Chapter 2 An Accident

Five years later, in a quaintly decorated pharmacy in Cloudmere, Deanna had just sold a batch of medicinal herbs, earning a good income.

She was in high spirits as she walked towards her car, planning to take her two little ones out for a nice meal.

Five years ago, after giving birth to her twins, she moved to the outskirts of the city with her grandmother and the children. There, she met an old doctor who taught her medicine, including identifying and growing various herbs.

This knowledge had sustained their livelihood for the past five years.

Now, her children were healthy and happy, and life was good.

As Deanna passed through Middletown Square, a large LCD screen displayed a news segment.

"Rising star of the entertainment industry and young lady of the Jones family, Emily, is set to marry Raphael Howard, heir to the Howard family. Their five-year romance will soon culminate in a wedding."

Deanna stopped in her tracks, looking up at the screen.

The footage showed the couple in their wedding photoshoot, embracing each other lovingly.

The sight stabbed at Deanna's heart, reminding her of the promises Raphael once made to her. Raphael promised to stay together and grow old with her.

He had vowed to love only her.

Instead, he quickly canceled their engagement and chose Emily without offering any explanation for what happened that fateful night.

The painful memories churned within her, and she struggled to regain her composure.

Her children were waiting for her, and they were too perceptive. She didn't want them to notice anything was wrong.

Soon, Deanna reached her car.

She got in, looked into the rearview mirror, and saw her two adorable children sitting patiently in the back seat.

The boy had a serious expression, his eyes reflecting a keen intelligence, while the girl's big, sparkling eyes were filled with softness and innocence.

Though their personalities differed, their features were strikingly similar, both exquisitely beautiful like dolls. Each held a fluffy white kitten in their arms, making them look even more endearing.

When they saw Deanna, their faces lit up with joy. "Mommy, you're back!"

"Mommy, welcome back! We've been waiting for you for so long!"

The kittens meowed in chorus, "Meow, meow, meow..."

Deanna's heart melted at the sight.

"Mommy, did you make a good sale today?" Gregory asked with childish concern.

As she fastened her seatbelt, Deanna smiled. "Yes, I did. I sold all the herbs, so tonight, I can take you out for a big dinner."

"Wow!"

Chloe cheered, her eyes shining. "Mommy, can we have seafood? I want to eat that."

"Of course," Deanna agreed, unable to refuse their requests. "We're going for a seafood feast."

"Let's go!" Chloe raised her little hand in excitement.

Deanna started the car and drove off.

She had bought a second-hand car because it was cheap, though it was old and often used for deliveries.

Midway through the drive, the car suddenly broke down, and before Deanna could react, there was a loud crash from behind.

"Ah!"

Deanna screamed in shock as the car lurched forward and shook violently, as if it might fall apart.

"Gregory! Chloe!"

Her first instinct was to turn and check on her children in their safety seats.