I didn't look back.
When I reached the bottom of the stairs, something fell from above and shattered in front of me. It was our wedding photo, thrown down carelessly like trash.
This was Noel's way of showing his anger.
Without a blank face, I stepped over the broken photo and kept walking.
When I got home, I saw my mom's portrait in the living room. At that moment, all the strength left my body. I collapsed on the floor and cried uncontrollably.
I hated myself for not seeing my husband's true intentions and for dragging my mom into her tragic death. It was not a bit worth the three years of marriage I wasted on Noel. The joy of marrying him? It felt like the cruelest joke in the end!
Soon after, I got a call from the home care service asking if I needed a new nurse.
"No," I replied coldly. "My mom is dead."
After hanging up, I contacted a lawyer to begin the divorce process. But before I could do anything, Noel stormed into my place.
"Cornelia!" He yelled. "You attacked Rian earlier and now she's lost her job? How could you be so cruel?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," I said flatly, trying to shut the door.
Before I could, two men pushed past me and barged in.
"What are you doing here, Noel?!" I cried out in shock. "This is my place! You can't just do whatever you want!"
He sneered and grabbed me. "You said your mom's dead, right? Let's see if that's true. Search the place, boys! I'm going to make sure everyone knows how shameless you and your mom are!"
"Stop!" I struggled against him, crying out, "Mom's dead! She's already gone!"
He hesitated for a moment but then shoved me to the floor.
"You bitch! You dare hit me?!" he roared, his face full of rage.
The impact threw me into a cabinet, and I lay there, hurting, watching them tear apart my apartment. They knocked things over, even smashing Mom's portrait to the floor.
But they didn't find anything. I was the only one home.
When Noel found out, he was surprised. He walked up to me, his gaze cold as he looked down at me.
"Cornelia," he said, "If anything happens to Rian, you and your mom will pay for it!"
"Where is she?!" he demanded, his voice filled with anger. "Where are you hiding your mom?!"
I stared at my mom's portrait, now broken on the floor beneath his foot. Right then, something snapped inside me.
I rushed at him, biting his leg with all my strength. "You son of a bitch! I'll kill you!"
His men pulled me away and held me down, pinning me to the ground like I was some wild animal. I couldn't move or fight back, feeling completely humiliated.
Noel staggered back, holding his leg. He looked down, and finally, he noticed the shattered black-and/white photo beneath his foot.
For a moment, he was confused. "What's this?" he asked.
"That's my mom's portrait!" I screamed, my voice hoarse. "She's dead! She died the day after you left for your trip!"
