Chapter 4

When I woke up, it was already the next morning.

Only one day remained before I received my divorce certificate.

Weakly, I picked up my phone and saw three messages from Adrian.

[What I did yesterday was only to give the Vaughn family an explanation.]

[We’re having a family dinner tonight. Come home and cook.]

[Stop targeting Serena, or you won’t be able to handle the consequences.]

I stared at the first message.

Years ago, I had accidentally gotten on the wrong side of a newly rich businessman.

Adrian hadn’t defended me.

Instead, he had said, “You need to solve your own problems. You’re an adult now.”

“The Hayes family can’t become a weapon for you to use however you please.”

“If you want to rise above where you came from and stop people from bullying you, then learn to stand on your own.”

From that day on, I stopped relying on Adrian’s status and power.

But when Serena had just returned from abroad and offended the son of a powerful government official, the man threatened to destroy her.

Adrian had both of his hands broken on the spot.

Then, with ruthless efficiency, he forced the man’s entire family to leave the capital that same night.

Afterward, I asked Adrian why.

His expression softened as he answered,

“Serena isn’t like you.”

“She’s the precious princess of the Vaughn family. She doesn’t need to learn how to survive on her own.”

Of course.

She was the moon high in the sky.

I was merely someone clawing my way out of the mud.

There was no comparison between us.

But Adrian didn’t know one thing.

Those who had dragged themselves out of the mud had the least left to fear.

Perhaps because I hadn’t replied, Adrian called me directly.

“Did you see the messages I sent you?”

I gave a quiet hum of acknowledgment.

Adrian either didn’t notice how weak I sounded or simply didn’t care.

“Be at the family estate by three this afternoon. If you’re late, you’ll never see Noah’s body again.”

“I understand,” I said, surrendering.

At that moment, the last trace of affection I still had for Adrian disappeared.

My mother had died suddenly when I was younger.

Soon after her death, her creditors came looking for me.

They demanded that I repay everything immediately. Otherwise, they would refuse to release my mother’s body.

I had no other choice.

I dropped out of school and worked five or six jobs every day, surviving on only two or three hours of sleep.

It took me six months to pay off every debt.

But all I received in return was my mother’s body, already decomposed beyond recognition.

Back then, Adrian had held me in his arms and said with aching tenderness,

“You never have to be afraid again.”

“As long as I’m here, I’ll never let anyone threaten you like that again.”

Now, he had broken that promise.

After all the years we had loved each other, Adrian knew exactly which wound to press to make me obey.

At three that afternoon, I arrived at the Hayes family estate on time.

During all the years I had been married into the Hayes family, Adrian’s mother had been the only person who ever showed me warmth.

That was the other reason—besides Adrian’s threat—that I was willing to return and cook one final meal for the family.

Adrian and I had gotten married without telling his family.

We hadn’t even held a wedding or reception.

Everyone in the Hayes family had treated me like a gold digger trying to marry above my station.

Only Mrs. Hayes had taken my hand while everyone else looked at me coldly.

“Now that you’ve married into the Hayes family, you’re one of us.”

“If anything happens in the future, come to me.”

The year Noah was born, Adrian was so busy that he barely had time to sleep.

Mrs. Hayes stayed with me at the hospital for three days and three nights.

Whenever Noah cried in the middle of the night, she worried that the noise would disturb my rest.

She would carry him up and down the hallway until morning.

The day Noah died, she cried in the hospital hallway until she nearly fainted.

Clutching my hand, she said,

“Claire, I should have protected him better. Please don’t blame me.”

After that, she became distant.

I thought her grief was simply too overwhelming.

I assumed seeing me reminded her of Noah, so I tried to stay out of her way.

But today was different.

When I walked into the living room, Mrs. Hayes was sitting on the couch drinking tea.

She didn’t even lift her eyes when she saw me.

“You’re here.”

Only two words.

She didn’t even look at me.

My footsteps faltered, but I still called out softly,

“Mom.”

Mrs. Hayes didn’t answer.

Holding her teacup, she looked past me at the television.

The silence grew painfully awkward.

I stood there for a while.

In the end, I said nothing and turned toward the kitchen.

This is the last time, I told myself.

Once I finished this meal, I would have nothing more to do with the Hayes family.

Whether Mrs. Hayes treated me warmly or coldly no longer mattered.

Mrs. Davis was preparing the ingredients in the kitchen.

When she saw me enter, she froze.

“Ma’am, you’re here.”

