After Stepping Aside for My Husband and His Sister-in-Law

chapter 3

I stumbled back to the hospital room.

My heart, which should have been numb long ago, still ached sharply.

Looking at the sleeping Oscar, I unconsciously reached out and plucked a strand of his hair.

Before long, Charlie rushed over, his face full of apology. "Evelyn, I'm sorry. The company was too busy last night. I came over as soon as I saw your message this morning."

He pretended to pat Oscar's head, glanced at the medical records, and finally let out a sigh of relief. "Luckily, everything's fine. You must be tired. Take Oscar home."

I nodded, completed the discharge procedures, and handed two strands of hair to the doctor.

When I returned to the ward, Juliet was sitting by the bed, feeding Oscar porridge.

She took a small sip to check if it was too hot, leaving a bit on her lips.

Charlie saw this and smiled, naturally reaching out to wipe it off for her.

Seeing me come in, Charlie and Oscar both turned their heads, showing identical cold disdain.

Charlie quickly put on a gentle expression. "Evelyn, you must be tired, right? Juliet came to visit Oscar and brought some seafood porridge. Have some too."

My throat tightened, and I gave a bitter smile, "I'm allergic to seafood."

He froze for a moment, awkwardly opening his mouth. "I've been so busy lately, I forgot about that."

I didn't say anything else, just quietly packed my luggage.

Oscar occasionally cast resentful glances at me.

Realizing I was disturbing their family of three, I tactfully left the room.

Soon, Charlie took us home.

He glanced at me and tentatively said, "You're busy preparing for the wedding these days. How about letting Juliet stay to take care of Oscar for now?"

He signaled Oscar with his eyes, and Oscar immediately whimpered weakly, clutching tightly onto Juliet's sleeve.

I knew their intentions clearly.

But I was tired and just went along with them.

During the days Juliet stayed at home, I quietly wrote the invitations.

I changed all my names on them to "Juliet Harrison."

A few days later, Charlie took us to Hazel's house for dinner.

As the door opened, Hazel warmly greeted Juliet and Oscar. When she saw me, her expression instantly changed, and she rolled her eyes.

At the dining table, Oscar kept calling out "Aunt Juliet."

Hazel was happily chatting with Juliet, but as soon as she heard that title, her face darkened. "What Aunt Juliet? She's your real mom!"

She scoffed and glanced at my reaction.

She never liked me anyway, probably waiting for me to argue so she could take the chance to scold me.

But I just kept my head down, eating, pretending not to hear.

Hazel's face instantly changed, and she slammed her fork onto the table.

Then she pointed at me and yelled, "Is it because you're too jealous to let Oscar acknowledge his real mom?"

"I haven't even confronted you yet. Oscar was seriously ill and went abroad for treatment, but you stayed behind to plan a wedding? And just a few days ago, he was hospitalized againis this how you take care of a child?"

Oscar immediately started sobbing cooperatively, looking aggrieved. "I want to call her mom too."

I looked at Charlie's silence, then at Juliet's smug expression, feeling nothing but absurdity and exhaustion.

I said calmly, "Fine, it's my fault. I'll take the punishment."

After speaking, without waiting for their reaction, I turned and went to the study.

Hazel used to find every possible way to pick on me.

As long as Oscar felt a bit unwell, she would blame me and punish me by making me kneel in the study.

But now, I just sit on the chair for some peace and quiet.

Unexpectedly, after a while, Juliet came over.

She said, "Evelyn, don't take what I said earlier to heart. Oscar is still young; he will definitely acknowledge you as his mom."

The mockery in her eyes was barely concealed.

Before she finished speaking, seeing me scrolling on my phone while sitting on the chair, her expression changed. "Why aren't you kneeling?"

"This is the Simpson family's rule. Hazel said to make Charlie a cup of coffee, why haven't you done it yet?"

She pretended to be anxious and shoved the coffee pot into my hand without giving me a chance to refuse.

But her hands trembled violently, and the scalding coffee poured straight onto my hand.

I clenched my teeth in pain and instinctively shook it off.

"Ah!"

She got splashed by the coffee, screamed in pain, and lost her grip, causing the coffee pot to crash to the ground.

"What's wrong?"

Charlie and Hazel rushed in.

Seeing the scene before them, their faces instantly turned pale.