Raiden froze for a moment, his gaze dropping to her empty hands. His brows furrowed, a storm of frustration brewing.

Reaghan pouted, his small voice filled with complaint. “Mom, why didn’t you get my favorite chocolate chip cookies? And Dad’s pancakes?”

Astrella blinked in surprise. “I thought you two had already eaten.”

Ever since Norella had moved next door, making sandwiches for Reaghan, he’d developed a taste for them. They quickly replaced his old favorites, like bagels with cream cheese and hard-boiled eggs, which now lay forgotten in the trash.

“I don’t want those! I want ‘white people food.’ Auntie Norella says sandwiches are the healthiest breakfast!”

Reaghan clung to Raiden’s sleeve, his expression a picture of misery. “I hate Mom the most. Dad, take me to find Aunt Norella.”

Raiden’s lips quirked in a faint, understanding smile as he gently patted the boy’s head. “Alright, Daddy will take you to Aunt Norella.”

As he carried the child past Astrella, a flicker of dissatisfaction clouded his gaze. “From now on, don’t worry about me or the child.”

Astrella froze for a heartbeat but then nodded with quiet composure. “Alright.”

Raiden’s jaw tightened and with a harsh slam, he shut the door behind him.

She changed her clothes, grabbed her bag and headed to the library. When she returned that evening, the familiar sight of the pair on the couch, lost in a cartoon, greeted her. The air was thick with the mouthwatering aroma of food drifting from the kitchen.

Reaghan glanced at her nervously, aware that his mother rarely allowed him to indulge in TV. He shifted closer to his father, stealing a quick look at Astrella before turning his attention back to the screen.

Raiden, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to her presence, engrossed in the show, as though he hadn’t noticed the woman who truly held dominion over the household.

“You’re back, Astrella,” Norella called from the kitchen, carrying a platter of dishes. The fragrance of four carefully prepared dishes and a steaming soup filled the room, a comfort for the senses. “Raiden, Reaghan, wash your hands and come eat.”

After dinner, Astrella wiped her mouth with a quiet grace before heading back to her room. She sat at her desk, opened her laptop and began reviewing the day’s lessons.

Not long after, a knock on the door echoed through the stillness. Raiden entered, his expression as serious as always. “Astrella, who are you showing that sour attitude to?”

Astrella lifted her gaze, her almond-shaped eyes sparkling as they locked with his.

Caught off guard, Raiden’s gaze flickered for a moment and he quickly turned his head, avoiding her stare. “You ate the meal Norella made. Shouldn’t you be the one washing the dishes?”

For years, Astrella had done all the housework, sweeping, mopping, laundry, cooking, even fixing doors and unclogging drains. Every time she asked him to do something as simple as washing a dish, he would flatly refuse, claiming it was a woman’s responsibility.

But with Norella, it seemed the rules changed.

Astrella tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, her lips curving into a faint smile. “Sorry, I’ve been busy lately. Don’t fuss over such trivial matters.”

Raiden frowned, his brow furrowing in confusion. What could possibly keep a housewife so busy? His gaze dropped and his long fingers hovered over the laptop just as he was about to open it and see what she was working on.

Suddenly, a sharp scream pierced the air, followed by the unmistakable sound of something shattering.

Raiden sprang into action, rushing out the door with Astrella hot on his heels.

He moved quickly, his tall frame shielding Norella as he gazed down at her tear-streaked face, his heart clenching painfully in his chest.

“Your hand is injured. I’ll take you to the hospital.”

“Daddy, I want to come too!” Reaghan jumped off the couch, his eyes wide with concern as he looked at Norella. “Auntie, I’ll blow on it for you. Mommy says it won’t hurt if I blow on it.”

As her words left her lips, both Reaghan and Norella turned to her, surprise flickering in their eyes.

Reaghan quickly dropped Norella’s hand, his cheeks turning a shade of red. “No need for a hospital. A band-aid will do.”

Raiden’s gaze shifted to her, sharp and expectant, silently demanding the first aid kit.

Once, a look like that would have sent her scrambling, her hands already reaching for the kit before he could show a hint of impatience.

But now? It didn’t matter. She didn’t care anymore.

“The kit’s in the second drawer of the TV cabinet,” she said, unmoving, her voice steady.

Raiden’s jaw clenched and the flicker of irritation in his eyes didn’t go unnoticed.

Instead, Norella crouched down, her fingers swiftly finding the first aid kit. “Raiden, it’s right here, iodine and cotton swabs, too.”

Reaghan leaned in with a curious gaze and Norella’s eyes sparkled. “Reaghan, you’re growing up fast. Do you think you can help Auntie clean the wound?”

“Of course!”

With a serious nod, Reaghan carefully dabbed iodine on the wound, his little breath gently blowing on it as if it could ease the pain.

Norella’s lips curled into a proud smile. “Our Reaghan is something special. Raiden, he’s learned so much from you.” Her gaze lingered on Raiden, her eyes soft with warmth.

Raiden cleared his throat, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, his ears turning a subtle shade of red.

Reaghan puffed out his chest. “Of course! When I grow up, I’ll protect Dad and Aunt Norella.”

A surge of bitter emotion swirled in Astrella’s chest.

She couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh, bitterly amused at herself.

The day after she gave birth, she started washing Reaghan’s diapers, which continued until he was three.

When Raiden had insisted their child shouldn't be subjected to rote learning, she had stayed home, carefully teaching him each lesson.

Years of meticulous effort, yet none of it had ever been acknowledged or appreciated.

To them, father and son alike, no matter how much she did, it was met with cold indifference.

She turned, heading back to her room and overheard Norella’s warm laughter behind her.

“Reaghan, Raiden, you two are wonderful; you’ve given me the warmth of a real family.”

Reaghan kissed Norella’s cheek.

