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.