On our wedding anniversary, my husband’s ten-year-long research into a time machine finally succeeded. He intended to take our son back to the past to reunite with his deceased first love. As they were leaving, our son rolled his eyes at me and sneered, “You’re just a housekeeper. Don’t hold up Dad from seeing Aunt Clara!” My husband, his face cold and indifferent, added, “Eleanor Vance, I’ve already sold this house. Please move out as soon as possible.” I smirked. “You two better not regret this.” I followed them to the laboratory. In the final second before the machine activated, I reached out my hand towards the shimmering portal. They had no idea that I had waited ten long years for this exact moment—to save my original husband and daughter. 1 Dr. Michael Darabont’s research had finally paid off. He was going to take our son, Liam Darabont, and travel back in time, ten years into the past. And I, Eleanor Vance, had seen this news on a TV broadcast. Today was our tenth wedding anniversary. I had just finished making dinner, waiting for him to come home. The moment he walked through the door, I greeted him. “Michael, I’ve cooked all your favorite dishes to celebrate our ten-year anniversary.” Michael merely sighed softly. “Eleanor, we’re done. You’ve diligently looked after Liam and me for ten years, but I still can’t forget Clara.” Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his cold, clear eyes held no emotion, as if he were discussing something utterly mundane. I held the scalding hot plate, yet felt nothing. Gazing at the man in the crisp suit before me, I instinctively searched for the mole at the corner of his eye. “Michael, are you… divorcing me?” “My research is complete. I’m going to find Clara.” he stated. My fingertips, scalded crimson by the plate, belatedly released it. The dish instantly crashed to the floor, delicate cuisine scattering everywhere. My eyes widened in disbelief. “You… you’re going back? Ten years into the past?” Clara Sink was Michael’s first love; she had died ten years ago in an accident, and Michael had never forgotten her. “Yes. I’ll take Liam with me.” A faint smile flickered in his eyes, as if anticipating a reunion with Clara. I stepped forward, frantically grabbing his arm. “What about me, Michael? What do I count as? Today is our ten-year wedding anniversary…” “Eleanor Vance, this is where we end.” Michael ruthlessly pried my fingers off his arm, one by one. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms, yet I felt no pain. “So you’re just going to abandon me?” I then turned to Liam. “Liam, are you abandoning your mother too?” My son, whom I had nurtured with all my heart, rolled his eyes at me. He walked to Michael’s side and surveyed me with a slightly disdainful look. “You’re old and ugly, always at home like a drab housewife. You’re nothing like Aunt Clara. Don’t hold up Dad and me from going back to find her. I want Aunt Clara to be my mom!” Looking at the two of them, a storm of emotions churned within me. When Liam was sick, I stayed awake for nights, my eyes red-rimmed from exhaustion, tending to him. Back then, he would hold my little finger like a tiny dumpling, calling me “Mommy,” bringing me origami cranes he made in kindergarten art class, and sweetly calling me “Mommy.” But as he grew older, he only complained that I was nagging, like a housekeeper, not as glamorous as other mothers. “Face reality. I won’t be coming back. And this house? I’ve signed a deed of donation, giving it to the foundation I established for Clara. As for you, pack your bags and move out as soon as possible.” Michael added. I found it almost laughable. They were leaving, and they still didn’t forget to donate the house to Clara Sink’s foundation? “Alright,” I took a deep breath. “I hope you don’t regret this.” “Regret? I’d only regret not being with Clara!” Michael stated, every word distinct. With that, he and Liam got into the car and drove away. He didn’t notice that I was driving another car, following closely behind them. Inside the lab, Michael and Liam’s eyes gleamed with excitement and anticipation. On the table, a machine pulsed with blinding light. “Dad, can this really take us back to Aunt Clara?” Liam’s round eyes swiveled, filled with curiosity. “Yes,” Michael curved his lips. Hearing Liam mention Clara Sink, a rare tenderness flickered across his face. It was a look I had never seen before. At his words, Liam’s eyes lit up. “I love Aunt Clara the most! Aunt Clara is so beautiful, like a fairy. Mom, on the other hand, looks like a drab old housewife. I don’t