Chapter 3

The cruelest punishment in this world must be forcing a mother to watch her child reject her while embracing another woman as his mother.

Especially when that woman was her enemy.

Juniper's mother had stolen her father, and now Juniper had stolen both her husband and son. Catherine fought desperately to contain her anguish.

She would make these treacherous people pay, or she wasn't Catherine Spencer.

Richard approached from behind, attempting to embrace her. "Catherine, why don't you go upstairs and rest?"

She evaded his touch without a word and headed toward the bedroom.

When she pushed open the door, she discovered that all traces of her former life had vanished completely.

Juniper and Richard's coats hung on the rack. All the decorations she had carefully chosen for their bedroom were gone, replaced by countless framed photos of Juniper and Richard together.

A provocative photograph of Juniper sat prominently on the nightstand, and a lace thong had been carelessly tossed onto the bed.

The warm sanctuary she had once lovingly created had become these adulterers' love nest.

Catherine felt bile rising in her throat. She could no longer control the disgust surging from deep within her soul and rushed to the bathroom to vomit violently.

When she emerged, Richard had already cleared away those items.

He cleared his throat awkwardly, changing the subject. "I have some work to finish. If you need anything, just call for the housekeeper."

He didn't even attempt to explain why those items were on the bed or why the bedroom had been transformed.

Catherine nodded wearily.

The day's revelations had completely shattered any illusions she'd had about her once-beautiful life.

She couldn't bear to sleep in that bed. Instead, she sat by the window, staring blankly while contemplating her next moves.

From this position, she could still see the back garden.

Richard and Juniper were nestled closely together.

"Why did you suddenly bring her back?" Juniper complained petulantly. "Weren't we planning to let her rot in that mental health center? We cut off all her outside contact so she'd think the Spencer family matter wasn't resolved and stay put."

Catherine's mind reeled with the revelation. Suddenly, she understood why Richard had sent her to that facility.

Though she'd been cared for physically, no one had ever communicated with her beyond basic necessities. She had no idea what was happening in the outside world—no television, certainly no phone.

She had spent five years in a prison of Richard's making.

Richard looked equally irritated as he replied, "Who could have predicted her eyesight would suddenly improve? We'll figure something out in a couple of days, see if we can send her back."

"Fine, we'll use the same drug as before. I originally thought the dose was enough to blind her permanently. Who knew it would only last five years? I should have emptied the entire package."

Catherine's eyes widened in horror, the metallic taste of blood filling her mouth as she bit down hard.

Her blindness had been their deliberate scheme!

These two had literally tried to drain her of life itself!

Her body trembled uncontrollably. In her extreme rage, she nearly grabbed a knife and rushed down to kill them both.

What had she done to deserve such treatment?

Despair suffocated her as pain wrapped around her heart like invisible vines, tightening until even breathing felt like torture.

"You should go back. I have to keep an eye on her," Richard said, preparing to leave. "I'm worried she might notice something suspicious."

Before he could walk away, Juniper grabbed his hand and pressed it against her chest.

"Aren't you sleeping with me tonight?" she asked, her eyes seductive.

Richard's Adam's apple bobbed as conflict flashed across his face. Instinctively, he glanced toward the second floor, and Catherine quickly ducked behind the curtain.

Seeing his hesitation, Juniper smirked inwardly before decisively pulling him into a kiss.

They immediately became entangled in each other's arms. Catherine felt even more nauseated.

"Mom, I'm thirsty. Mom?" Ethan's voice from the adjacent room instantly redirected Catherine's attention.

She hurried to fetch a glass of warm water and entered his room gently. "Ethan, I brought you some water. Would you like a sip?"

Ethan stirred in his sleep, slowly sitting up. Catherine supported his back carefully.

"Drink slowly, there's no rush," she murmured tenderly.

This gentle reminder finally roused Ethan to full wakefulness.

When he recognized Catherine, his expression immediately changed. He knocked the glass from her hand violently. "I don't want your water! Why are you still in my house? You're not my mom."

The glass shattered on the floor, just like Catherine's heart.

She struggled to hold back tears. "Ethan, I..."

"You strange woman, get out of my house! I don't want to see you. Go away!" Ethan shouted, his eyes filled with wariness.

He began calling out loudly, "Mom! Where are you? Mom!"

"Ethan, I really am your mother," Catherine pleaded, not daring to approach further for fear of frightening him more. Her voice broke slightly. "I carried you for nine months. You have a birthmark shaped like a plum blossom on your right arm."

She had only seen her baby for three days after his birth before suddenly going blind.

No one knew how devastated she had been then—giving birth to her child through life-threatening labor, only to lose sight of him after just three days.

This statement made Ethan pause with surprise.

It was early autumn, and Ethan had been wearing long sleeves and pants, never exposing his arms.

"Will you trust me?" Catherine tentatively extended her hand, her eyes filled with tenderness on the verge of shattering.

Ethan looked at Catherine with hesitation. "You actually look a little like me—your nose and eyes. If you don't believe me, you can look in the mirror."

"I've been sick in the hospital, which is why you don't remember me. That's my fault, but I'll stay by your side from now on."

Catherine spoke softly. Just as Ethan was hesitantly about to place his hand in hers, Juniper and Richard burst into the room.

Juniper anxiously gathered Ethan into her arms, asking with concern, "Ethan, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"

Ethan's attention immediately shifted back to Juniper, and he nestled against her body. "Mom, I just had a nightmare. Will you sleep with me?"

It was an instinctive gesture of dependence.

Catherine stood frozen, her fists clenched tightly.

Juniper was doing this deliberately.

Richard grabbed Catherine's arm and forcibly pulled her from the room.

Unable to break free, Catherine could only follow him. She tried to look back at Ethan, but Juniper slammed the door shut.

"Catherine, I told you this afternoon to give Ethan time. How do you expect him to suddenly accept the fact that he has another mother?" Richard scolded.

Catherine yanked her arm free with all her strength and glared at the man behind all her suffering, her eyes flashing with barely contained hatred. "What do you mean by 'another mother'?"