Punished by his love 23

Chapter 23 

I married Antonio when I was thirty–seven. 

Due to my age, he didn’t want me to risk giving birth, so we adopted a newborn baby girl. 

When my daughter was three, I threw her a birthday party. 

After the party, I saw off the last guests. 

As I turned back to go into the house, I saw Ruben and Mason standing in the shadow under the trees in the distance. 

I was forty, and they were almost fifty. 

Surprised to see Ruben in a wheelchair, I glanced at him a few more times. 

They stood there for a long time but didn’t dare to go in. 

Meeting my gaze, both were overjoyed. 

Mason pushed the wheelchair and walked toward me eagerly. 

Only then did I notice that they both had something in their hands. 

Mason tentatively handed over a gift box. 

“It’s for your girl. I hope … she likes it.” 

The humbleness and unease in his voice were more than palpable. 

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After much hesitation, I took the box. 

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Ruben’s eyes lit up as he handed me the bouquet he was holding. 

“It’s been so long. I’ve … never had a chance to congratulate you.” 

I didn’t know what he was referring to. 

Did he want to congratulate me on my successful 10–year drug study, my marriage, or my daughter’s birthday? 

Though puzzled, I didn’t ask. I took the bouquet and said, my voice gentle yet distant, “Thank you.” 

Mason had a gift bag in his hand. 

Trembling, he handed me a bright red scarf. 

When he handed me the scarf, he didn’t dare to look up at me again. “Sorry. I should have … given you this a long time ago.” 

I suddenly remembered how he had stayed up late, sitting by the window in that dark bedroom, knitting me the scarf. 

It was simply because one of my classmates showed off in class the scarf her mom knitted for her. 

My mom was too busy to do so, and given Ruben’s bluff nature, it was unlikely for him to do such delicate handwork. 

Mason secretly went to his suitor who gave him a scarf as a gift and asked her to teach him how to knit it. 

For me, it was never just a scarf. 

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Chapter 23 

Especially now, it was more like compensation. 

I smiled, accepting the scarf. 

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They gave me so many things that both my hands were full. 

Finally, they left. 

I walked back to the front yard door, leaned over, and put everything in my hands outside. 

My brothers had never sent me so many things at once. 

But this time, I’d pass. 

After I put down the gifts, I got up, and my gaze inadvertently drifted off into the distance. 

I saw Ruben and Mason looking in my direction without moving. 

They saw their gifts on the ground and looked away with the same sadness and fluster. 

That night, I got a call from the hospital. 

I was told Ruben was dying and asked if I wanted to take one last look. 

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