I froze for a moment, then calmly handed her the test report I'd picked up.

"I just wanted to tell you—our son is sick. It's serious. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia."

"If we don't find a matching bone marrow donor soon, he might… die."

She went rigid, hands trembling as she took the report.

"Okay. I'll ask around right away. We should have results soon."

I let out a breath and nodded.

"Good. I'll take him to bed."

She moved to follow, but Derek quickly pinched his son.

Tommy cried out. "Without Mrs. Sullivan telling stories, Tommy can't fall asleep."

Derek put on a show of scolding him. "We're just staying here temporarily. We can't bother Mrs. Sullivan with everything."

Jasmine hesitated. I smiled and said, "Go on. Don't make the kid wait too long."

But her expression darkened.

"That's enough. Tommy's already in elementary school. He should learn to be independent."

Derek's smug smile froze.

He shot me a venomous look, wiped his eyes like he was sulking, and scooped up his son. "Fine. Who told Tommy he's had no mom since he was little? Mooching off someone else's house, making people dislike him. I'll pack our bags right now—"

Annoyance flickered in Jasmine's eyes. "Stop it. Where are you taking him in the middle of the night?"

She hesitated, about to chase after him, then glanced back at me.

I smiled. "Go. He's your brother-in-law. It's only right."

Relief washed over her face. "Okay. Wait for me—I'll come back and read our son a story."

It wasn't until I'd coaxed our son to sleep that I heard a door creak open.

Derek stood there, tugging at his pajama collar to reveal a trail of red marks. His smile was pure provocation.

"Sorry, bro. Jasmine fell asleep in my room."

I smiled, unsurprised. "Okay."

I was almost used to it.

Early the next morning, after our son finished breakfast, Jasmine finally emerged from the master bedroom with dark circles under her eyes.

Derek leaned in and straightened her collar.

"You worked hard last night, Jasmine."

In the past, that kind of innuendo would've sent me into a rage.

Jasmine instinctively looked at me, ready to explain.

I cut her off with a light laugh. "Eat. We still have to visit the grave."

I'd agreed with her two weeks ago to visit my mom's grave. When Mom was alive, she'd doted on Jasmine like her own daughter. Every year, I made sure to bring her along.

She'd borrowed the biggest vehicle from the plant.

When we got in, Derek slid into the front passenger seat before I could.

Jasmine glanced at me. "Derek had a hard life before. He doesn't really understand car etiquette. Don't hold it against him…"

I shook my head. "It's just a seat. Not important."

Neither was Jasmine—not anymore.

After dropping our son and Tommy at school, Jasmine drove toward the cemetery.

Just as we were about to arrive, Derek clutched his chest. "It hurts—really bad."

Jasmine pulled over immediately. "What do we do? Can you hold on a little longer?"

Tears welled in his eyes. He bit his lip, feigning strength. "Yes. I can."

But her worried gaze was glued to him.

I spoke up, considerate as ever.

"Go with him to the doctor. I can walk the rest of the way."

I stepped out of the car.

It hesitated for a moment—then made a U-turn and sped away.

The corner of my mouth lifted in mockery.

Even though I'd expected it, there was still a faint sting deep down.

Kneeling in front of Mom's grave, I thought again about how, after Jasmine's parents died in an accident, Mom took her in. She didn't just give her food—she treated her the same as me, her biological son.

When I grew up, I still remember the day Mom died. The girl's eyes were clear; blushing, she swore to me:

"Alex, I will always remember my Adoptive Mother's kindness, and cherish and protect you for the rest of your life."

But now, in just a few years, she'd forgotten it all.

The cold wind blew past, and I hurriedly wiped away my tears.

The brick phone I carried with me rang. I heard Jasmine's hesitant voice.

"Come back. I have something to tell you."

Could there be news about our son's bone marrow donor?

Thinking of that possibility, I couldn't hide the joy in my heart.

I rushed back, only to find that Jasmine's eyes were evasive.

"Alex, I have some news to tell you."

Under my expectant gaze, she clenched her teeth and said,

"There's a company-funded trip at the plant—a business trip to Capital City with accompanying family members. I've already decided to take Derek and Tommy."

My heart slowly cooled, carrying a trace of bitterness that was hard to detect.

Derek curled his lips smugly beside her, acting like the man of the house.

"Brother-in-law, don't worry. When we come back from Capital City, we'll bring gifts for you and Ethan."

Jasmine looked at me in a panic.

"You know Derek and Tommy used to have it so hard…"

That line again.

Just because they had it hard, did I have to give up the opportunity that should have belonged to me and my son?

Fortunately, I no longer cared. As long as she could do her duty as a mother and find a suitable bone marrow donor for our son, that was enough.

I still said yes, understanding as always.

It was just that my mind again recalled how, when the plant was just getting started, Jasmine had been worried about how to go to Capital City to learn the technology. It was me who scraped together money and borrowed travel expenses, giving her the chance to go to Capital City to investigate and study.

