanna William. If it weren't for seeing her daughter, she might not have returned. Marinette opened the door wider and stepped aside to let Lucy Morano in. Seeing Ms. Lucy Morano's haggard appearance, she said with heartache, "Ms. Lucy Morano, it's cold outside. Please come inside and warm yourself up. Today is Ms. Susanna's birthday, and everyone is celebrating in the restaurant..." Lucy Morano's heart leaped with joy, and she hurried towards the restaurant, forgetting everything else. Familiar decor, unfamiliar silence. The two feelings intertwined, making her even more eager to see her daughter. Even before she even entered the restaurant, she could hear the sound of laughter. Lucy Morano took a deep breath, adjusted her messy hair, and pushed open the door. The restaurant was ablaze with lights, and the table was laden with exquisite dishes and a beautiful birthday cake. The candles on the cake danced happily. But the moment she took in the scene before her, Lucy Morano's smile froze. William Frye sat at the head of the table, snuggled up to a strange woman with elaborate makeup and fashionable attire. Surrounding him was his daughter, Susanna William, who sat beside the woman, happily chatting with her. Also present were William Frye's mother, Martha Parisi, and sister, Sunny Frye, both beaming with smiles. At first glance, they looked like a family, while Lucy Morano, pausing at the door, seemed an alien and alienated outsider. Lucy Morano stood frozen in the doorway, her feet seemingly nailed to the ground. She had never imagined that she, eagerly eager to return to celebrate her daughter's birthday, would find herself in such a scene. Everyone was so engrossed in the joyous atmosphere that no one noticed Lucy Morano standing still at the doorway. Her gaze was fixed on her daughter, her eyes reddened, her lips trembling slightly as she tried to detect a hint of longing for her in Susanna William's expression. But Susanna William was so engrossed in chatting and laughing with Sally Breen beside her that she didn't notice her mother's presence at the door. "Susanna..." Lucy Morano whispered softly, a slight tremor in her voice. It seemed so faint in the bustling restaurant. Susanna William stiffened at the familiar yet unfamiliar call, and slowly turned her head. The moment her eyes met Lucy Morano's, her face widened. There was no trace of surprise, only astonishment and evasion. Her little hand unconsciously grasped the edge of Sally Breen's shirt, as if grasping at a lifeline. William Frye followed Susanna William's gaze, his face darkening. He quickly stood up and took a few steps to Lucy Morano, separating her from the others in the room like a cold wall. He lowered his voice and said angrily: "Why are you back?" "Today is my daughter Susanna's birthday. As her mother, I'm back to celebrate her birthday with her. Isn't it right?" Lucy Morano raised her head and met William Frye's gaze with dignity. Her voice, though slightly trembling, was filled with unquestionable determination. William Frye's eyes flashed with panic. He suppressed his anger and said through gritted teeth: "Lucy Morano, I didn't say you couldn't come back to celebrate Susanna's birthday. If you want to come back, you can tell me in advance and I can pick you up. Your sudden return will scare Susanna." He said it nicely, but Lucy Morano knew it well. If he had told him in advance, he would have done everything he could to prevent her from leaving the mental hospital. Just like back then, when he stopped her from investigating the truth behind her parents' death, he said it was for her own good. "William is right. You spent a year in a mental hospital. You must have a lot of problems. Coming back like this will only sour our mood." William Frye's mother, Martha Parisi, followed up on her son's words, chiding her. For the past four years, William Frye's mother had never refuted any of his criticisms of her, simply enduring them. Finally, she developed depression. A year ago, she began to somatize and suffered from severe headaches. William Frye, under the pretext of taking her to a mental hospital, sent her there. She stayed there for a whole year! Now, with great difficulty, she was finally released, and she never wanted to be as cowardly as before. Lucy Morano took a deep breath, looked directly into William Frye's mother's eyes, and spoke word by word: "I'm Susanna's biological mother. I haven't seen my daughter for a year. I miss her, and I came back to see her. Is that wrong? You locked me up in a mental hospital for a year, and you're saying I was wrong!"