Alex stopped the car at a red light and turned to me. "We''re going home. I won''t tell you anything more. You''ll see for yourself."


    That was typical of Alex. Once he made up his mind, there was no changing it. All I could do was stay silent.


    The car pulled up in front of the Hastings residence, but I felt an overwhelming resistance to getting out and stepping into that house.


    "We used to love ying on thiswn," Alex said suddenly.


    I nced at thewn in front of the residence. Alex''s father, who was technically my stepfather, was always particr about these things. Thewn was


    consistently well-maintained, and now that it was summer, it looked especially lush.


    Through the car window, I could almost picture two children ying there.


    The little boy was Alex, always so mischievous. And the little girl was me, always following close behind him.


    Thinking about those days, I couldn''t help but smile slightly.


    "It''s a shame those days are gone," I said, my head turning slowly.


    Back then, I wasn''t the Hastings heiress. I was simply the daughter of Nicole Burke, the maid.


    "Mr. Hastings, you''re finally back," Simon Brooks, the butler, greeted while peering through the car window. His smile faded slightly. "Ms. Ashford hase too."


    I nodded in response.


    Simon said nothing more, turning to address Alex, "Mr. Hastings Senior is waiting for you in the study."


    "You can go up by yourself," Alex said to me, pulling out the car keys and opening the door. "It''s the same room as before. When you''re done, I''ll take you back."


    I nodded again as Alex and Simon headed toward the study, and I followed. I could hear the maids inside greeting Alex with enthusiasm.


    Most of them were familiar faces, but their expressions toward me were far from


    the joy they showed Alex. Their greetings were polite but distant.


    I went upstairs to the second floor, to Mom''s room. She had been staying here


    ever since she married into the Hastings family.


    As I approached the door, I heard her voice from inside.


    "ra, thank you. Thank you so much." Mom''s voice was filled with deep


    gratitude. "I''ve been feeling sick these past few days, so I had to trouble you with thewn."


    A pang of sadness washed over me.


    Despite everything that had


    happened, it seemed like she wasn''t living a veryfortable life with the Hastings family. She was even


    taking care of thewn herself.


    I stepped inside, and the moment she saw me, a look of surprise shed across


    her face. As if doubting her own eyes, Mom shook her head.


    "Ms. Ashford, you''re back?" ra Jameson, who had been pouring water for Mom, greeted me with a smile.


    "Serena?" Mom sat up, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "You''re here?"


    Seeing me enter, ra naturally turned and left.


    I walked over and sat at the edge of her bed, my heart heavy with mixed emotions.


    "Serena, why have you lost so much weight?" Mom asked, her eyes full of concern as she looked over at me.


    I sniffed and tried to calm myself. "What''s wrong with you?"


    "Oh, it''s nothing—just an old illness," she replied with a gentle smile, but it only deepened the sorrow I felt.


    She fell down the stairs a few years


    ago. Whenever people asked about it, she would always say it was just an ident. But ever since, she had been suffering from a persistent backache.


    I took a deep breath and gathered the courage to ask, "Mom, are you... happy


    living with the Hastings family?"


    The light in Nicole''s eyes dimmed as she slowly lowered her head.


    "If you''re not happy, you can get a divorce," said, looking at her. "I''lkbe graduating soon. If you divorce, we can live together. I''ll take care of you, and promise you won''t have to endure this any longer."