Everyone in the city knew that James Frost loved me and our son to bits.

When I suggested stargazing, James spent millions to create a meteor shower.

As my son loved riding carousels, James built the biggest amusement park and named it after him.

He was never stingy when it came to doting on us, and it was only natural he brought in the best doctors to save me when my son and I were caught in a car crash.

I fought to stay conscious and asked him to save our son first, only for him to tell me tearfully that our son had died while being transported to the hospital.

Devastated, my mind caved, and I passed out.

When I woke up, I overheard the doctor asking James, "Why did you stop us, Mr. Frost? We could have saved your son!"

"Stan is only alive to save the son I had with Sue," James replied nonchalantly. "If he was alive, how would I ever transplant his heart without legal repercussions?

"I've been plenty kind to him and Wanda over the years—it's time they repay me."

So everything he did for me and Stan was just a trade—for Stan's heart.

That meant he was responsible for the suffering Stan and I were put through as well!

In that case, I would let him have his wish!

Outside the emergency room doors, I heard James Frost chuckling. "Also, tell her that her womb was maimed when she tried to protect our son, and that it had to be surgically removed to save her life."

The doctor's voice was trembling nervously. "Sir, are you really saying…. But your wife's already lost a son! If you do that, she'll never be a mother again! Don't you think that's too cruel?"

"I only need Nathan as my son for the rest of my life," James replied flatly. "As compensation, I will allow Wanda to be my wife forever… Now go, get that surgery done. I'm checking on Nathan now. I'm sure he and Sue need me."

He then paused, before adding as if an afterthought, "Oh, and be careful with the procedure. I'd prefer it if Wanda didn't have to suffer."

My thoughts were thousands of miles away, even as James' footsteps faded into the distance.

At my sides, my nails were digging into my own palms and drawing blood, while my tears rained.

In the end, the perfect husband and father Stan and I were so proud of was a phony, and the love he showed us was a lie.

The only truth was this deceitful plot he maintained for six years, ending with a meticulously staged car accident to take away my son's heart.

Nonetheless, my consciousness blurred as the sedative flowed through my veins.

I could feel the icy touch of machines digging inside my body, giving me more nightmares.

There was only pitch-blackness where my son stood, an emptiness in his chest where his heart should have been.

He was reaching toward me, screaming, "Mommy! It hurts so much!"

"Stan!!!" I screamed as I jerked awake from the nightmare and found myself staring into James' concerned gaze.

"Oh, you're finally awake." He sighed, his hands shaking as he helped me. "You were out for two days… Did you know how worried I was? I've already lost our son—I can't lose you too…"

My ear was pressed against his chest.

Hearing the racing heart inside, I knew that, at least, wasn't a lie.

James then continued, "The doctors just said your womb was damaged, and we can't have more children, but it's fine! It's fine as long as I have you."

He spoke ever so solemnly.

If it were before, I would be rejoicing in marrying a good man like him.

But now, I was covered in scars and missing a piece of myself, and his deception sickened me all the more.

I quietly pushed him away, asking, "Where's Stan? I want to see him."

James paused and sighed gravely as he patted my back.

James shook his head. "I'm sorry… I know you'd be devastated if you saw his body, so I had him cremated."

But he wasn't.

He was just worried that I'd see our son's hollowed chest, missing a heart.

I fought back my hatred as I stared at the lopsided bracelet on James' wrist.

It was Stan's gift to him.

James had often suffered from insomnia back then, so Stan learned how to make one of those Kabbalah bracelets and gave it to him.

James was slack-jawed when he wore the unattractive bracelet, unable to say a word until Stan said, "Daddy?"

He then finally took the bracelet from Stan, carefully putting it on his wrist before giving Stan a hug. "Thanks, son. I really like it."

Come to think of it, James must have been losing sleep when he planned our accident.

James followed my gaze just then, and seeing that I was looking at the bracelet, there was a troubled look in his eyes as he pulled up his sleeve to hide it.

"I promise you, dear, that I'll remember our son just like you, and for the rest of our lives."

I lowered my gaze in silence—the only thing I could be pleased about was that Stan died believing his father loved him.

But that didn't mean I could forgive what James did.

I would avenge my son and rid myself of this two-faced murderer who hurt us.

James took me home the next day because he hated the smell of the hospital, and he definitely still looked like a good husband if I hadn't seen through his demonic true nature.

