Chapter 5

Standing in the noisy crowd, watching that scene, it felt like my heart had been struck hard by a blunt weapon.

The son I had raised with such effort for fifteen years, right in front of my eyes, pushed his father toward another woman.

Jackson didn’t let go of Amy for a long time. When he finally did, there was still a faint blush on both of their faces.

Amy’s cheeks were rosy as she lowered her head shyly.

“Sorry,” Jackson said in a low voice, “I got pushed and lost my balance just now.”

After that, he turned to Lucas with a stern face.

“Enough joking.”

Even though his tone sounded harsh, I knew him too well—

he had clearly enjoyed that “accidental” kiss.

Jackson glanced at me again and explained,

“That was an accident. Kids don’t know the border. Don’t take it to heart.”

I shook my head calmly. “I won’t.”

And I truly wouldn’t anymore.

Whatever attachment I had left for this family completely vanished with that kiss.

After leaving the dolphin show, everyone headed to watch the fireworks.

As the night deepened, we moved with the crowd toward the viewing platform amid the bustling noise.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out in the distance. A few drunk men shoved their way into the crowd, causing screams and chaos all around!

“Watch out!”

In the chaos, I saw Jackson, at the very first moment, shield Amy in his arms, and Lucas also held Amy’s hand tightly.

The three of them quickly retreated to a safe spot.

Meanwhile, I was knocked to the ground by the jostling crowd. My elbow and knees slammed hard onto the rough ground.

“Ugh—!”

A burst of sharp pain shot through me, and I could clearly feel bits of gravel digging into my skin.

In the chaos, someone’s high heel stepped on my fingers, and the piercing pain made my vision go black.

I curled up on the ground, listening as the screaming and pounding footsteps around me gradually faded into the distance.

In the end, it was a staff who found me collapsed in a corner and cried out in shock, then called an ambulance.

At the hospital, the doctor gave me a thorough checkup.

“The index finger on your right hand is fractured. There are multiple abrasions on the elbow and knees. We need to treat them right away.”

During debridement, I clenched my teeth and didn’t make a sound, letting cold sweat soak through the back of my clothes.

That night, I tossed and turned on the hospital bed, unable to sleep.

It wasn’t until almost dawn that I finally dozed off for a bit.

Early the next morning, the doctor came on rounds. After checking my condition, he said,

“Your injuries aren’t slight, especially your finger. You need enough rest. You can be discharged, but it’d be best if a family member could come pick you up.”

I was silent for a moment and said softly,

“No need, I can manage on my own.”

The doctor frowned.

“In your condition, it’ll be very inconvenient alone. Better let your husband come pick you up.”

I looked up at him and forced a bitter smile.

“My husband and son… are already gone.”

The doctor was stunned for a second. A trace of pity flashed in his eyes, and he didn’t say anything more.

By the time I took a cab back to the villa by myself, daylight had fully broken.

Enduring the pain all over my body, I walked into the living room. Just then, my phone screen lit up with a new Instagram notification—

Amy had posted a photo.

In it, Jackson was carefully tending to a barely visible red mark on her arm, while Lucas watched anxiously from the side.

The caption read:

“It feels so good to be held in someone’s hands and cherished.”

I tugged at the corner of my mouth and put the phone down.

When I walked into the dining room, Jackson was working on his laptop.

He glanced at me and his eyes paused for a moment on the bandages on my hand.

“Amy was frightened last night. She needs someone with her. How are your wounds? Do you need me to call a doctor to take a look?”

Calmly, I answered,

“No need.”

Jackson’s brow furrowed slightly.

In the past, even if I just had a cold, I’d ask for his concern.

Now, injured like this, I was refusing help?

But he didn’t ask more. He simply told me to get in the car and headed straight for a jewelry store downtown.

Under its brilliant lights, Jackson carefully examined all sorts of jewelry.

I thought he was trying to make it up to me, so I whispered,

“I don’t want anything…”

“I wasn’t asking you.” Jackson cut me off.

“In three days, we’re hosting a party at home to welcome Amy back. I want to give her a piece of proper jewelry.”

He looked at my neck, as if assessing a mannequin.

“Help try the necklaces on.”

Three days later… wasn’t that Valentine’s Day?

So-called family gathering—

just an excuse to please his beloved woman on Valentine’s Day.

I laughed.

Laughed at how he couldn’t even be bothered to hide it anymore, as if he were sure I’d keep swallowing all his lies like before.

For the next two hours, I stood there like a display stand, putting on one expensive necklace after another and staring at the increasingly unfamiliar woman in the mirror.

At last, he picked a starburst diamond necklace studded with diamonds all over.

“This one.”

After paying, Jackson tossed a small box to me.

“This is for you.”

I opened it to find the freebie that came with the diamond necklace—

A simple silver bracelet with “Not for Sale” printed on the tag.

I took it and said faintly, “Thank you.”

On the way back, I rolled down the window and let the cold wind rush in.

Lowering my head to glance at the cheap bracelet in my hand, I flung it out of the window directly.

The silver chain traced a faint arc through the air and soon disappeared into the darkness.

Just like that, I also threw away the last bit of expectation I had left for that father and son in this night.