Chapter 1

I broke his heart the year Caleb loved me most.

Six years later, he came back to this city.

Mom suddenly found him, asking urgently, "Did Hazel come back with you? How is she doing? Can I see her?"

He scoffed, a bitter, hollow sound. "That woman you're so worried about? She ran off with some sugar daddy years ago."

His resentment towards me hadn't faded an inch.

But what he didn't know was that the day he left the country, I had already died.

1

When Caleb returned, every major platform was live-streaming his arrival.

The once ordinary boy was now a skyrocketing tech mogul.

I stood beside Mom, watching him emerge from the airport through the phone screen.

Mom happily clutched her phone. "Caleb is back! That boy made something of himself, so many people are filming him!"

I couldn't help but feel a surge of joy myself.

Caleb's stunning looks and distinguished aura had garnered him countless fans.

The live chat and comment sections were flooded with adoration. Everyone swooned, wondering who could ever be lucky enough to have a man like him. Even a fleeting moment with him would be enough.

Reading those words, a strange sadness washed over me.

Even after all these years, countless memories of Caleb still flickered in my mind.

My heart ached, a sharp, constant throb that screamed one undeniable truth: I still loved him.

Snapping back to reality, I looked at Caleb's familiar face and suddenly felt a profound distance.

When the live stream ended, Mom stared at the screen, her whole body radiating sorrow, tears silently streaming down her face.

She touched the screen aimlessly. "Why did it end? Where's my Hazel? Why didn't they show my Hazel? Did my Hazel not come back with Caleb?"

She frantically started calling my phone.

It was always either busy or went straight to voicemail.

Because the person on the other end wasn't me, but Briar's friend abroad.

Briar, busy in the kitchen, heard Mom's distress and rushed out, putting down her cutting board.

She had known Caleb was returning today.

And she knew about the live stream.

No matter how hard she tried to hide it, she never expected Mom to hear about it from other neighborhood ladies.

Left with no choice, she had to open the live stream for Mom.

Unsure how to face the situation, she retreated to the kitchen, her ears constantly straining to catch any sound from the living room.

Six years ago, Briar had held my urn alone, setting up my headstone.

Mom's health was fragile, and Briar feared she couldn't handle the shock of my death. So, she lied, claiming I had been living abroad with Caleb all these years.

She got a new phone number and, on holidays, pretended to be me sending messages to Mom.

She gently embraced Mom, whose hair was now streaked with white. "Hazel might have things to handle abroad…"

Briar trailed off, simply too exhausted. Juggling three jobs to pay off debts, caring for our mom, and constantly maintaining this elaborate lie.

Her forehead rested on Mom's shoulder, tears streaming down her face.

Floating beside them, all I could feel was self-blame. I couldn't do anything, not even speak to them; it felt like an impossible luxury.

2

But I never expected Mom to find Caleb's address.

She missed me too much.

After failing to reach me by phone, she thought seeing me through Caleb would be enough.

Since it was a gated community, hard to get into, she applied for a cleaning job, hoping to sneak in.

She was vibrant and cheerful every day, and Briar thought Mom had found new friends and was feeling happy.

I watched from the side, anxious and helpless.

All I could do was pray she wouldn't find Caleb.

But when I accompanied her to Caleb's front door, a sliver of hope ignited in my heart.

Had Caleb forgotten me? Or did he still hate me?

Mom pressed the doorbell.

The butler came out, and seeing Mom's attire, a flicker of disdain crossed his eyes. "We don't need your services in this area."

Mom's mind was solely focused on me; she didn't notice his expression.

She smiled politely. "Hello, I'd like to see Caleb."

Hearing Caleb's name, the butler gave Mom another once-over, then turned to go back inside.

Mom shouted "Thank you!" after his retreating back, believing the butler would pass on her message.

Instead, several house staff emerged, brooms in hand, shooing Mom away from the entrance.

She, who once lived a life of luxury, had never faced such blatant disrespect.

Watching this scene, I tried to grab her hand to pull her away.

I tried again and again.

My hand simply passed right through hers.

A sharp pang hit my chest, and my eyes welled up.

Mom didn't leave. She stubbornly settled in an unnoticed corner.

She had come all this way, she wasn't going to leave just like that.

She was determined to wait for Caleb here.

I stayed by her side, keeping vigil.

I couldn't help but think of when I was little, waiting with Mom on the living room sofa for Dad to come home.

Only then, we were happy. Now, there was only a chilling emptiness.

As dusk fell, a car finally pulled into Caleb's driveway.

Mom hastily got up and hurried toward it.

She saw Caleb emerge from the garage from the doorway.

Most of his face was hidden in shadow. Looking at him from a distance, he felt utterly unfamiliar.

"Caleb! I'm Hazel's mom! Caleb!"

Mom shouted excitedly, her voice cracking, afraid Caleb hadn't heard her.

Caleb paused for a moment, then continued walking as if he hadn't heard anything.

Maybe he really had forgotten me.

This realization sent a tremor through my heart.

Mom didn't understand why Caleb was ignoring her. The Caleb in her memory was polite and kind; he wouldn't simply disregard her calls.

"Caleb! Did Hazel come back with you? How is she doing? Can I see her?"

Mom's voice was hoarse, but she tried to raise it, wanting Caleb to hear her clearly.

She was a music major, and she used to be a prominent figure in the music scene.

She cherished her voice, but now, for me, she didn't care about it anymore.

3

The butler walked over with the staff, their steps betraying impatience.

Caleb finally turned back, giving Mom a glance. He gave a hollow, bitter laugh. "The woman you're so desperately looking for? She ran off with some sugar daddy years ago."

My heart gave a painful lurch.

Mom's eyes were wide with disbelief.

She stumbled back several steps.

She murmured toward Caleb's retreating back, "No, that's impossible. My Hazel wouldn't do that. You're lying to me."

As she spoke, her tone grew furious. "Caleb, you heartless man, how could you spread rumors about my daughter!"

The butler sneered. "Why are you still holding on? Mr. Caldwell said your daughter ran off with an old man. You should leave and never show your face here again."

"Your daughter is no good; don't embarrass yourself here."

Mom's emotions began to spiral out of control. "How dare you! My daughter isn't like that!"

She was pushed out of the gated community by the staff.

The butler spoke to the security guards, ensuring Mom would never be allowed back in.

Mom turned, utterly distraught.

Faintly, she could hear the staff's mocking laughter from behind.

"Her daughter has no taste, abandoning Mr. Caldwell for an old man."

"I wonder how that old woman even dared to show up."

"Like mother, like daughter. Both shameless."

Mom's face instantly paled, her lips bitten blue.

Her recovering body couldn't withstand this ordeal.

Her vision blurred, and she felt a sudden dizziness before collapsing straight onto the ground.

My eyes burned red, and I screamed, "Mom! Mom! Wake up!

"Someone help! Please, someone help my mom!"

My heart felt like it was being cruelly squeezed.

So, even a soul could experience such intense emotional turmoil.

A security guard nearby saw her and immediately called 91