Everyone bent down to look at the powder on the floor, and a doubtful voice said, "That doesn't look like ashes. There aren't even any bone fragments."

After cremation, what was left should be crushed bones, not just a pile of sand.

I turned to the nurse. "You cremated my best friend without my consent. Now, you can't even account for her ashes. I think it's reasonable for me to suspect there was a mistake in surgery, and your hospital is just trying to cover it up."

The nurse immediately panicked and loudly denied it. "No! Our hospital is the most reputable one around."

However, the suspicion had taken root. It wasn't so easy to explain away.

Several onlookers whispered to each other, "My grandma had surgery here and suddenly passed too. Could the hospital be hiding something?"

"And they're the ones who recommended all those crematoriums and funeral homes. Could there be some shady business going on?" another person asked.

The nurse was sweating bullets. She clearly didn't expect me to cause such a scene by dumping the ashes.

She forced herself to stay calm and soothe the crowd before quickly rushing into the operating room.

I chuckled softly and gently stroked Aidan's cheek. Sure, I could raise him, but it was going to come at a cost.

After a while, the nurse came back, sweating profusely and holding a document.

Smiling awkwardly at me, she said, "It's all a misunderstanding. The patient signed a consent form agreeing to immediate cremation if anything happened to her.

"As for the ashes, a new nurse made a mistake. Your friend's body is still being cremated. We're not trying to avoid responsibility. Would a compensation of 2,000 dollars be acceptable to make up for it?"

I took the envelope, weighing it in my hand.

After glancing at the still-wet ink on the consent form, I chose not to press further. Without hesitation, I left with Aidan in my arms.

Since Helen trusted me so much that she was willing to pay for me to raise her son…

I couldn't help but scoff. Well, I definitely wasn't going to let her down.

…

Eighteen years passed in the blink of an eye.

Over those years, I used that 2,000 dollars as startup capital to establish a professional social media account. I hired countless streamers and even invested in films and TV shows.

The money kept growing, and I spent most of it on Aidan's training.

This time around, I had Aidan start acting in small roles in major productions since he was a kid.

Before he won Best Actor, he was already a household name. His fame and status far surpassed what he'd had in my last life.

Sitting in the VIP seats, I watched Aidan deliver his acceptance speech while silently counting the time.

I had raised Aidan to be so outstanding. Helen would be itching to reconnect with him by now.

Sure enough, as soon as Aidan finished, Helen appeared, linking arms with Joe. They confidently strode toward the stage.

Her eyes were red as she pulled Aidan into a tight hug. "My son, I finally found you."

The crowd and fans were baffled. "What's going on? Is this some kind of performance?"

Aidan looked equally confused. "My mom died 18 years ago. Who are you?"

Helen's face lit up. "That's right. 18 years ago, I almost died giving birth to you, and I asked Melanie to raise you. Perhaps I was lucky. I was saved on the way to cremation. But when I came back to find you, you were already gone from the hospital."

Helen glanced at me, her voice breaking. "Melanie, I'm really grateful you raised my son all these years. But I don't understand why he's so distant with me. Have you been badmouthing me to him?"

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she looked heartbroken.

I sneered. Just like in my last life, Helen believed the Best Actor I raised with my own hands was her son.

But this time, I was here for revenge. I wasn't about to be the fool again.

"Of course I won't stop you from reclaiming your son," I said.

Helen's eyes lit up with joy, and her expression turned smug.

Puzzled, I continued, "But he's not your son."