One Kiss for My Last Month

The day my parents divorced, I turned my back on the mother who loved me and clung desperately to my cheating father.

In my previous life, I chose my mother without hesitation.

Because the family never accepted me, she spent the rest of her life suffering for my sake, enduring endless scorn and hardship.

This time, as I looked into her heartbroken eyes, I walked away without a backward glance.

Five years later, I was scraping by at a seafood market, spending my days gutting fish amid the stench of saltwater and blood.

Just as I expertly sliced open a fish's belly, my mother appeared.

Her heels clicked across the damp floor as she navigated around puddles left by melting ice and approached me.

She covered her nose in disgust, looked me up and down in my stained, shabby clothes, and let out a cold laugh.

"No matter how hard you wash, you still reek of fish. This is the life you chose when you picked him over me.

“The Cooper family's notorious young heir is about to form an alliance with our family through marriage.

“As long as you kneel and beg me, I'll give you a chance to live a better life. What do you think?

“You know I always mean what I say.”

The contempt in her voice was unmistakable. I swallowed the metallic taste rising in my throat, flashed a carefree grin, and stepped closer.

“Not only am I not kneeling, but you’ll have to kiss me first if you want me to go.”

Just one kiss would be enough to get me through the last month of my life.

###CONTENT

####CHAPTER-NAME:

“Suzy Smith, my patience is running out. You better know when to stop.”

My mother spoke coldly.

I remained unmoved and stared at her without blinking.

This might have been the last time I would ever be this close to her.

I leaned in a little more.

Her brows knitted tightly together, and a flash of offended irritation crossed her eyes.

She raised her hand as if to shove my face away with a slap, but in the end, she lowered it again.

We remained locked in a standoff for a full minute.

The elderly women shopping for groceries nearby had already stopped to watch.

Unable to endure the curious stares, my mother finally gave in.

Her gaze swept across my face, still covered in fish scales.

“You’re filthy. Go wash your face.”

A surge of secret delight rose inside me, but I kept the same shameless grin on my face.

I rinsed away the grime and immediately leaned my face toward her again.

“All clean now. Ms. Sharp, your inspection is welcome.”

She closed her eyes, held her breath, and brushed her lips against my cheek as quickly as possible.

The moment it was over, her expression turned completely cold again.

She spun around and headed for the exit.

“Follow me.”

As we walked out of the market, the butcher from the neighboring