“Aunt Norella, you’re better than my mom. Why don’t you stay and be my mom instead?”

Astrella pressed her lips together, her gaze steady and silent. She turned and entered her room, the laughter and words echoing in her ears.

She opened the bookshelf, tossing aside parenting books and children’s lesson plans, dumping them into a bamboo basket before dragging it outside.

Only Norella was in the living room; Raiden and Reaghan had gone to the kitchen to wash the dishes.

Engrossed in a TV shopping ad, Norella turned quickly at the sound of movement.

Her brows knitted in confusion. “What’s in the basket?”

Astrella’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Just some useless things. I’m thinking of selling them for scrap.”

Norella stood, lifting the lid and finding the basket brimming with early childhood education books. “Why are you throwing away books? That’s so uncultured! These are good books. How can you be a mother like this? No wonder Reaghan isn’t close to you.”

Astrella opened her mouth to respond, but her gaze shifted to Raiden emerging from the kitchen. She clamped her lips shut, swallowing her words instead.

Norella’s tone softened instantly, her gaze shifting to Raiden as her lips curved into a warm smile. “Raiden, look at these books Astrella is planning to throw away. What a waste! If we used these to educate Reaghan, maybe he’d turn out as impressive as you one day!”

Raiden glanced at the bamboo basket, wiping his hands slowly. “No need. We weren’t raised with books back then and didn’t we turn out fine? Don’t trouble yourself over it.”

At his words, Norella’s eyes suddenly welled with tears, her voice thick with emotion.

“Raiden, are you still upset about me leaving to study abroad? I never said goodbye, leaving you to bear the pain alone. It was my fault. I came back to make it right. Please, let me do more for you.”

Raiden was slightly startled. His gaze dipped and his lashes, dark as crow feathers, trembled ever so slightly.

It seemed like his mind wandered back to that year, the year his mother passed, his father abandoned them and the weight of tuition had been too heavy to bear, leaving him a shell of himself, drifting without purpose.

“Forget it. You had your reasons.” His voice softened as he gently wiped Norella’s tears away. “Given everything, I can understand.”

Astrella, however, felt an overwhelming sense of emptiness. She glanced at the clock on the wall, slipped on her coat and moved to leave.

“Where are you going now?”

Raiden frowned, his gaze sharp with confusion. This wasn’t like her.

In the past, she always told him where she was going. If he ever said he didn’t like it or didn’t want her to leave, she’d quietly listen and stay without question. But now, it felt like she had turned into someone else entirely.

Norella quickly wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, forcing a gentle smile. “Astrella, I know this talk of the past must be difficult for you. Why don’t we go out and clear our heads a little?”

Astrella made her way to the night market, a determined air about her. She spread an old bedsheet on the ground and boldly scrawled a sign. [2 dollars per item, nothing left behind!]

Raiden’s expression darkened as he watched her set up the makeshift stall. “Astrella, what are you doing? Are you trying to embarrass me? Do you think I can’t afford to take care of you?”

Before Astrella could respond, Norella tugged at Raiden’s arm, her voice calming, “Raiden, don’t be upset. Let’s walk over to the candied hawthorn stand instead.”

The mention of the sweet treat immediately caught Reaghan’s attention. He beamed and eagerly followed Norella, his mood shifting instantly.

Once the trio had walked away, Astrella set to work, pulling out the items she intended to sell. There were fountain pens, a few worn books, plush toys with frayed edges and some handmade trinkets she had crafted herself.

As Reaghan happily licked his candied hawthorn, he suddenly froze mid-bite. His gaze fixed on a child nearby, who was holding a bamboo dragonfly in their hand.

“Dad, that looks like mine,” he murmured, his voice filled with curiosity.

Raiden glanced down at the fountain pen in the father’s hand and a wave of recognition washed over him. The sleek, silver pen was too familiar to be a coincidence.

Raiden quickly pulled Reaghan back, making his way toward Astrella’s stall. A crowd had already begun to gather around it. He shoved his way through the onlookers, only to spot her handing over a small glass horse to a man in exchange for two dollars.

"You’re not selling that!"

"Why not? I paid for it. It's mine now," the burly man said, slipping the glass horse into his pocket with a smug smile, radiating arrogance.

Raiden’s frustration bubbled to the surface. "Because it’s mine!"

The man chuckled. "Yours? Will it answer to your call?"

Laughter rippled through the crowd at the remark and a few eyes turned to Raiden, making snide comments.

"Got a family, yet still spouting nonsense!"

Astrella remained silent, simply tucking the two dollars into her wallet, unbothered by their ridicule.

Raiden, his patience fraying, grabbed her hand, his voice tight with emotion.

"Astrella, have you lost your mind? Why are you suddenly selling our things?"

Our things?

Even Reaghan’s temper flared. "Mom, why’d you give away my bamboo dragonfly too?"

Astrella cast a brief glance at Reaghan, who was still happily munching on his candied hawthorn. Her voice was unshaken, but there was an edge to it.

"Didn’t you say you liked the frisbee Norella gave you more?"

Then, she shifted her gaze to Raiden, her tone hardening, her voice colder.

"And didn’t you say you didn’t want these things and I could give them away to anyone? What’s the problem now? I sold them and that’s suddenly wrong?"

Every item she’d sold today had been carefully chosen, gifts she’d poured love into for the father and son. Yet neither Raiden nor Reaghan had shown any care for them.

And now, when they were sold for barely anything to strangers, they suddenly seemed valuable?

Things that weren’t cherished were simply misplaced treasures.

Raiden’s silence seemed to scream frustration, but Norella’s voice cut through the tension, laced with guilt.

"Forget it, Raiden," she said, her voice filled with remorse. "Astrella’s clearly upset with me. This is my fault. I shouldn’t have gotten so close to you two."