A Heart Frozen Over

Ellie was Archie's beloved teacher and the woman he saw as his perfect mother.

Despite the freezing temperature outside, Ellie stood in the ward wearing only a thin, low-cut top and a wool coat that was more for fashion than warmth.

Her cleavage was on full display, with a few strands of hair falling seductively over her chest.

Her long, slender legs were wrapped in sheer black stockings, and her youthful, heavily made-up face exuded an undeniable charm.

But her face was still flushed, and the broken skin on her lower lip glistened with traces of moisture that hadn't been wiped away.

Anyone who saw her like this wouldn't think of her as a kindergarten teacher, but rather…

The moment Ellie saw me, a flash of surprise crossed her face.

Feigning ignorance, I pointed at the broken skin on her lip and asked with concern, "Did you get a heat rash, Ms. Cole?"

Ellie touched her lips, and whatever crossed her mind made her cheeks flush even deeper. She shyly nodded.

"Young people sure run hot, getting a heat rash even in the middle of winter. You should watch what you eat, Ms. Cole. Some foods won't just make the rash worse; they might upset your stomach too."

Smiling, I stepped into the ward.

As I passed Ellie, I thought I heard the faintest sigh of relief from her.

I turned back and asked her with a frown, "Where's my husband? That's a little irresponsible of him. He called you over while he sneaked off to slack."

Ellie barely relaxed for a second before my words made her tense up again.

She quickly knocked on the bathroom door. The sound of running water had been going nonstop since I arrived.

"Mr. Palmer, Mrs. Palmer is here," she called.

Then, turning back to me, she forced a smile. "You misunderstood, Mrs. Palmer. Mr. Palmer isn't slacking off. He's been taking care of Archie this whole time. He just stepped into the bathroom. He should be out any minute now."

I nodded without pressing further.

Ellie led me toward Archie's bed. Her cheap perfume was so strong that it nearly overpowered the sharp scent of disinfectant in the room. It was suffocating.

Back when I kept fresh flowers at home, Brandon always complained about the smell. Archie went even further—he tore them all up and threw them in the trash.

Then, he had the audacity to glare at me and warn me never to bring flowers home again. He said I was wasting Brandon's money.

In my past life, I always wondered why. Brandon and Archie used to go to the flower market with me. Archie even asked Brandon to buy the prettiest blossom and tuck it behind my ear, calling me the most beautiful mom in the world.

But now, looking at Ellie's delicate, pampered appearance, I finally understood.

It wasn't that they couldn't stand the scent of flowers at home. They just grew too accustomed to the smell of cheap perfume. The flowers at home no longer held any appeal for them.

Archie was awake. The moment he saw me, he grabbed the apple beside his bed and hurled it at me.

I reacted quickly, instinctively dodging behind Ellie. The apple struck her forehead hard, leaving a swollen lump.

Ellie shrieked in pain.

I instantly put on my best strict-parent face and scolded Archie, "What is wrong with you, Archie? Why would you throw an apple at Ms. Cole? She came all the way here in the middle of the night to take care of you. Do you have any idea how hurtful your actions are?"

Archie froze. He sat in bed, staring at me, then at Ellie, who was clutching her forehead in pain.

It took him a moment to process what had just happened.

"I wasn't trying to hit Ms. Cole! I was aiming for you! This is all your fault! You locked me out on the balcony! You made me sick! You're a bad mom! I'll kill you!"