I laughed.

It was Richard who said the car accident had left him unable to be intimate,and that’s why I spent thirty years in a marriage without physical affection.

In the end,my inability to have children became my original sin,a fault that was laid solely at my feet.

I treated Richard’s family as if they were my own,and I saw his father as a father to me.But when it came down to it,they saw me as an outsider.They kept rubbing salt into my wounds.

It was then I realized:just because you marry into a family doesn’t mean you’ll truly become one of them.

But what’s the point of arguing?Who can win an argument with a dead man?

The meeting with Richard’s family ended on a sour note,and I returned to the home we shared,feeling lost.

When I walked in,Daniel stood up immediately.

He looked at me,guilt flickering in his eyes.

Daniel is Margaret’s son.

At the time,Margaret had just lost her husband and was completely absorbed in her design career.She had no time or interest in caring for a child.Determined to further her education abroad,she left Daniel in our care,with Richard and me responsible for raising him.

In a new and unfamiliar environment,Daniel was hostile toward everyone.It was me who patiently soothed him,prepared his meals during the day,and rocked him to sleep at night until he slowly warmed to us.

I raised Daniel as if he were my own son.

After a long silence,Daniel hesitated before speaking:"Mom,Aunt Margaret wants to take some of Dad’s belongings...it’s what he wanted too."

He avoided eye contact as he said this.

What right does Margaret have to ask for my late husband’s belongings?Was she his childhood sweetheart,or the woman he remained loyal to for thirty years?

I wanted to ask him that,but the words stuck in my throat.I didn’t want to embarrass Daniel.

Memories of him learning to speak flashed before my eyes.

I still saw him as the child I’d lovingly raised,the one who was always close to me.

Yet now,this son,whom I cherished like my own,had not only helped publish Richard’s memoir to clear Margaret’s name,but he also came to me now,asking for my husband’s things on her behalf.

I stared at Daniel in silence,searching for traces of the child I once knew.

He paused,then continued,"Mom,you loved Dad so much.You should honor his wishes."

Yes,I loved Richard—so much that I wanted to be buried beside him.But he didn’t even want to leave his belongings in my care.

Sensing the tension,Daniel stood awkwardly and said,"Mom,you can’t force love.He’s gone.It’s time to let go."

With that,Daniel left,leaving me alone in the empty living room.

I had never felt this house was so big,so hollow.

The butler,Mr.Chandler,clenched his jaw in frustration."You’ve been married to Richard for thirty years.Who is this woman to come in and drag your name through the mud like this?Young Daniel is so ungrateful.Has he forgotten who raised him with such care?"

I couldn’t say a word.My heart felt cold.It was like a giant hand had gripped my chest,the pain unbearable.Only now,after all these years,did I realize how blind I had been.

The husband I had loved with all my heart had always belonged to someone else.

And the child I had raised for thirty years turned out to be nothing more than a thankless betrayer.

All those sayings about how raising a child is what truly matters,or about growing old with the one you love—they have all become nothing but cruel jokes.

At Richard's memorial,Margaret returned from abroad.

The media quickly caught wind of the return of the memoir's muse,Margaret,and the story gained attraction again.

She stood by Richard’s grave,burning a wedding dress with her own hands.The public couldn’t stop talking about it.While some admired the undying romance she and Richard seemed to have shared,others quickly dug up details about the designer of that wedding dress.

It was from Margaret’s own brand,an independent label she’d started.Without lifting a finger,she had effortlessly catapulted her niche brand into fame.

After doing all that,Margaret showed up at the Richard family mansion.

She wore all black,a white flower pinned to her chest,her eyes swollen like walnuts—she looked more like Richard’s grieving widow than I did.

Through her tears,Margaret begged,"Can I have Richard’s belongings?They’re all we had left of our memories together."

She dabbed at her eyes with a tissue,looking elegant in her grief.Her delicate fingers were pale and smooth,nothing like my rough,work-worn hands.

