Beatrice’s tears suddenly stopped. With no chance to sort her feelings, she answered the teacher in a hoarse voice. “I’ll come right now.”

After ending the call, she rushed into the room and nervously told Jaxon, “Millicent has a very high fever! I am going to school now. Can you drive me there?”

Resting on the bed, Jaxon casually waved his hand. “Just call a taxi yourself. It is such a minor issue, don't disturb me.”

Before Beatrice could respond, he rolled over and kept sleeping with his back facing her.

No one knew until what time he and Sienna had been wild last night, for him to fall asleep in the middle of the day, and even stay uncaring after hearing his daughter was ill.

Beatrice didn't know how to drive. When they had just married, she truly wanted to learn to drive and had already enrolled in the driving school.

Back then, the moment she came home, she happily told Jaxon about it, but Jaxon said, “Why learn to drive? Isn't it me to be at home? You are my princess; I will be your personal driver.”

Beatrice was held back and persuaded by Jaxon so she would not learn how to drive. In the end, she stopped learning to drive and didn't even get the lesson fee returned.

At first, Jaxon was very willing to pick Beatrice up and dropped off. Every day, he drove her to and from work, drawing jealous looks from people around them.

But after she became pregnant, Jaxon slowly showed up less. He often said his job kept him busy and told her to ride a taxi home on her own.

Beatrice felt sorry that Jaxon was struggling by himself. He had only recently opened his own law firm. To save money, she didn't even want to take a taxi and squeezed onto the subway every day with her large belly.

However, the constant heavy workload and the tiring commute left Beatrice worn out in both body and mind, and she began to show signs of threatened miscarriage.

After Jaxon found out, his eyes turned red as he hit his own head. “This is all because I cannot make enough money, making you go through this, and I almost made us lose the baby.”

Beatrice’s heart ached, and she held Jaxon’s hand. “I was careless while pushing onto the subway. Next time I will definitely, definitely pay attention. Don’t blame yourself.”

Jaxon lifted his head and looked at her with shining eyes. “Wife, stop working, okay? For our child, just stay home and rest during this period. Compared with money, our child matters more, right?”

Beatrice had always believed women should be independent to control their own lives, but for the child, she hesitated. In the end, under Jaxon’s hopeful look, she gave a stiff nod. From that moment, she stepped back little by little and became a housewife, never going out to work again.

And Jaxon, in the life afterward, time after time only showed her his back. She had already lost track of how many times she had seen it, just like the scene today.

But now time was tight, and Beatrice simply had no chance to think further. She could only hurry downstairs to flag a taxi.

It was the morning rush hour now, and heavy rain was falling, making it hard to catch a taxi.

By the time Beatrice reached the school, she was already wet all over. Her down coat had flattened, tightly sticking to her body. Her body would not stop shaking. The pain in her lower body grew even clearer, faintly leaking thin lines of blood.

But she truly could not focus on herself. Leaning forward and barely bearing the discomfort, she anxiously looked for Millicent’s figure.

Seeing her condition, the teacher was shocked. “How did you end up like this? Did you come by yourself? Where is the child’s father?”

Beatrice had no time to reply and only anxiously asked, “Where is Millicent?”

The teacher pointed toward one corner of the classroom. Millicent’s cheeks were bright red, resting weakly on the desk.

Beatrice painfully picked up Millicent and hurried straight to the hospital. Along the way, she carefully shielded Millicent, not letting her catch even one drop of rain, while her own hair was already wet.

The doctor addressed Beatrice with blame. “Why do you only take the child to the hospital after the fever lasts this long? With a fever like this, she already had it yesterday. Now it becomes very risky!”

Beatrice looked in pain at Millicent in her arms, wishing she could bear the illness instead of her.

After they went into the ward, she herself already felt very cold and kept coughing and sneezing, yet she still remained beside Millicent without moving a single step, from time to time placing her hand on the girl’s forehead to check if the fever had dropped.

After one bottle of IV drip was finally finished, Millicent slowly came awake.

Beatrice’s eyes brightened with happiness. After Millicent woke up, she looked around the room once. The first words she said after seeing her were, “Looking at you is really never anything nice!”

Beatrice felt her joy vanish like cold water had been thrown over it, and her eyes slowly grew dim.