want a drab housewife as my mom.” Michael stroked his head. “Don’t worry. When we go back, Aunt Clara will be your mom.” Look. My decade of care and companionship meant so little to them, they were even willing to risk time travel to go back and find Clara Sink. But none of that mattered anymore. As the father and son disappeared into the shimmering portal, I rushed forward, taking three steps at a time, and reached out to touch the machine just as the light was about to fade. The next second, a powerful force pulled me in. When I regained my senses, I was standing on an empty road, everything both unfamiliar and familiar. I had truly returned to ten years ago. A wild joy surged through me, but then a voice beside me suddenly asked, “What are you doing here?” I looked up, meeting Michael’s dark eyes. “You’re not following us to cause trouble, are you? Eleanor Vance, give it up. Even if you come back, there’s no way we’ll be together.” His brow was deeply furrowed, his face etched with defensiveness. “Bad woman, don’t hurt Dad and Aunt Clara!” The four-year-old Liam stood in front of Michael, his small fists clenched, as if I were his enemy. I pursed my lips, speaking with a feigned bewildered expression, “Excuse me, have you mistaken me for someone else?” Michael paused, his expression still full of distrust. “Mistaken you? You think putting on that act will make me believe you, Eleanor Vance? What are you really up to?!” I ignored Michael, turning to leave. “Don’t you dare move!” Michael grabbed my wrist. “You explain yourself. Were you deliberately following us? Are you trying to ruin things between Clara and me?” He gripped my wrist so hard it hurt. I forcefully pulled away, stumbling a few steps and bumping into someone behind me. A girl behind me gasped, and just as I was about to apologize, a sharp slap landed on my cheek. Michael spat on the ground. “Eleanor Vance, you truly are malicious!” I gritted my teeth and looked up, only to see Michael holding the girl I had bumped into. He looked at her as if she were a treasured possession he had lost and found again. “Clara, are you alright?” he asked in a low, gentle voice. “Are you blind?” Liam yelled, then scurried to Clara’s side, his face filled with worry. Oh, so they could care about people? I remembered when I was doubled over with acute gastroenteritis, barely able to get out of bed, and asked Michael to buy me medicine. He frowned, coldly saying, “Can’t you buy it yourself? I have a project at the institute; I’m very busy.” Then he grabbed his bag and left without looking back, leaving me, pale and almost fainting from pain, in the room. I asked Liam to call a doctor for me, but Liam was playing games on his phone, impatiently glancing at me. “Wait until I finish this round.” It wasn’t until hours later, when the cleaning lady found me passed out from pain and called an ambulance, that I barely survived. But now, Clara Sink was merely accidentally bumped, and my son was mocking me, and Michael even hit me! How truly absurd. Clara, leaning in Michael’s arms, her small face pale, her eyes slightly red-rimmed, looked as if she had suffered a terrible injustice. “Eleanor Vance, apologize to Clara!” Michael turned to me, still sitting on the ground, his face livid with rage. “I’m fine, this young lady didn’t mean it…” Clara bit her lip and began to speak. “Michael, who is she?” Michael paused. “She…” “Aunt Clara, she’s a bad woman who likes my dad!” Liam immediately interjected. Hearing Liam’s words, Clara’s gaze towards me flickered. “Oh, is that so… I’m sorry, am I interrupting something?” she murmured, lowering her eyes. “No, I have nothing to do with her.” Michael hastily explained, disassociating himself from me. A decade of marital affection dismissed with a flimsy “nothing to do with her.” I gave a self-deprecating laugh, struggling to get up from the ground. “Sir, I don’t even know you, yet you pushed me and hit me, and now you’re saying strange things. Are you unwell?” “Stop pretending! You’re here. Who would believe you weren’t following me?” Michael’s brow was deeply furrowed, his gaze filled with disgust. “I told you, I will never like you. Stop bothering me.” “Exactly! Dad only likes Aunt Clara, you give up!” Liam chimed in from the side. Just then, a familiar yet unfamiliar male voice came from across the street. “Simon!” I looked up towards the source of the voice, a man in a white shirt and dress pants was waiting at the traffic light on the opposite side. He held an ice cream cone in his left hand and was holding the hand of a lovely, delicate