Chapter 3

3.

My primary physician prescribed new ointments and redressed my torn wounds.

He sighed heavily, saying it was heartbreaking for a young woman to carry such severe burn scars for the rest of her life.

Even a complete stranger felt deep sympathy for me, while Peyton, the man I loved for eight years, casually brushed it off as not that serious.

After finishing the paperwork, I returned to our apartment and packed all my belongings into two suitcases.

Tomorrow, I would leave this city for good.

As I was about to step out, my phone buzzed with a call from Peyton’s mother.

“Darcy, dear, today is my birthday and I booked a private room at the bistro downtown. Are you free to join us?”

I hesitated. Mrs. Shaw had always treated me like her own daughter, claiming from day one that she saw me as her future daughter-in-law.

She had even gifted me an heirloom bracelet the very first time we met.

It felt only right to say a proper goodbye before leaving.

I arrived at the restaurant, but before I could open the door to the private room, I heard cheerful laughter coming from Peyton and Kinsley inside.

When I pushed the door open, Peyton had his ear pressed gently against Kinsley’s stomach, while Kinsley playfully tapped his shoulder.

“You are being way too impatient! It has only been two months―how could you possibly hear any kicks yet?”

Seeing me walk in, Mrs. Shaw immediately snapped at them to stop.

“Peyton! What on earth are you doing? Darcy is here, and you cannot even be bothered to stand up and greet her!”

I gave a faint smile and walked over to sit beside Mrs. Shaw. “It is fine, Mrs. Shaw.”

Noticing my presence, Kinsley made a show of stepping aside, offering her seat with feigned politeness.

“Mr. Shaw, you should let Darcy sit next to you. She has not forgiven me for what happened, and I do not want to upset her any further.”

Hearing her words, Peyton frowned with annoyance, glaring at me before pulling Kinsley back into the chair beside him.

“Last time was not your fault! You are pregnant, so sit right here where I can take care of you and plate your food.”

He then shot a warning glare at me. “Darcy, you are not going to make a scene over a seating arrangement, are you? I have not even blamed you for shoving Kinsley and nearly causing her to lose the baby!”

Watching him defend her with such fierce devotion, I almost wanted to laugh out loud.

“Why would I? Please, go ahead and take good care of your precious Kinsley.”

Sensing the tense atmosphere, Mrs. Shaw spoke up in my defense, glaring at her son.

“It is my birthday today! Why on earth did you bring her along?!”

Peyton casually peeled several jumbo shrimp, placing them directly into Kinsley’s bowl with absolute entitlement.

“Kinsley said she was craving the seafood here. Since you booked the table anyway, why shouldn’t I bring her?”

Kinsley looked at the shrimp in her bowl and pouted playfully.

“Why didn’t you feed me directly? You always feed me by hand!”

Peyton chuckled, picking up a piece of shrimp and feeding it to her mouth before gently dabbing the sauce off her lips with a napkin. “Fine, I will feed you.”

Knowing she could not get through to him, Mrs. Shaw looked at me with deep concern.

I offered her a reassuring smile. “It is alright, Mrs. Shaw. Let’s eat.”

During the meal, Peyton ordered four bowls of garlic-scallion pasta, using them as traditional long-life noodles for his mother.

Looking down at the heavy garnish of chopped green onions and scallions in my bowl, my smile faded.

I had always detested green onions and scallions in any form.

Kinsley disliked them too, yet she loved this particular pasta dish.

In the past, Peyton would always instruct the kitchen to leave out every ingredient I disliked whenever we dined out.

Now, his only consideration was Kinsley.

I watched him meticulously pick out every single green onion flake from Kinsley’s bowl with utter concentration.

It struck me that Peyton had long stopped accommodating my tastes.

He had even screamed at me over a dinner dish recently, claiming he was sick and tired of my pretentious fussiness.

Not wanting to ruin the mood for his mother, I forced myself to swallow the pasta in large mouthfuls.

I ate so quickly that I did not even let the flavor hit my tongue before gulping it down.

That was the first time I truly understood what it felt like to swallow bitterness in silence.

Mrs. Shaw brought up the familiar topic once again.

“Darcy, when are you and Peyton planning to get married? It has been nearly eight years. Isn’t it time to finally set a date?”

She smiled warmly, genuinely looking forward to the milestone.

I searched for the right words to break the truth to her, but Peyton spoke first.

“After Kinsley gives birth.”

Mrs. Shaw’s smile instantly turned into fury as she glared at him.

“What does your wedding have to do with her baby?! Don’t tell me that child is yours?!”

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