Millicent spoke in an unhappy tone and snapped at Beatrice. “I was completely fine at school. Why is it that the moment I see you, I am in the hospital?

“You had a high fever. The teacher called me. I was the one who just took you to the hospital.” Beatrice lowered her head and spoke wearily.

Millicent pouted. “Isn’t it still your fault. In such cold weather, you didn't let me wear more. You made me get sick. I don't like you, you bad mom.”

Millicent was wearing a thick down coat. Beatrice, afraid she would feel cold, had even bought the extreme-cold series; from inside to outside everything was good quality and good fabric, but she was only worried that Millicent would feel uncomfortable, would not feel warm.

And she herself was only wearing a poor, thin down coat, and when cold, she only depended on shaking.

Hurt feelings spread through her heart, but she knew Millicent was still a child; how could she argue with her own child?

She softly sighed, lowered her voice, and tucked in Millicent’s blanket corner. “You take your injection properly. The doctor has already treated you well. We can leave the hospital very soon.”

“Stop pretending here. It’s all your fault! All your fault! Why are you not the one who is ill! Why does my sickness not spread to you? Better if you fall sick and die, and don't come bother me anymore!”

These words felt like magic, making Beatrice freeze in place. Millicent still didn't know, right, she was already ill, so ill that she was almost dying.

Even now, Beatrice could feel her lower body still slowly leaking thin lines of blood, wave after wave taking away her energy and strength.

At that moment, the doctor pushed the ward door open and looked at Millicent with blame as he said, “How do you speak to your mother like this?! You didn't become ill from wearing too few clothes. You clearly ate something unclean, and your stomach and intestines caught a cold.”

Millicent seemed to remember something. Her face suddenly became red. She pressed her mouth shut and didn't look at Beatrice, awkwardly allowing the doctor to check her.

“Your mom got herself wet just to take you to the hospital. Look at you, do you have even one drop of rain on your body? Kid, you need to be a little more understanding.”

After the examination was finished, the doctor spoke to Beatrice, “Your daughter is much better. After several more days of IV drip, she will be fully okay. You should also quickly go change your clothes.”

Beatrice gratefully bent toward the doctor in thanks and walked him out of the ward door. When she turned around, Millicent was staring at her with an angry look.

“You’re satisfied now, letting other people lecture me, you think you stand on the right side? Hmm, you think I will thank you? Keep dreaming!” Millicent said through clenched teeth.

So this was how she saw her. In her eyes, everything Beatrice gave had a reason, not love from the heart. But she didn't know what mother didn't truly love her own child?

“Millicent, I don't need your thanks. As long as you are okay, however, I am fine.” Beatrice paused and showed a bitter smile. “Even if I get sick instead of you, that is fine.”

“In the days ahead, you must look after yourself well. When the weather is cold, don't eat chilled food, and also eat outside less. Your intestines are weak; don't damage your body.” Beatrice spoke with concern, wishing she could empty every word in one breath to Millicent. “When it is cold, put on clothes; when it is hot, remove clothes. During weather changes, it is easiest to become sick, and also…”

“Alright, alright, are you irritating or not? You are talking so much just to go around and blame Aunt Sienna, blaming her for taking me out for ice cream. I am the one who wanted to eat it. Is that any of your concern! How can your thinking be so nasty?” Millicent covered her ears, her eyes looking at Beatrice with dislike.

The words Beatrice still meant to speak stopped all at once. Her lips were still parted, yet her throat felt tightly held, unable to make a single sound.

“Millicent?” a woman’s voice called from the back.

Millicent’s eyes immediately shone. “Godmother!”

Millicent jumped off the bed, roughly shoved away Beatrice, who tried to catch her, and hurried toward the door.

Beatrice slowly turned her stiff body and saw Millicent, dressed in only one thin layer, holding Sienna tightly, as though Sienna was her whole world.

They embraced for a very long time, so long that Beatrice felt the rain on her clothes was almost turning her body cold.

Beatrice spoke. She knew the moment was not right and might make others upset, yet she still insisted. “Millicent, quickly get back onto the bed. You are not fully well yet. Dressing so thinly will make it bad again.”

Millicent’s body became tense, yet she didn't move at all.

Sienna rested her face in the hollow of Millicent’s neck and also seemed not to notice, staying completely still.

