Chapter 28

"Mrs. Stone, have you heard? The whole village is saying you ran away!" Mrs. Li hurriedly stopped Emily Johnson just as she was about to leave the house.

Emily froze, a package still in her hand. The sunlight cast a glow on her face, making her fair skin appear even paler.

"Ran away? Why would I do that?" She frowned slightly.

"They say you abandoned your two children and went back to the city!" Mrs. Li lowered her voice. "Old Mrs. Wang was shouting about it at the village entrance this morning, claiming you left for town at dawn."

Emily’s heart tightened. She had only gone to pick up a package—how had that turned into abandoning her family?

"Mommy!" David came running out of the house, pulling little Tommy behind him, his small face full of worry. "They said you don’t want us anymore!"

Emily crouched down and pulled both children into her arms. "Nonsense! Why would I ever leave you?"

Standing up, her expression firm, she turned to Mrs. Li. "Could you please watch the boys for me? I need to go to the main house."

The package contained mooncakes and money sent by her parents. Emily quickly opened it and took out two oil-paper-wrapped mooncakes.

"David, take me to Grandma and Grandpa’s house."

Along the way, villagers gathered in small groups, whispering and pointing when they saw her.

"Look, she’s back."

"I always said Emily wasn’t that kind of person..."

"Who knows? Maybe she only returned because the rumors got out..."

Emily ignored them, holding her children’s hands as she walked straight ahead.

At the main house, Mary Stone was hanging laundry. When she saw them, her expression darkened.

"Mother." Emily stepped forward. "These are mooncakes from my parents—for you and Father to try."

Mary took the mooncakes with a cold snort. "Heard you were going back to the city?"

"That’s not true." Emily shook her head. "I just went to town to pick up a package."

"A package that took all morning?" Mary clearly didn’t believe her. "People saw you heading toward the bus station."

Emily’s pulse quickened. She had gone near the station—the post office was there.

"Mother, I wasn’t leaving." She pulled out an envelope. "Look, this is a letter from my parents. They don’t even know I’m married yet."

Mary took the letter skeptically, scanning its contents.

"You... kept this from your own parents?" She looked up, shocked.

Emily gave a bitter smile. "I was young and foolish back then..."

"Mommy!" Tommy suddenly clung to her leg. "Don’t go!"

Emily’s heart ached. She bent down and kissed his cheek. "I’m not going anywhere. I’ll always be with you."

Mary watched the scene with a complicated expression before finally sighing. "Fine. Since you’re back, settle down properly. I’ll set the villagers straight."

"Thank you, Mother." Emily exhaled in relief.

On the way back, the setting sun stretched their three shadows long across the ground. Emily held each child’s hand, but her heart felt heavy.

This rumor hadn’t come out of nowhere. Who was behind it?

She recalled the figure she’d bumped into near the post office that morning, and her gaze turned cold.

It seemed someone didn’t want her to live in peace.