Without giving me a chance to explain, Sophia clutched Willy’s arm, her delicate face contorted with sorrow as tears welled in her eyes.
"Willy, I only came to comfort Carol, but she accused me of wearing red on purpose to curse her. She said I was mocking her grief and even tried to push me down the steps to my death so I could be buried alongside Little Treasure!" she sobbed pitifully. "She even threatened to find a master to perform dark magic so that Little Treasure would return as a vengeful ghost to haunt me! I’m so scared, Willy!"
Her voice trembled as she buried herself deeper into his embrace. "I rushed here straight from the airport—I didn’t even have time to change! I was only thinking about paying my respects to Liam. How could she misunderstand me like this?" Her body shuddered as she wept. "I’m really afraid..."
Willy's face darkened with anger as he turned to me, his eyes filled with disappointment and disgust.
"Carol, you’re the one who brought this misfortune upon yourself, but you dragged Liam into it too," he accused coldly. "Sophia only came out of kindness, yet instead of being grateful, you lashed out at her?"
His voice sharpened. "And what’s wrong with wearing red? Sophia said it wasn’t intentional. Maybe Liam liked bright colors. Why do you always assume the worst?"
I clenched my fists, my entire body shaking with fury. "You think I’m heartless?" My voice cracked as I pointed to Little Treasure’s tombstone. "Then tell me, Willy, do you have a clear conscience?"
Tears blurred my vision as I choked out, "Do you dare to stand before Liam and tell him why he died? Do you dare to admit what kind of surgery you ordered the doctor to perform on his mother?!"
Willy’s brows furrowed. "What are you talking about? Liam died because you failed to protect him!"
I let out a hollow laugh, my heart shattering at his words. "And the surgery?"
"What else?" He scoffed. "I begged the doctor to save your life. Was that a crime? Carol, I think you need your head examined. Stop acting insane and apologize to Sophia now!"
Sophia clung to him, her voice fragile. "Forget it, Willy. Even though Carol wanted to harm me, I can understand... she's lost her child."
She whimpered and pressed a hand to her ankle. "But my foot... I think I sprained it when she pushed me. It really hurts, Willy. Could you carry me to the hospital?" Her gaze flickered toward me, a victorious smirk hidden beneath her feigned innocence.
Willy’s disappointment in me deepened as he turned away without hesitation. "Hold on, Sophia. I’ll take you there."
As he carried her off, she threw me a silent taunt, mouthing, "Pathetic."
Watching their retreating figures, I knew—this was the end. Willy and I were finished.
That evening, I returned to the cemetery alone. I bought a new urn, hired the staff to carefully collect Little Treasure’s ashes and held him close to my chest. I walked away without looking back.
A funeral like that? My Little Treasure wouldn’t care. A father like that? My Little Treasure didn’t need.
***
At home, I dismissed the nanny, granting her an extended leave. As I sat in silence, my phone rang. Willy.
"Carol, are you home yet?" His voice was soft, almost apologetic. "Don’t be upset, okay? Sophia’s foot is fine. I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that today—I was just worried."
He sighed heavily. "The stairs were steep. If Sophia had fallen badly... if something happened to her, what would Benny do? We already lost a child, Carol. I just couldn’t bear to see Benny lose his mother too."
His words felt like knives carving into my heart.
"Benny is just a boy. I’m his godfather. And Sophia... she’s a friend. It’s only right that I take care of them. You understand, don’t you?"
I swallowed the bitterness rising in my throat. "I know," I murmured. "It’s fine. Take care of them."
"That’s my girl," he said, relieved. "Listen, Liam always wanted to see the ocean, right? I’ve booked a trip for us. The day after tomorrow, we’ll fly out and fulfill his wish."
He paused, as if waiting for my reaction. "We may have lost him, but as his parents, we can still honor his dream. Just wait for me to come pick you up."
***
That night, Sophia bombarded me with messages.
[Guess where we are?]
[Willy felt so bad about today that he bought me a private jet! We’re flying to Vegas right now to celebrate! Isn’t he the best?]
[Oh and don’t worry about Benny—he’s thrilled. Willy promised him a shopping spree. You should have seen his face when he realized he could buy anything he wanted!]
[A private jet. A shopping spree. Lavish spending to make them happy. And yet, when my son was alive, Willy couldn’t even spare him a fraction of that affection.]
I shut off my phone, but the words kept replaying in my mind. Willy, you keep saying we lost our son. But it was you who abandoned him long before he ever left us.
For three years, my Little Treasure had longed for his father to take him to see the sea just once. Yet, he never got that chance.
"Carol, what are you even trying to compete with me for?"
Since I couldn't win, I decided not to play.
The next day, Willy still hadn’t returned home, but Sophia kept sending me more and more photos and videos. Some were of her flaunting her lavish shopping sprees, others showed her draped over Willy as they celebrated their extravagant life together. The worst ones were videos of them entangled, using all sorts of tools to indulge in their twisted pleasure.
I didn't reply. I simply packed up all of my and Liam’s belongings and donated them.
On the afternoon of the third day, Willy finally remembered my existence and sent me a message:
[Carol, I’m sorry. There’s an issue at the company, so I couldn’t come home. My assistant will pick you up and take you to the airport. I’ll meet you there as soon as I can.]
But he didn't know that, just a minute before, Sophia had sent me yet another video.
Today was Benny's birthday. Willy had booked the most luxurious hotel in the city to throw him a grand coming-of-age ceremony.
In the video, he carefully fastened a pink diamond necklace—one the size of a pigeon’s egg—around Sophia’s neck. Then, he kissed her forehead gently and murmured. “Sophia, thank you for giving me such an outstanding son. You are the pride of our family.”
I stared at the screen, my heart as hollow as the home I was about to leave behind.
I didn’t bother replying. Instead, I blocked both of them from every form of contact. Then, I placed a signed divorce agreement and a USB flash drive into a file envelope and sent it by express courier to the hotel.
After leaving Liam’s final wish note on the table, I picked up his ashes, took one last look at the house where I had spent the last eighteen years of my life and walked out the door.
Goodbye, Willy.
***
At the hotel, Willy had just announced that he would be making Benny his official heir. He was moments away from signing the share transfer agreement when his assistant rushed in, pale as a ghost.
He leaned close to Willy’s ear and whispered in a trembling voice.
“Mr. Nelson, bad news! Madam took a flight overseas… and that plane just crashed!”