“Sienna, you are a grown person. Millicent is only a child. You understand how serious this is, right?” Beatrice said directly.

Sienna acted like she had only just noticed Beatrice and carried Millicent back to the hospital bed.

“Sister Beatrice, you are here as well? I was so glad to see Millicent just now that I didn't even see you.” Sienna smiled while gently touching Millicent’s cheek. “Millicent, are you happy to see me?”

“Hmm, very happy!” Millicent showed a wide smile.

“Sienna, when you bring Millicent out to play in the future, don’t casually let her eat cold food again.” Beatrice cut in.

Sienna’s expression turned dark. “Sister Beatrice, even though I am usually boyish and careless and not like certain people who have many hidden plans, I absolutely will not do anything that hurts Millicent. You cannot slander me for taking Millicent to eat cold food.”

“But just earlier, Millicent said…” Beatrice continued.

“Mom, are you irritating or not? If you stay quiet, no one will think you cannot talk!” Millicent yelled at Beatrice.

While shouting at Beatrice, Millicent grabbed the thermos cup from the coffee table and threw it hard toward Beatrice.

Inside the thermos was the hot water Beatrice had just poured. She had not screwed the lid tightly because she wanted the water to cool so that after Millicent woke up, she could drink warm water to warm her stomach.

This cup of water didn't warm Millicent; instead, it all splashed onto Beatrice’s hand. Her hand immediately became red, and several big blisters appeared.

Beatrice cried out in pain. Alarm flashed across Millicent’s eyes. She quickly sat up in bed and wanted to climb down to check.

Sienna’s eyes shifted, and she pressed Millicent back down. “Millicent, tuck the blanket properly. don't catch a cold.”

With worry in her eyes, she pulled up Beatrice’s hand. “Sister Beatrice, are you okay?”

Beatrice didn't want her touching her and tried hard to pull her hand away, but Sienna’s strength was surprisingly strong, making Beatrice’s hand unable to move.

Between them, the hidden tension rose, but Beatrice’s hand suffered. The rubbing pressed several big blisters until they broke.

The sharp pain in her hand went straight to Beatrice’s heart, hurting her until she kept gasping.

“Let go!” Beatrice looked at Sienna in anger.

Sienna held Beatrice’s hand even more tightly, her back facing Millicent, using her fingernails to quietly press into Beatrice’s wound. “Sister Beatrice, kids throw tantrums. Why are you acting childish with a child? Don't hit her. I will help you check it. Calm down. Don't blame Millicent.”

The strong pain made Beatrice unable to think about anything else. She could only shake her arm hard and shout, “I told you to let go!”

Behind Sienna, Millicent could not see what was happening, only hearing Beatrice’s angry voice and upset tone.

She suddenly pulled back the blanket, moved around in front of Sienna, and roughly shoved Beatrice aside, pulling the two apart.

Millicent glanced angrily at Beatrice, spreading her small arms wide to shield Sienna, her eyes looking like they were about to shoot flames. “You are not allowed to bully Aunt Sienna. If you want to hit someone, then hit me. Better beat me until I die, so I will not be your daughter. In the next life, I want Aunt Sienna to be my real mom. I don't want you! I hate that you were the one who gave birth to me!”

Those tiny hands, the hands Beatrice had held since Millicent was little, the hands she had always gripped tightly, were now blocking in front of her.

She had held those hands and walked with her through her shaky first steps; she had held those hands and taught her soft baby words; she had held those hands and together gone through the warm and cold and the four seasons.

It had also been those same hands that stayed with her through many long, lonely nights, gently touching Beatrice’s cheek and saying, “Mommy, mommy, I will always love you.”

And now those little hands said they didn't want her, didn't want her as her mother?

Beatrice’s heart felt as if it were stabbed through by a sharp knife. She stumbled back several steps.

The air around her seemed to suddenly be pulled away. She quickly grabbed her chest and took deep breaths.

The pain in her lower body felt like it was about to tear her apart. She could feel large amounts of fresh blood pouring out from below.

Her head grew more and more light, the world spinning in her sight.

The breath she had been tightly holding finally slipped away. Under Millicent’s helpless look and Sienna’s satisfied smile, Beatrice fell straight back.