“You knew perfectly well that Aiden was allergic to alcohol, so why did you still buy liquor-filled chocolates? Was it on purpose? Did you mean to kill my grandson?”
“You murderer! Killer! I want you to pay for his life!”
The relatives on my mother-in-law’s side beat and kicked me, as if they wanted to tear me apart.
At the critical moment, Jack rushed in.
Without hesitation, he pulled me behind him, standing tall in front of everyone.
“Aiden’s death was an accident. This wasn’t Nora’s fault.”
“As long as I’m here, no one will lay a hand on her.”
That day, Jack felt like a hero, strong, unwavering, shielding me from the world.
Later, he took me to see a psychologist.
Jack stayed by my side, helping me slowly emerge from the shadow of Aiden’s death.
But the series of blows had left me with lasting psychological scars.
I couldn’t keep working. I couldn’t live like a normal person.
I kept dreaming of Aiden and I was always terrified that something might happen to Ruby, too.
Jack advised me to resign and stay home to care for our child.
After much hesitation, I gave up the career I had worked so hard to build and became a full-time housewife.
Thankfully, Ruby was obedient and thoughtful.
Though Jack was always busy with work, he treated me with care and respect.
Over the years, even with regrets in my heart, I still felt fortunate to have a partner I could trust with my life, to have a family that, at the very least, seemed whole.
But I never imagined that one day, Jack would use Aiden’s death to hurt me.
Even more unimaginable, it was Jack’s affair that had taken our son’s life.
It was Jack who shifted all the blame onto me, who used guilt to trap me at home, far from the company.
It was Jack who destroyed my family and shattered every bit of happiness I had.
Blow after blow had numbed me. I closed my eyes in quiet despair.
Gently patting Ruby’s back, I softly reassured her not to be afraid.
I told her I would never blame her.
And I told myself I had to make Jack and Audrey pay for what they had done.
I sent Ruby to my best friend’s house and drove straight to the law firm.
While drafting the divorce papers, I asked the lawyer about Aiden’s case.
However, too much time had passed.
Without solid evidence, it would be difficult to convict Jack.
If that was the case, then I had no choice. I had to take justice into my own hands.
I drove to Jack’s company with the divorce agreement in hand.
After all these years, stepping into that familiar place again, everything felt different. The setting was the same, but the people were no longer there.
Before I could gather my thoughts, the receptionist stopped me.
“Sorry, ma’am, you can’t enter without an appointment.”
“I’m Jack’s wife. I want to see him.”
She looked me up and down, then flashed a mocking smile.
“Sorry, but everyone here knows Secretary Quinn is the boss’s girlfriend.”
I reached out to a few old colleagues and friends.
That’s when I learned that Jack had already fired everyone who had once been close to me.
He trapped me at home with guilt, while using money and power to build a kingdom for himself and Audrey.
Disgust surged in waves, crashing over me again and again.
Just as I was about to call Jack, Audrey appeared.
That sickly sweet perfume hit me before her voice did.
She adjusted her clothes as she walked over, then glanced at me with a knowing smile.
“You’re here to see Jack, right? We just… oh, never mind.”