“I’ll take over.”

I rolled up my sleeves.

Mrs. Davis hesitated before stepping aside.

As I chopped the vegetables, laughter drifted in from the living room.

It was Serena’s voice—sweet and delicate enough to make Mrs. Hayes laugh aloud.

“Mrs. Hayes, that jade bracelet looks beautiful on you. It makes your skin look so fair.”

“You’ve always had good taste,” Mrs. Hayes replied with a warmth I hadn’t heard in a long time.

“Unlike some people. Their gifts aren’t fit to be seen in public, and neither are they.”

The knife in my hand paused.

“Please don’t say that,” Serena said, laughter still in her voice. “Claire might be upset if she hears you.”

“Why should I care whether she’s upset?”

Mrs. Hayes gave a cold snort.

“She crawled out of a slum. If Adrian hadn’t insisted on marrying her, I never would’ve allowed her through the Hayes family’s doors.”

My fingers tightened around the knife.

“I told Adrian years ago that his marriage to her should end as soon as you returned.”

“But he refused to listen. He kept saying Noah was still too young.”

“Now Noah is gone. It’s time she learned to step aside.”

“Mrs. Hayes…”

Serena lowered her voice, but I still heard her clearly.

“What about Noah’s death?”

“Don’t mention that child.”

Mrs. Hayes’s voice turned cold.

“If Claire hadn’t insisted on keeping Noah’s body, I would’ve had Adrian take care of it long ago.”

“He was only a child. They could always have had another.”

“Instead, she’s using his body as leverage to cling to the Hayes family and refuse to leave.”

I leaned against the kitchen counter, suddenly unable to breathe.

So that was the truth.

From the beginning, every kindness Mrs. Hayes had shown me had been because of Noah.

While Noah was alive, I was the mother of her grandson.

That was why she had been willing to treat me with a little dignity.

Once Noah was gone, I became nothing.

The only daughter-in-law she had ever truly accepted was Serena.

“By the way,” Serena suddenly asked, “you’re still wearing that jade bracelet?”

“Of course I am. You gave it to me, so naturally I wear it every day.”

“Adrian was the one who chose it. He said the stone was beautiful and would suit you.”

“You two are always so thoughtful.”

Mrs. Hayes laughed with delight.

“Unlike Claire Bennett. She’s been married into the Hayes family for years, yet she’s never given me a single respectable gift.”

“I told Adrian from the beginning that marrying her was a mistake.”

“It’s just as I expected. A woman from a family like hers will never belong in our world.”

I closed my eyes.

Adrian had bought that jade bracelet at an auction.

At the time, Serena had looked down on it and said, “They actually expect someone to wear jade of this quality?”

So Adrian gave it to Mrs. Hayes in Serena’s name.

Mrs. Hayes had worn it for years and praised Serena’s thoughtfulness to everyone she met.

It turned out that in this family, I was worth less than a jade bracelet Serena had rejected.

Standing in the kitchen and listening to their laughter, I suddenly felt very cold.

I had believed Mrs. Hayes was the only person in the Hayes family who genuinely cared about me.

But the daughter-in-law she had accepted from beginning to end was Serena.

During all my years in the Hayes family, I had been nothing more than a temporary replacement for Serena.

A tool who had given them a child.

By the time I carried the dishes out of the kitchen, there was no emotion left on my face.

Mrs. Hayes glanced at me.

“Why are you standing there? Set the table.”

“All right.”

I lowered my head and arranged the dishes.

Serena sat beside Mrs. Hayes and tilted her head as she looked at me.

“Claire, you don’t look very well.”

“I shouldn’t have come today. This is all because Adrian…”

Adrian emerged from the study and sat at the table.

He immediately placed some food on Serena’s plate.

“Eat more. You’ve lost weight recently.”

Serena smiled coyly.

“If you’re serving it to me, Adrian, then of course I’ll eat more.”

Mrs. Hayes beamed at them from beside her.

I stood next to the dining table and looked at the three of them.

Adrian.

Mrs. Hayes.

Serena.

They were the real family.

I lowered my eyes to the bowl in my hands.

I had used that bowl for five years.

Mrs. Hayes had bought it especially for me, saying, “A new bride should have a new bowl.”

At the time, I had been deeply moved.

I thought it meant she had truly accepted me.

Looking back now, that bowl had probably been the cheapest one she could find.

Because from the very beginning, I had only been a temporary substitute.

Once Serena returned, it was time for me to step aside.