Love Left Behind

I came back to my room and kept flipping through the family photo on the table.

Back then, I was carefree and my mother would frown, gently tapping my forehead.

“You silly goose, what will you do when you get married?”

I just gave her a hug, smiling.

“Well then, pick someone for me, Mom. He’ll definitely treat me well.”

The noise downstairs brought back my memory. Frowning, I headed down.

“Little birthday girl, look at the camera and give us a sign!”

I hadn’t even noticed when so many people filled the living room. Children ran around in a noisy mess.

“What’s going on here?”

Clayton looked over, his smile vanishing fast.

He stepped in front of me and asked, “What’s wrong with you, Auntie? Who told you to wear the mistress’s clothes?”

I glanced down at my long nightgown, confused by what he meant.

Clayton whispered, “Regina said her classmates are ignoring her. She wanted to have her party here to save face. Just bear with it for now and I’ll apologize later.”

Before I could reply, the parents nearby started whispering.

“Is that nanny hoping for a promotion? Everyone knows Clayton is madly in love with Gloria. They’re the most admired couple at our school.”

“Their daughter is six already. No matter how pretty she is, Mr. Barnett wouldn’t give up his wife and kid for her.”

The most admired couple?

I stood stunned, staring at Clayton.

Since my parents died, I had locked myself away in this estate, avoiding the outside world and Clayton’s social life.

He’d always been gentle with me.

“Hazel, just stay home. I’ll tell everyone you’re my wife, the only one I love.”

And now they’d become a family.

I was the one branded as the shameless mistress.

Gloria casually picked up my silk scarf from the table, dabbed her eyes and softly apologized.

“It’s my fault for being too kind. My nanny interrupted the kids’ party.”

“Take off my clothes and leave them here. I’ll act like none of this happened.”

I laughed in disbelief and stopped in my tracks.

“Gloria, how did the house I’ve lived in for thirty years suddenly become yours?”

I turned toward the cabinet to dig out my property deed.

Clayton stopped me. The next moment, my silk pajamas were ripped off, exposing pale skin.

“Alright, nanny, stop making a fuss. Return Gloria’s clothes!”

He emphasized ‘nanny’ like a dagger.

A woman nearby gasped and quickly covered her child’s eyes. My blood rushed backward. My hands trembled as I tried to hold onto the shredded clothes.

In this six-year-long fake marriage, wasn’t I always just a ‘nanny’?

Holding back tears, I said once more, firm and loud, “This is my home. You are not welcome. Please leave!”

Gloria smiled as she stroked the table.

“These are my favorite white gardenias. Mr. Barnett has them flown in from Europe every day.”

My eyes followed her hand. The flowers were beautiful, but I had been allergic to pollen since childhood.

“The décor is my favorite Spanish style. My husband and I picked out every piece together.”

After my daughter died, I couldn’t bear the house anymore, so I redecorated in my favorite Spanish style.

“And these photos, just my husband, me and Regina’s birthday memories.”

“How can you prove this house is yours?”

My face turned pale. The only thing I had left to prove ownership was a key. This estate, where I had lived for over twenty years, had slowly turned into something I couldn’t recognize.

“Please ask the nanny to leave our house now.”