Chapter 22
But the worst part came later. Ruth told Irene, “Fourteen years ago, Richard fell while chopping wood in the mountains, Split his head open–bloody mess. He didn’t have money for treatment, so they carried him to my door, begging me to save him.
“He’s the man who ruined my life. And yeah, I’m a doctor, and doctors are supposed to be compassionate. But I couldn’t bring myself to help him. When he saw I was serious–really going to let him die–he finally confessed what really happened back
then
Even after all these years, Ruth’s eyes still brimmed with tears of rage and grief.
Through clenched teeth, she said. Turns out, Liam had already set his sights on Gwen. He wanted the reputation of a good man and the future of a successful one. But he couldn’t come up with a decent excuse to divorce me–so he went to Richard and told him to find a way to destroy my name.
“That’s the man I once loved. He had someone ruin his wife’s reputation–his pregnant wife–just so he could climb higher.
“He went on to live a life of wealth and status, while I was branded a tramp for all to see. The injustice of it all still burned in her chest. If she could, Ruth would’ve dug up Liam’s bones and whipped them.
“But sometimes,” she muttered. “I think about how illness tore him apart before he died, and I feel a little better.
But just a little. It wasn’t nearly enough to make up for everything she’d suffered.
Even hearing it as an outsider, Irene felt her heart twist in pain–let alone living through it.
She wrapped her arm gently around her grandma and asked, “Grandma… why didn’t you ever tell me any of this?”
“You were too young back then. It didn’t feel right. But you’re grown now. You’re in a relationship. There’s nothing I can’t say
anymore.”
“Rini,” Ruth said seriously. Tll admit, there are good men out there. But finding one is like digging gold out of a pile of shit.”
Crude, but true. Irene couldn’t agree more.
“When you get a chance Ruth continued, “bring that Dorian over for dinner. Let me get a look at him. Whether he’s trash or treasure, we’ll see.”
Irene gave a faint smile, the kind that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “When the time comes, I’ll bring him.”
But in her heart, she knew–That day would never come.
In her past life, she’d walked down the aisle with Dorian. In this life, she planned to bury him herself.
She got up, went to the kitchen, sliced an apple, and brought over a plate. “Try this, Grandma–it’s sweet.”
Ruth took a bite, then remembered-“Oh, the wild mushrooms still need sorting.
“Rini, go clean them up and put them in the fridge. Eat them slowly. And hey, should we send some to the elders in the Barnes family?
She paused, remembering that the Jackson family also lived in Eldraeth City. “What about the Jackson family? Should we send
a little over there too?
Liam had betrayed her, yes–but the Jackson family was still Irene’s blood.
Ruth wanted Irene to have more family, more people to lean on. When she was gone, she didn’t want Irene to be completely alone.
“No need with the Barnes family, Irene said without hesitation. She’d rather make mushroom soup for a stray dog than let the Barnes family have so much as a sip.
As for the Jackson family….
Forget them too.”
Chapter 22
After what they’d done to Ruth, the thought of giving them mushrooms she’d picked with her own hands felt like rubbing salt in her wounds.
Her gaze fell to the three thick wild matsutake mushrooms still in the basket. Suddenly, a pair of cold, distant eyes flashed through her mind.
“Grandma, I’d like to give two of the matsutake to someone.”
“To who?” Ruth asked. Matsutake mushrooms weren’t cheap–whoever she was giving them to had to be someone important.
Irene started to say, “An eld…”
But something made her stop. “A friend,” she said instead.
Ruth gave her a side–eye, but let it go. “If you want to give them away, go ahead–they’re yours. What about the last one? Want to send it to that business partner of yours?”
“Anthony?” Irene scoffed. “That guy wouldn’t know good food if it slapped him. Total waste.”
“Well, up to you.”
“Grandma, you rest. The sun’s still up–I’ll head out now.”
Irene picked out two of the matsutake, tucked them carefully into a small basket, and headed off to see Jeremy.
