Too Late for Spring, Too Late for Us

Richard served me bagels like he used to, even testing the temperature before placing it before me.

"Harriet," he called me with that tone of fake gentleness.

He then proceeded to shamelessly said, "I know you're upset, but you're still the wife of the Ford Family. That won't change."

"Even if Emily and the child live here, you'll be Bryan’s mother to everyone’s eyes. Do you understand?"

"If it still bothers you, I can arrange for them to live somewhere else."

My stomach turned. I dropped the spoon and stood up.

I coldly told the man, "Richard, I despise the idea of someone else’s child calling me ‘Mom.’ It disgusts me."

Richard slammed his bowl down as he said, “Harriet, don’t push your luck!”

“Five days from now is Bryan’s birthday,” he continued coldly.

After that, he said, “I’m throwing him a huge party and announcing him as my heir.”

“If you try anything, don’t blame me for what I’ll do.”

Five days? That was the day the airport was scheduled to be operational. I had no intention of attending his party. Let him do whatever he wants.

The next day, the airport manager called me for the final inspection and signing. But on the way back, a van slammed into my car. When I stepped out to check the damage, two strong men got out of the van, knocked me unconscious and dragged me away.

Before I blacked out, I heard one of them chuckle, “Too bad Miss Burnett has other plans. Otherwise, I’d have some fun with her.”

I wanted to scream, but everything went dark. When I woke up, I was in an abandoned warehouse. Emily stood in front of me, smiling.

"Harriet, finally awake? Are you surprised to see me?"

My head throbbed and my body felt weak.

Nevertheless, I still managed to ask, "Why … why did you kidnap me?"

"You’ve taken Richard from me for years," she said, snapping.

"And you have the nerve to ask why?"

"Do you really think being born into the Steinberg family makes you special? Money can’t buy Richard’s heart. He has always loved me. He always will."

Her voice got louder and more unstable. Suddenly, she slapped me so hard I fell to the floor. It was then that I noticed her leg. It was all perfectly fine.

"Your ... your leg, so it’s not broken?"

Emily scoffed. Just then, her phone rang. She answered it calmly, hung up, then turned to me with a cold smirk.

Without warning, she grabbed a brick and smashed it into her leg. She screamed in pain. Moments later, Richard came running in.

Emily lay on the floor, sobbing, as she said, “Don’t blame Harriet, Richard! She did it because she loves you too much!”

I struggled to sit up as I told him, “She’s lying! Richard, it wasn’t me. She was the one who hurt herself!”

But he didn’t listen.

His eyes were filled with rage as he stared me down and shouted, "You already crippled one of Emily’s legs. And now this?"

“Today, you pay for what you’ve done!”

Richard bent down, grabbed a heavy stone and slammed it into my leg. I heard the sickening crack as pain exploded through my body. He then tossed the stone aside, scooped Emily into his arms and left without a single glance back.

I fainted. When I opened my eyes again, the warehouse was empty. At the time, I was drenched in sweat, barely conscious. Still, I forced myself to drag my broken leg inch by inch toward the road.

A kind stranger saw me and called an ambulance. It was how I survived. Three days later, after I was discharged, I asked my lawyer to pick me up.

After that, both of us went straight to the airport.

On the very first day the airport opened, the first plane that took off was the one flying me abroad. Back in Boston, Bryan’s birthday party was in full swing.

Richard, who was desperate to give Bryan a sense of status and legitimacy in the Ford Family, suddenly thought of me, his lawful wife.

He turned to his assistant and said coldly, "Go pick up my wife. Bryan will serve her hot chocolate later."

"Tell her to behave. She must drink the hot chocolate he offers her."

The assistant quickly nodded and left.

But the assistant returned soon after. This time, she was rushing to see her boss. She looked pale and was barely breathing as if she had run a marathon.

"Sir… I-I mean Mr. Ford," she said, stammering as she handed over a document.

"This is from Mrs. Ford’s lawyer."

The assistant continued, "He said you don’t have to worry anymore. Mrs. Ford won’t be bothering you again."

"She … she’s never coming back."