"Caleb... you're so good to me. Back then..." Ivy White's eyes were red as she gazed at Caleb Forrest.
Caleb Forrest's heart hammered in his chest, and his breathing grew ragged.
As he felt Ivy White draw nearer, he had to fight an almost uncontrollable urge to reach out and pull her into his arms.
But before he could move, a shrill, furious voice shattered the moment. "Grace Winslow! Grace Winslow, where the hell are you? Ah, ah! AHH—"
The shriek came from the small room.
Caleb Forrest snapped back to his senses. Forgetting Ivy White, he turned and hurried into the small room.
The small room was poorly ventilated and dim. It was a cramped space, originally used for storage.
It had since been cleared out to make space for a small bed.
The room was dimly lit. An old woman, lying paralyzed on the bed, was frantically hammering her fists against the bedframe, creating a deafening racket.
The sight gave Caleb Forrest a headache. He rushed forward. "Mom, Mom, what are you doing?"
"Grace Winslow isn't here. She's sick and at the hospital."
"What? What right does she have to be in the hospital? Why waste all that money? Get her back here to serve me, now! How dare she not be here? Ah, if she's not here, who's going to take care of me? Who?!"
The old woman's voice was piercing, her gaunt face twisted into a terrifying snarl.
Caleb Forrest sighed. "She has a high fever. The doctor said it's pneumonia. She won't make it if she isn't hospitalized."
"If you need anything, just tell me. Can't I take care of you? I was the one looking after you before she married me, wasn't I?"
"How is that the same? She married you! Our family paid a sixty-yuan bride price for her! Isn't taking care of me her duty?"
"What daughter-in-law doesn't take care of her husband's parents?"
"Even if she's on her deathbed, she should be taking care of me first."
"You—you go to the hospital and bring her back right now. Do you have any idea how much it costs to be hospitalized?"
Old Mrs. Forrest didn't care whether Grace Winslow had pneumonia or anything else; all she wanted was to see her.
In the three months since Grace Winslow had joined the family, she had found new ways to torment her every single day.
Since she could no longer move her legs, the only time she felt a sliver of gratification was when she was making Grace Winslow's life miserable.
Now that Grace Winslow was gone, she felt herself growing increasingly agitated.
Caleb Forrest's expression darkened. "Mom! Grace Winslow is my wife, not a servant. That's a terrible way to think. Is this how you treat her when I'm not home?"
He was busy with work and wasn't home much. He usually only came back in the evenings, had dinner, and went to bed. He truly had no idea how his mother treated Grace Winslow.
At his words, the old woman's expression faltered, and she avoided his gaze.
"I... what did I do to her? This is how your own grandmother treated me! What mother-in-law doesn't break in her daughter-in-law? A woman will never be obedient if you don't teach her some discipline. Don't you go spoiling her!"
"Enough," Caleb Forrest said, his face cold and his tone harsh. "She's not coming back tonight. If you don't want me taking care of you, then you'd better start behaving."
The old woman mumbled to herself, not daring to talk back.
Still, she couldn't help but mutter, "But... I've wet the bed. Who... who's going to clean it up?"
Caleb Forrest's expression shifted.
'This was an incredibly awkward situation for him.'
Before he married Grace Winslow, he had always paid other women from the factory to help care for his mother.
But it was late now, and he couldn't possibly go bother someone else.
After a moment's thought, Caleb Forrest went back outside. He hesitated before looking at Ivy White. "Um, Vivi... My mom's had a bit of an accident. Could you possibly help me with her?"