"If you feel so strongly, go pay him a visit at his home," Yvonne replied coolly.


    "Oh, we don''t need to be so formal. When is heing to the hospital? I could thank him in person then," Queena said.


    The Thompson family was in a league of their own. Queena didn''t even know where they lived, let alone have any hope of getting past their front gate.


    Yvonne had no patience for her games. She closed her eyes and turned her back.


    "Yvonne is still weak. If you don''t have anything else, you should probably go and let her rest,” Helen said, tactfully dismissing them.


    After they left, Helen sat by the bed, peeling an apple for Yvonne. "Is that really your mother?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity. Most mothers would be at their daughter''s bedside day and night after surgery, but Teresa had offered a few empty words and then left.


    Yvonne took a bite of the apple, a small, bitterugh escaping her. "I wish she weren''t.” Without the bond of blood, there would be no room for disappointment.


    Teresa didn''t visit again, likely too busy with shopping and card games. Queena, however, made several trips to the hospital, each time dressed to impress, but she never managed to run into Bet.


    "Yvonne, why hasn''t Mr. Thompson been to the hospital? He saved you, and I haven''t had a chance to thank him properly," Queena finally asked, unable to contain her impatience.


    Yvonne, munching on an apple, snorted. "Are you addicted to ying the role of the perfect sister? How exactly do you n on thanking Bet? By washing yourself up and serving yourself to him on a tter?"


    "What-how dare you!" Queena''s face flushed with shame and anger.


    "You know exactly what I''m talking about," Yvonne continued. "You''re trying to have your cake and eat it too, Queena. Be careful you don''t end up with nothing." "Yvonne, you..." Queena began, but Helen cut her off.


    "Ms. Queena, Yvonne needs to rest. Why don''t you go home? If you''re so sincere about thanking the master, I can let you know the next time he visits."


    "Really?" Queena''s eyes lit up.


    Helen sighed internally. After exchanging contact information, she finally managed to get Queena to leave.


    "Young girls these days have no shame," Helen muttered under her breath. "Throwing themselves at men like that. So cheap. The master has seen all kinds of women., Someone like her wouldnt even register on his radar."


    Queena never came back to the hospital. Sandra, on the other hand, visited every day, always bringing homemade soup Today was fragrant lotus root and pork rib soup. As she handed it to Yvonne, she asked, "I just spoke with your doctor. He said you''re recovering well. When are you nning to be discharged?"


    “Next week, probably. I''ve scheduled my scar removal surgery," Yvonne replied, sipping the soup.


    This body was covered in ugly scars


    wase


    from years of abuse. The original Yvonne had been too timid and


    ashamed to show them, secret/met


    saving up for surgery she never lived to have Yvonne however, wasn''t


    ashamed. She simply loved beautiful things and wanted to wear pretty dresses. Since she was already in the hospital, it was the perfect time to have it done.