Mermaid’s Tears was an ancient remedy made by a royal tribe to preserve youth. That tribe vanished long ago, and only one tiny vial was ever found. Three years ago in New York, someone paid $88 billion for it at an auction.
Could the mystery buyer have been Philip Collins...? Or was Daniel Wilson just using him to buy it in secret?
What a childish man, Chantelle thought. Doing something sweet and leaving it like some secret gift... Did he think he was five?
Even so, she gently put the container back in the box and locked it inside the restroom safe. She didn’t want to accept gifts from Daniel too easily, but this one was hard to ignore—especially considering how much it cost.
She pulled out her phone, wanting to text him. But her fingers hovered over the screen. She couldn’t find the right words to say.
In the end, she decided to give him a gift of equal value. That way, she wouldn’t owe him anything. Happy with her choice, she put her phone away and headed downstairs.
In the dining hall, Calvin and Russell had set the table. Everyone was waiting for Chantelle to arrive.
"Mommy, come down quick!"
"No, Chantie should sit with us!"
"She’s my wife. Of course she’s sitting next to me."
As Chantelle looked around the room, she felt her heart swell. This was the life she had always dreamed of—being surrounded by family, friends, children, and the man she loved.
Everyone was laughing and sharing a warm meal. It felt like the ending of a fairytale, where the prince and princess live happily ever after.
She wanted to remember this forever. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to capture the memory like a picture in her mind.
Then, out of nowhere, she felt a burning heat on her cheek.
She reached her face with her hand—and froze.
Warm blood was coating her fingers.
Before she could cry out, the world around her went dark. She collapsed onto the floor, and everything faded to black.
When Chantelle opened her eyes again, she was already in a hospital bed. The sharp smell of antiseptic filled the air. She tried to remember how she ended up here. As she sat up, she noticed an IV needle in her arm.
What happened to me...? she thought.
She remembered collapsing before dinner, but nothing after that. Her head felt cloudy, and she had a slight headache.
Just then, a small, familiar face appeared beside her. Kane climbed onto the bed and leaned over her. His wide eyes were full of relief.
"Mommy, you’re awake! Are you okay?" he asked. "Daddy went to get food for you. But if you’re hungry now, I have chocolate milk!"
He quickly jumped down, opened his backpack, and pulled out a warm carton.
"Don’t worry, Kane. Mommy’s fine," Chantelle said as she gently ruffled his hair.
"But, Mommy... you fainted, and there was so much blood!" Kane hugged her tightly, scared by the memory.
"Mommy just got really tired from the massive activities this morning. I’ll be better after some rest," she said with a smile, patting his back.
"Really, Mommy?" Kane asked again, still unsure about her answer.
"Of course, darling. When has Mommy ever lied to you?" Chantelle said gently.
"Pfft, adults lie to kids all the time!" Kane shot back.
"Uhh... Kane, Mommy’s the one in the hospital bed right now..." Chantelle muttered, wondering when their roles had switched.
"Fine, fine. Until you get better, I’m staying here with you!" Kane said firmly, but his voice was soft and caring.
Chantelle smiled and ran her hand across his back. She even took a sip of the chocolate milk he brought, just to ease his worries.
Kane stayed by her side, adjusting her pillow and holding onto her arm without letting go.
Just then, the door opened and Daniel walked in. His eyes lit up the moment he saw Chantelle awake.
With a few quick steps, he was at her side, reaching out to touch her forehead.
"You must be hungry. I brought some congee. I’ll go get Russell and Philip too," he said, clearly relieved that her fever had gone down.
He opened the thermos and revealed steaming hot congee with her favorite side dishes—omelet and preserved vegetables. But as he handed it to her, Chantelle noticed his hands were shaking.
Was it cold outside? Or... was he worried about me? she wondered.
Before she could think too much, she reached out and held his trembling hand.
"Daniel, did something happen?" she asked softly while staring at him.
Daniel froze for a second, then let out a breath and smiled. "I’ve never made congee before. So... try it and tell me what you think," he said, helping her open the thermos.
But the moment he opened the second layer, a strong burnt smell filled the room.
Chantelle held her breath. "Daniel Wilson, are you trying to poison me while I’m in a hospital bed?" she said, pinching her nose.
"Daddy, I can’t help you this time! I’m going to find Uncle Philip!" Kane said as he strolled out, leaving Daniel alone with Chantelle.
"Hmm... I followed the recipe exactly. The cook told me when to add the omelet and veggies, but maybe the fire was too high..." Daniel admitted, looking a little embarrassed. "But I swear it’s not poisonous!" He picked up a spoon, scooped some congee, blew on it, and held it out to her.
"Come on, say ahhhh!" Daniel offered and tried to feed her.
Chantelle stared at him. He looked silly, but it was also sweet. She had always hoped he would do something .
Still, the thought of eating that burnt congee made her stomach turn.
"No, please, no!" she blurted out a little too fast. When she saw the hurt on his face, she quickly tried to fix it.
"I’ll have some of the omelet. You’re great at making those!" she said with a big, fake smile, hoping to cheer him up.
Daniel finally set the spoon aside and placed the omelet on a small tray. He even added a fork, knife, and a side of ketchup.
Chantelle felt a little guilty accepting all this treatment from him, especially after the way she had treated him.
She looked at the omelet. It seemed safe. She took a big bite—and was surprised. It was actually delicious. Her stomach growled, and she kept eating.
"Chantelle..." Daniel said.
"Hmm?" she mumbled, too focused on eating to say more.
"These past few years... were they hard on you?" he asked cautiously.