Just thinking about what Shena and Billie had done in this bed made my stomach churn. I forced the bile down, got up and began to pack. I only wanted to leave this place—go to the funeral parlor and stay with Bastian a little longer.

But just as I placed the Marvin family’s ancestral medical kit into my suitcase, the bedroom door was violently kicked open.

Shena stormed in. Her eyes flicked to the open suitcase and landed on the medical tools. For a moment, she froze. Then, without warning, she slapped me across the face.

“Theo! So it was you who killed Billie’s dog, Pudding!”

Before I could say a word, she grabbed me and dragged me outside.

In the courtyard, Billie knelt by a bloodied dog—his face swollen, eyes red and puffy from crying. As soon as he saw me, he clutched his chest and burst into fresh tears.

A private doctor rushed to his side, whispering urgently, “Hardy, Mr. Morgan has already fainted once. If he’s shocked again, I can’t guarantee he’ll regain consciousness.”

Billie suddenly turned to me, prostrating himself as he kowtowed again and again.

“Theo, I know you hate me. You think I ruined your relationship with Shena. But why take it out on Pudding? He’s all I had to hold on to while Shena was gone. I can’t live without him!”

Hearing his sobs, Shena’s rage boiled over. She slapped me again, then rushed to lift Billie gently from the ground, scolding me as if I were a monster.

“Theo, I actually felt bad leaving you in the courtyard and had someone bring you back inside so you wouldn’t catch a cold. And this is how you repay me?”

“Just because I sent you and Bastian to the old mansion, you target Billie? You knew how fragile he is, yet you still went after his dog? What next—are you going to harm the child in my belly too?!”

She waved her hand and a maid quickly stepped forward, holding out a stack of papers. Shena signed with a flourish and flung the divorce papers at my feet.

“From today forward, you’re no longer the Collins Family’s son-in-law. I’ll make a public announcement, too. I’ll declare Bastian as the child of another woman. From now on, only the child I bear with Billie will be worthy to inherit the Collins name!”

I stared at her, stunned, before shouting.

“Shena! Bastian is dead! He was your son too—he shared your blood! Must he be slandered even in death? Let him rest in peace!”

Even if Bastian can’t hear the lies anymore, I won’t let his memory be dragged through the mud. I won’t let my child become the world’s laughingstock.

For just a second, doubt flickered in Shena’s eyes. But Billie quickly threw himself into the moment, clutching his chest and trembling as he pointed at me.

“Theo, how could you say something so cruel? Bastian’s just doing the trial on the Collins Family island—there’s no danger at all! Are you using him to attack me again? You’ve already taken Pudding from me. Do I have to die too, just so you can feel better?”

He turned to Shena, choking on his words.

“Please, let me go. This is all my fault. Don’t divorce Theo because of me. I just wanted to check in on you… Seeing you happy is enough. I’ll leave now. I won’t let the two of you fight over me ever again.”

With those words, he broke free from her hand, picked up the dog’s limp body and walked slowly out of the courtyard. His shoulders trembled as though the weight of his sorrow was too much to bear.

Shena's face went rigid. She turned back to me, jaw clenched.

“Still lying, Theo? I stayed on that island for a month and nothing happened. And your son couldn’t even survive five days?”

“You think I’m stupid?”

Her eyes narrowed in fury.

“And don’t think I didn’t see you packing just now. You were planning to use those tools to kill Pudding. I won’t give you another chance to hurt Billie—or my child.”

She had my set of healing tools brought in and, without hesitation, took out a scalpel. Grabbing my wrist, she slashed it down sharply.

“I’ll see how you can still hurt anyone after this!” she spat.

The pain from the blade severing the tendons in my hand was excruciating. I stifled a grunt as my body went limp, collapsing to the ground. Blood poured from the wound, staining the floor in a pool of red.

Shena, startled by the intensity of the blood, instinctively dropped the knife and moved to check on me. But before she could get close, Billie suddenly staggered, clutching his chest as he fell to the ground.

“Shena... I feel terrible. I can’t breathe... am I dying? I’m so scared...”

Her attention snapped to him, panic flashing in her eyes as she rushed to support him. She shot me an indignant look before speaking through gritted teeth:

“Remember this lesson, Theo. Bring Bastian to the hospital tomorrow to apologize to Billie. Don’t even think about playing any tricks again.”

With that, she helped Billie to his feet and left the room.

I don’t know how much time passed, but eventually, Hardy arrived. When he saw me unconscious on the floor, blood pooling around me, his face drained of color. Without a moment’s hesitation, he rushed me to the hospital for treatment.

The next day, when I woke up, I refused to stay any longer. I insisted on leaving the hospital to give Bastian one final ride. I buried him with my own hands, despite the pain as the wounds in my hands reopened. But as I placed each handful of earth over his grave, a strange calm washed over me.

When the funeral ended, I bowed deeply to the guests in attendance and turned to leave without a second glance.

“Shena, Bastian and I wish you the best of luck.”

Meanwhile, across the room, Shena was delicately peeling an apple for Billie. Her eyes would occasionally flicker toward the door, as though expecting me to appear. Just as she was about to slice her finger, Hardy suddenly burst into the room, slapping the apple out of her hand.

Shena frowned, clearly irritated.

“Grandpa, is Theo complaining to you again? Is he still refusing to let Bastian apologize? Maybe I didn’t teach him a harsh enough lesson after all.”

“Shut up!” Hardy snapped, his voice trembling with fury as he raised his cane and struck the ground.

“You heartless beast! Bastian is already dead and you’re still thinking about forcing him to apologize to that woman?”

Shena froze, her face paling. Hardy’s disappointment was tangible as he continued:

“You didn’t even attend today’s funeral. Do you have any idea what people are saying about our family?”

For a moment, Shena was silent. Then, as if a thought struck her, she scoffed, her tone mocking:

“Grandpa, Theo is just acting with the child. Bastian loved you most—why are you falling for all these lies?”

Billie chimed in, his voice full of feigned concern:

“Yes, Grandpa, I know you’ve never liked me, but you can’t make light of a child’s life and death.”

The two of them spoke in unison, their words a one-two punch that sent Hardy into a fit of rage. He slammed a death certificate onto Shena’s lap.

“I truly don’t know how the Collins Family managed to produce such an idiot like you!” he yelled, his voice filled with disbelief.

“Open your eyes and look closely!”

Shena’s eyes widened as she glanced at the death certificate. Her face drained of color as she stammered in disbelief:

“Bastian... is really dead?”