Back then, with red eyes, she'd said, "To have a husband like this—what more could I ask for in this life?"

"When the plant gets big, I'll definitely take you to the bustling Capital City to have a look."

But later, as the plant grew bigger and bigger, she never mentioned this again.

It no longer mattered anyway.

Seven days passed quickly. When I went to pick up my son from school, from far away I saw two people standing out from the crowd at the school gate.

Derek was wearing a fashionable suit bought in Capital City, standing together with Jasmine.

When my son and I walked past, an auntie I knew pulled me aside to gossip.

"Look, that's the legendary low-key husband of the plant director. Isn't he handsome? Such a great match with the director."

People around all looked over. If I didn't answer, I would seem out of place.

I smiled and casually echoed, "Yeah, they're quite a match."

But Jasmine suddenly darkened her face and grabbed my wrist. "What did you say?"

I calmly broke free from her grip.

"Wasn't it you who said not to expose our relationship outside?"

She froze in place, and there was actually a hint of grievance in her voice.

"Alex, these seven days you didn't send a single letter. Before, if I went out for half a day, you couldn't wait to send three…"

I pretended not to hear. Just then, someone from the post station told me that an uncle and aunt far away had mailed me half a bag of brown sugar.

My heart tightened, not knowing how long they had gone without food and without spending to save it up.

I took it carefully, then looked at Jasmine warily.

"Brown sugar is precious, but for you it definitely doesn't count as anything. Don't you dare set your sights on my brown sugar!"

Pain flashed in her eyes. In disbelief, she said, "In your eyes, am I that kind of person?"

Memories of my past life surfaced again. I curled my lips bitterly—it wasn't paranoia.

Ever since Derek moved into our place, whether it was the expensive suit I'd only worn twice or the fabric coupons I'd saved up for months, Jasmine gave them all to him under the guise of "subsidizing" him.

Now, as if to prove she didn't care about my little bit of brown sugar, she had her people bring over everything she'd brought from Capital City—specialty children's toys, and a precious, expensive suit.

The people around us gasped. "That's a department store suit! It feels so silky just touching it—I can't imagine how handsome you'd look wearing it..."

Slowly, everyone got the point. "So he's the real factory director's husband..."

Mocking looks fell on Derek. He shot me a vicious glare, gritted his teeth, and left.

I didn't bother with him. I just stared at that familiar suit, and that night I dreamed of my past life again.

Back then, after Derek moved in, I refused to give up the master bedroom. Jasmine and I had a huge fight.

She cursed me for being an unreasonable, jealous husband and kicked me out to spend the night outside in below-zero temperatures.

The brown sugar my uncle and aunt mailed me? "Subsidized" to Derek.

Even the suit I loved most—this very one—he eventually took from me after tricking her with just a few words.

Our fights became more and more frequent. At first, she would patiently coax me, but eventually she grew impatient.

The moment I truly gave up was when I went to bring her food at the factory.

A massive chandelier came crashing down. The person she instinctively shielded was Derek.

After I was discharged from the hospital, I brought up divorce. Jasmine gritted her teeth and told me not to regret it.

A divorced man's reputation is greatly affected.

The Art Troupe, my only source of income, fired me.

Not long after, our son was diagnosed as terminal. With nowhere else to turn, I went to beg Jasmine to pay for treatment and find connections.

She thought I was using our son to play the victim.

When we were kicked out of the hospital, our son weakly said he wanted to see Mom one more time.

Eyes burning, I carried him on my back and rushed over—only to find her and Derek, father and son, enjoying themselves like a happy family.

My son's face went pale. In my arms, he slowly stopped breathing.

I drank the rat poison I'd bought long ago, crying the whole time.

Before I died, I thought: if there is a next life, I will never again hope for a woman's true heart—only that my son can live safely for a lifetime.

When I woke from the dream, my pillow was soaked through with tears.

My son had already been sent to school. I hurriedly got out of bed and rushed to the Art Troupe.

Today was an important day—the principal position would be decided.

When the results came out, everyone was shocked.

The position went to Derek, someone who had never practiced.

The corner of his mouth hooked into a smug arc. "Sorry, brother-in-law. I was bored staying at home, and Jasmine wanted me to get out more, so she donated fifty pounds of rice, flour, and oil to the troupe..."

"Pah! So what if you're a nepotism hire! Alex's ability leaves you in the dust!"

A close friend beside me wanted to stand up for me, but I pulled him back.

I was so calm it surprised everyone.

"Is that so? Congratulations, then."

As long as my son's life could be saved, I wouldn't argue about anything anymore.

The brick phone in my pocket rang—bringing the good news that my son's bone marrow match had succeeded.

I almost cried tears of joy.

As I passed by Derek, I laughed softly and said, "It's just a woman. If you like picking up trash, go right ahead."

Then I hurried to the hospital.

But I missed the resentment and malice in his eyes.

When I arrived and asked the doctor when surgery could be done, he stammered out that the bone marrow source had been taken up again.

It was like being struck by lightning. I almost couldn't believe my own ears.