Chapter 2

I started packing my things the next morning. Everything I couldn't bring with me, I packed into boxes and threw away. I took down the family photo hanging in the living room. I was the only one smiling in the picture. Funnily enough, this was the only family photo we had after five years of living together. As a matter of fact, we only had the photo taken because Ian reluctantly agreed to it at his parents' insistence. My thoughts drifted back toward the past. I had only just been forced to give up on my dream back then. I was filled with hope for the future, thinking that I'd be able to return to my family that way. "You're truly a kind lady, Dahlia. I can rest at ease knowing you're caring for Shawnie. Once I'm finished with this competition, I'll definitely hold a romantic wedding ceremony for you," Ian had said. I thought I could live a happy life with Ian and Shawn. I thought I could be a good wife and mother. However, all of that now seemed like nothing but wishful thinking on my part. Shawn's angry voice rang out from behind me. "Where's my warm milk? Why are you looking at that photo again? I told you I wanted to drink warm milk every morning!" One of the maids whispered cajolingly, "Don't be angry, Mr. Shawn. Your warm milk is right here." He pushed the maid away and ran over to grab the photo in my hand, then smashed it on the floor. The photo frame shattered, and glass shards scattered all over the floor. Our only family photo was shattered just like that, the same way we could never go back to being family. Shawn didn't care. He glared at me and pointed an accusing finger at my face. "I want to drink the milk you prepare! What right do you have to freeload in our household without doing anything? These tasks are yours to do!" I gazed silently at him for a few seconds before turning to enter the kitchen. When I brought the warm milk to him, he took a single sip before smashing the glass against the floor. Warm milk splashed all over my shoes, and flying glass shards cut into my calves. "It's too hot!" he complained loudly. I knew he was deliberately making things difficult for me. He refused to acknowledge my identity over the years we'd been together and had always treated me like a housekeeper. I'd raised him as my own child for five years. No matter how much he detested me, I couldn't bring myself to hate him. Yet, all I got in return was even more bullying. "What are you looking at? Aren't you going to clean up the mess?" he snapped. I clenched my fists and cast him a glance before turning away. "Are you deaf? Did you not hear me telling you to clean the floor?" Before I could say a word, I heard Ian's voice coming from the front door. "What's going on?" I looked over only to see that Ian wasn't alone. He'd actually brought Selena home with him. I looked away and pretended I hadn't seen a thing, but Ian was dissatisfied with my indifference. He stepped in my way and frowned. "There are so many glass shards on the floor. Do you not know how to clean up without me ordering you to? What if Shawnie cuts himself on these shards?" I sneered. "Do you really see me as a housekeeper?" He stiffened for an instant, then frowned and looked at me. "All I asked is for you to clean the floor. Do you have to take that attitude with me? You're the only one in this household who's idling around all day. Or do you expect me to handle the clean-up instead?" Selena stuck her head out from behind him, then pretended to squat down to pick up the glass shards. "I'll do it, Ianie. Dahlia is your wife, so she's used to a life of luxury. How could we leave her to do such a menial task?" Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly let out a shrill yelp. She pricked her finger on the glass shard she just picked up, but the wound was small enough that it stopped bleeding in an instant. However, Ian was so anxious that he grabbed her hand and carefully put her finger in his mouth. "Leave this kind of work to Dahlia. Your hands are meant for racing, not cleaning up floorboards. Besides, I'll also feel distressed if you hurt yourself." His words pierced my heart like a knife. My hard work over the past five years added an extra layer of irony to the moment. Ian stopped paying attention to me. He took Selena's hand and led her toward the master bedroom, then asked the household staff to bring Selena's luggage along. "Lena has a heavy workload ahead due to the competition and needs proper rest. Move your things out of the master bedroom so she can stay there instead. Also, make sure she has three unique meals a day. We mustn't neglect her nutrition." He laid out the instructions like an order. I wasn't even allowed the right to refuse. Shawn immediately threw himself into Selena's arms upon hearing Ian's words. "Will you be staying at our house over the next few days, Ms. Lindsay? Hooray! If only you were my mother, you'd be able to teach me how to race too." It pained me deeply to watch their harmonious interactions. I left the living room without hesitation. A short while after I entered my room, there was a knock on my door. I suppressed my impatience and opened the door. "Is something the matter?" I asked. My impatient tone made Ian pause. "The relationship between me and Selena is nothing more than that of a mentor and his apprentice. She has a rare talent for racing. Please understand where I'm coming from. I can't exactly take you to the racing track, can I? Considering you know nothing of racing, you'll only embarrass me." I didn't expect Ian to take the initiative to explain things to me, but I'd heard such words far too many times. He'd said much the same the first time I ever quarreled with him over Selena. "You're just a housewife who doesn't understand the allure of racing. Don't speculate about us with that dirty mind of yours." The memories pricked ceaselessly at my consciousness, and the words he'd said to me stabbed repeatedly into my heart like knives. Just as he reached out to take my hand and opened his mouth as if he still had something else to say, Selena called out to him from upstairs.