little girl with his right. The little girl was waving at me. My fingers trembled uncontrollably, and my nose began to sting with tears. The red light turned green. He picked up the girl with one arm, lifted his foot, and was about to walk over. “Simon! Don’t move!” Seeing the scene, I couldn’t care about anything else and shrieked. Simon was startled by my shout. He paused, stopping in his tracks. The next second, a large truck, having run a red light, sped past, narrowly missing him. My heart felt as if it had been squeezed, and a drowning sensation of suffocation left me gasping for air. After triple-checking that there were no more cars, Simon finally ran over to me with the child in his arms. “That really scared me just now,” he said, putting the child down and patting his chest, still shaken. Then he handed me a pink ice cream cone. “Here, Eleanor, your favorite strawberry ice cream.” He curved his lips, his eyes full of warmth. “Simon… Elara…” Looking at these two faces I hadn’t seen in ten years, I was still somewhat dazed. Simon tucked the ice cream into my hand and gently ruffled my hair. “What’s wrong? I just went to buy you an ice cream, why do you look like you’re about to cry?” “Mommy, what’s wrong?” Elara’s tender voice asked, and she held out her tiny hand to me. “Elara wants a hug from Mommy.” My heart pounded rapidly. I took a deep breath, bent down, and picked up Elara, kissing her cheek. “Mommy’s fine. Mommy just missed Elara so much.” “Why is your cheek a little swollen? What happened just now?” Simon noticed my injury with a keen eye. I shook my head. “Nothing. Just got bitten by two mad dogs.” “Who are you calling mad dogs?” Michael glared at Simon and Elara, his face as black as a pot. “Whoever answers is a mad dog.” I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “Dad… this person… he looks a lot like you…” Liam tugged at Michael’s sleeve, suddenly speaking in a small voice. His words were like adding fuel to the fire. Michael immediately demanded, “Eleanor Vance, who are they?” I blinked, looking at the beautiful mole beneath Michael’s eye, and then at Simon, who had a similar mole in the same spot. Not that similar, perhaps, but their features certainly bore a striking resemblance, almost like a ghostly echo. “Sir, this is my husband and my daughter. I’ve already told you that you’ve mistaken me for someone else,” I said slowly, licking my ice cream. “I don’t know you.” Seeing Michael’s unfriendly tone, Simon immediately stepped in front of me, frowning. “Who are you? Please don’t harass my wife and daughter.” “Wife? Daughter? Ha! Eleanor Vance, why didn’t I ever notice that you had someone else behind my back? You certainly have a knack for it!” Michael felt completely deceived, his pride wounded, but I insisted I didn’t know him, leaving him with a helpless feeling, like punching cotton. “Michael…” Seeing how angry Michael was, Clara couldn’t help but interject, “Don’t be angry, didn’t you say you had nothing to do with her?” “Yes, of course, nothing to do with her.” Michael snorted coldly. “Eleanor Vance, you’ll regret coming to beg me!” “You’re overthinking it.” I said coldly. “Dad, Aunt Clara, let’s go to the amusement park!” Liam, upon seeing his beloved Clara, had no interest in watching Michael and me argue. He couldn’t help but urge them to leave. Michael pursed his lips, his jawline sharp enough to cut me. He clenched his fist in suppressed anger, finally dropping a curt, “Fine, you’re on your own.” Then he took Clara and Liam and walked away. I glanced at the backs of the three of them, then indifferently pulled my gaze away. “Eleanor, let’s go home.” Simon took my hand, his warm fingers intertwining with mine. He didn’t know that I had waited ten years for those words, “Let’s go home.” “Simon…” The ice cream in my hand slipped and fell to the ground. I wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging both him and Elara. Tears finally streamed down my face. “I’ve missed you so much, Simon…” I sobbed uncontrollably, my snot and tears soaking his collar. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Seeing me crying so hard I was gasping for breath, Simon visibly panicked. He fumbled, pulling out tissues to wipe my tears, while gently patting my back. “Eleanor, did that man just now bully you? What happened while I was buying ice cream? Don’t cry. I’ll go teach him a lesson!” Simon shook his fist, pretending to chase after Michael. I hugged him tightly, muffling, “No, Simon, don’t leave me, not for a minute.”
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