He would cook for me, remembering all the things I shouldn't eat, and massage my body to help with the stress after the accident.

It was the third day after we got home that he finally excused himself, saying there was trouble at work.

However, I saw the text Sue Jenkins sent him when the screen of his phone lit up.

[Nathan's asking for his daddy. I can't sweet talk him anymore.]

He left just because Sue's child asked, while my son died on our way to see him.

I watched quietly as James left, going up to the third floor and standing behind his desk.

We had been married for five years, but the room was secured with a password lock as James reasoned that any spouse would need personal space after marriage.

I tried Sue and Nathan's birthday, and it really unlocked the door.

There were photos of James, Sue, and Nathan all over the wall—he had recorded everything, from Sue's pregnancy to delivery, and Nathan's first months, first tooth, and first steps.

As for my son, the photos of him in the four years of his life couldn't even fill a tiny album.

I reached for James' diary.

[20th May. Sue told me she's going to surprise me. I knew she's pregnant, but I still couldn't stop my tears when she showed me her positive pregnancy test.]

[23rd January. I'm a father now, and my son's name is Nathan.]

[He's just such a tiny thing… But holding him in my arms, I thought for a split second I should do everything for him and Sue.]

[But that was the moment the doctor told me about his congenital heart defect.]

[30th September. I'm marrying for Nathan's sake, but I'm not marrying Sue.]

[But I'm going to be a good husband to Sue and a good father to Nathan.]

The pen was pushed so hard on the paper for that last line that it almost tore through it.

I couldn't help smiling wryly.

As it turned out, marrying me was a terrible humiliation for James.

So that was why he was so silent when I happily showed him my positive pregnancy test all those years ago.

He thanked me, like I had just completed a quest.

He never held Stan in his arms after he was born. The moment he saw Stan, he calmly told the doctor to perform a full-body examination, with focus on our son's heart.

The lights were off the night we consummated, and I thought he was just embarrassed.

Now, it was clear that he never wanted to marry me—the face he wanted to see wasn't mine.

His diary entries were a mess, but they were all about Sue and Nathan.

And the last entry was just seven days ago.

[Maybe this Kabbalah stuff works. I actually slept soundly and dreamed about…]

The entry was cut off, and I wasn't interested in reading.

Taking pictures of the diary contents, I commissioned a private investigator and returned the diary where I found it.

James arrived home just as I stepped out of his study, and there was panic on his face when he saw that I was on the third floor.

"Why would you want to go upstairs?" He quickly rushed to my side. "You're still hurt. You need to stay in bed."

I refused his outstretched hands and simply said, "Been lying down too long. I'm tired."

James kept staring at my face, quietly sighing in relief when he decided I wasn't looking upset, and pulled out a box. "Your favorite pastries, dear. I went all the way to get it for you."

I liked pastries, but I also saw the photo Sue posted on Twitter just five minutes ago, captioned: Nathan asked, and a certain man drove two hours for these.

She had always vagueposted, but I just didn't know it was about my own husband.

Still, I liked the post while James wasn't watching, because I wanted to wait.

Once I gathered sufficient evidence, it would really be over between me and James.

Sue called me just as I paid the private investigator, inviting me to a villa in the suburbs.

Even the paint hues felt warm unlike the cold tones back in my home—he'd say he preferred things simple, but everything from furniture to decorations were monochrome.

As I entered, Sue was on the couch, nonchalantly admiring her freshly polished nails.

"I guess you know about me and James now," she said, giving up on pretenses after getting Stan's heart. "Well, James agreed to take me and Nathan back home to see his old folks soon and enter Nathan's name in his family's annals."

I calmly watched him for a while, eventually asking, "Is that all you have to say?"

Sue's smug smile stiffened, and she leaped off the couch, shrieking, "Who do you think you are, talking to me like that?! What, you still believe you're Mrs. Frost?! Dream on! Did you really think James loved you at all?! It's for me and Nathan's sake that he—"

She stopped, but she clearly couldn't take a loss and kept snapping, "In a relationship, the other woman is the one who isn't loved, just like your child! Nathan is going to be James' only son now, and all his wealth will be Nathan's! As for your dead brat?! Just send him some flowers, I guess!"

My temper flared at the mention of Stan, and I swung my palm at her, but she caught me as I was still enfeebled.

She leaned close to me, smirking as she said slowly and clearly, "Can't even protect your own son? You deserve to be dumped."

My eyes were red with humiliation and hatred.