Regretting What She Got

The nanny, Polly Jackson, pushes me down the stairs when I'm seven months pregnant. I suffer from major blood loss and go into premature labor.

Before I can question her about it, Zachary Campbell brushes me off with a lame excuse. "Polly didn't mean it. You and the baby are fine, so don't be so petty about this."

I get out of bed to move around. I'm at the bathroom door when I hear Zachary and Polly's conversation. "Are you sure that wretch can stay alive, Zachary? Switching it out won't be that easy if it dies."

"Don't worry about whether Daisy Jameson's baby can live, Mom. Either way, mine and Danielle's child will be the Campbell family's sole heir."

I pretend I've never heard this and raise my son for 18 years. During a banquet held in honor of a share ownership transfer, Polly suddenly shows up with my mentally impaired daughter.

She cries, "Mason is my grandson! It's high time he's returned to his rightful place after being raised by the wrong family for so long!"

I'm unfazed. I even laugh at her words. "Fine, then!"

"Mrs. Campbell, Mason is lactose intolerant. Why do you keep forgetting about this?"

The nanny, Polly Jackson, grabbed the milk bottle I had been holding while chewing me out. Ever since I started caring for Mason Campbell, whom she treated like her own grandson, she did nothing but criticize me at every turn.

She was more concerned than I was when it came to Mason. Whenever he caught a fever, it was as though the sky had fallen through. Polly would stay awake through the night taking care of him.

Armed with the excuse that she had experience raising children, she interfered with how I raised Mason. Polly took over the dressing, feeding, and taking care of Mason all around, simpering about how this would relieve the burden on my shoulders.

Polly was a single mom. After claiming that her daughter, Danielle Jackson, had lived a troubled life and experienced nothing but unkindness, Danielle followed in Polly's footsteps and moved into my house.

They called my daughter Griselda Jackson and locked her up in the staff's quarters, where the sun never shined. As she had been born prematurely, Griselda was weak. Even when she cried, her whimpers were soft and feeble.

Yet, Danielle found her annoying. Thus, she fed Griselda sleep medication and claimed that sleep was good for a child's development.

Although the Campbells paid them handsomely, Griselda was constantly deprived of food and drink.

"Since Mason can't have the milk, give it to Griselda. She's a month old now. Yet, she looks extremely weak. It's time to put more effort into caring for her. If not, others will think that the Campbells are abusing our nanny's daughter."

I glared at Polly, who had been guzzling milk. She stopped.

"That little wretch will be fine with some oatmeal. It would be a waste to feed her milk of this quality. At least I can take care of Mason after drinking the milk. Isn't that right, Sonny?"

Polly played with Mason and finished her milk as he giggled.

In the evening, I changed Mason's diapers. Just as I was about to throw it into the bin, Polly took it from me.

"It's just a little pee. It's not like he took a poo. It'll work just fine for Griselda. We'll save up diapers whenever possible."

Under my disdainful glare, she put the dirty diaper onto my daughter.

When Mason turned one, Polly got him a gold statue.

She said, "When you grow up, I hope you'll be an excellent wordsmith and a mathematical genius. You'll manage the Campbell Corporation wonderfully."

Griselda, who'd been born a day older than Mason, was still wearing his old clothes. Covered in dirt, she sat in the staff quarters playing with mud.

When I signaled at Polly, she threw a piece of cake in front of Griselda.

"You little wretch. Go thank Mrs. Campbell for her generosity! In the future, you must do everything Mason tells you, even if he orders you to die for him. Understood?"

Polly kicked Griselda, which made Griselda cry.

Griselda was just a little kid. How could she possibly comprehend what Polly was saying? Griselda could only stare at the cake while drooling out of the corner of her mouth.

Polly began nagging, "You must've been a starving beggar in a past life. Not only are you dumb, but you're also a glutton. Mason has more talent in his little finger than you'll ever have, you idiotic wretch. Why can't you read the room? Keeping a dog would be better than raising you!"

Instinctively, Griselda reached for the cake. However, Polly stamped on the cake with her foot before Griselda could touch it.

"All you do is eat all day, you disgusting glutton."