Chapter 1The Gentle Lie

My only wish was to give Anson a complete family.

Despite my fear of pain, I mustered the courage to have his child. But a midwife’s error caused a blood vessel in my brain to rupture, and just like that, the brilliant mathematician became a simpleton who couldn’t even count.

Everyone urged Anson to move on.

But he’d cradle our baby with one arm and gently wipe crumbs from my mouth with the other. “I can’t let this family fall apart,” he insisted. “I’ll care for her for life.”

To cover my medical bills, he buried his pride and became the relentless Mr. Hayes, consumed by work. Juggling the office and two dependents at home, he began to gray by thirty.

Then one day, I spilled milk all over the floor again.

Anson’s frustration finally boiled over. He shoved my head to the ground, snarling, “Lick it up. Why did you survive? Why didn’t you just die?”

Terrified, I wet myself.

The sight seemed to shock him back to his senses. He staggered away, pale, and locked himself in his study all night.

The next morning, he made a call.

“Mrs. Davis? About that woman you mentioned… I’m ready to meet her.”

…

Anson brought a woman home.

As always, I tried to throw myself into his arms, but for the first time, he stepped aside, a frown creasing his brow as he told me to stand properly.

I just stood there, stunned, watching him offer a smile to the woman he called Mindy.

"This is my wife, Sasha, and our five-year-old son, Leo. I hope you'll be able to help take care of them."

Mindy’s lips curved into a gentle smile. "We're family now. No need to be so formal."

Leo clutched my leg, baring his teeth at the stranger like a little guard dog. I didn’t understand the strange ache in my chest, but I patted Leo’s head.

"It's okay, sweetie. She's our new nanny."

We had a new person come to look after us every few months.

A flicker of awkwardness crossed Mindy's face before she pulled a Spider-Man lollipop from her purse. Leo’s eyes lit up instantly. Then, Mindy gently combed my tangled hair back into place.

I saw the look of relief in Anson's eyes, so I bit my lip and didn't say a word about how hard she was pulling, how much it hurt.

I still remembered making Anson angry last time, and I didn't want it to happen again. I pulled out the little cookie I'd been saving for him and held it out.

"Anson, I promise I'll be good."

But I'd held it too long. It crumbled in my hand, scattering crumbs all over the floor Mindy had just mopped.

Anson’s fury mounted in an instant.

"Sasha, for God's sake, can't you just give me a moment of peace?"

He knelt to clean up the mess with Mindy, his voice laced with apology. "I'm sorry. She's... simple. You'll have to be patient with her."

My cheeks puffed out. Anson hated it when people called me that. He'd even gotten into a fight over it once.

I shoved the rest of the cookie into my mouth. I wasn't sharing with him anymore.

And just like that, Mindy moved in.

Leo was the happiest of all.

"My clothes smell so nice every day now!" he'd chirp. "And Auntie Mindy's cooking is delicious!"

He bounced in front of me, full of life, and I looked down at myself—at my increasingly stained collar and the sharp angles of my bones poking through my skin.

Apparently, Anson noticed too. He asked Mindy about it.

She hesitated before answering. "Sasha can be... difficult to manage."

"When you're not here, she bites me, hits me... I'm honestly afraid to touch her." As she spoke, she showed Anson the teeth marks on her arm.

"You're lying!" I shot out like a cornered animal, ramming my head into her stomach. I never bit anyone. Anson would believe me. He had to.

The next second, a sharp, solid slap landed across my face.

"Sasha, we're doing everything we can for you! Why can't you just behave?" Anson's eyes were red with rage. "Do you have to drag us all down with you to be happy?"

Seeing his beloved Mindy on the floor, Leo started pounding on me with his tiny fists.

"Sasha's bad! Don't bully Mommy!"