No wonder Richard pined for her for thirty years.

When I didn’t reply,she pressed on,"You’re right to hate me.It was my fault for being immature back then.I was so stubborn,refusing to let him have children with anyone else.If it weren’t for me,you two would have had your own family by now.I’ve regretted it for so long...the missed chance of a lifetime.You understand that feeling,don’t you,Grace?"

She was asking me to empathize with the love she shared with my husband.

I stared at her quietly before replying,"But why should I pay the price for your regret?"

At my words,Daniel,who stood off to the side,frowned but stayed silent.When he first saw Margaret,a"Mom"had almost slipped from his lips.But remembering I was there,he swallowed the rest.

Margaret wiped her tears,her eyes casting a pleading look at Daniel,who gazed back at her with clear sympathy.

The sight of their tender bond made me feel like an outsider in my own home.

Suddenly,Margaret dropped to her knees in front of me,pleading,"We truly loved each other.I’ll do anything if you just give me his belongings."

I stayed silent.

Disappointed,Daniel looked at me and said,"Mom,Aunt Margaret has gone this far.Why won’t you give in?Is your heart made of stone?"

If my heart were made of stone,I should’ve let him fend for himself years ago instead of raising him with all my love,only to watch him become someone else’s dutiful son.

Suppressing the bitterness rising in my chest,I turned to Margaret."Anything?Then how about trading the shares of Richard’s estate he left you?"

Both Daniel and Margaret stared at each other in shock.They hadn’t expected me to know about the will so soon.

Margaret,visibly flustered,stammered,"What shares?You must be mistaken."

I didn’t care who Richard left his assets to.It was his memoir where he wrote,"She’s an idealist,so pure it hurts."

I wanted to see if she was really that pure.

A little disappointing,wasn’t she?

Daniel rushed to interject,"Those were meant for me.Margaret is just—"

I waved my hand,cutting him off."The belongings are in the first room upstairs.Take everything."

Daniel was stunned,and Margaret forgot to cry in surprise.

As Daniel helped her up the stairs,she glanced back at me several times,doubt etched across her face.

I sat on the sofa,numb,gazing at the furniture and decorations around me.Every single piece had been carefully chosen by me.Richard had only ever nodded in approval.

I thought he loved me,which was why he went along with all my choices.But now I realized—it wasn’t that he loved me.He just didn’t care.

Maybe on the day Margaret left for her studies abroad,Richard’s heart had left with her.

He’d coaxed me into raising Margaret’s child,and even after his death,he publicly declared his love for her.

After all these years,they had found their resolution.I was the only one left in humiliation.

My head spun,and my body ached.These were the consequences of the kidney I’d donated to Daniel when he was a child.Along with the effects of the pills I’d taken not long ago in a failed attempt to end it all,my body had weakened.

As I sat there waiting for them to come back down,I said to Margaret,"Now that you’re here,you should take Daniel back.He’s your son,after all."

Daniel stared at me in shock.His lips quivered for a moment before he said nothing.

I knew he wouldn’t dare refuse.He feared I might change my mind.

After all,what’s better—a famous designer mother with Richard’s company shares,or a sick and powerless woman?Daniel knew which side to choose.

Mr.Chandler,the butler,wiped his tears at the door,heartbroken for me.

Margaret nodded,her face now dry,with freshly applied makeup.Her flawless eyes held a glint of triumph as she said,"This house was left to Daniel by Richard.You’ve lived here for thirty years,so even if you didn’t build it,you at least earned the right to retire here."

Her patronizing tone made me pause.She spoke as if this was her house now,as if I were the intruder.

A strange sense of humiliation washed over me.

So,Richard hadn’t even left me a roof over my head.

Had he simply assumed I’d follow him in death,or had he been so focused on securing Margaret’s future that he forgot all about me?

Probably the latter.Why would Richard care whether I lived or died?

With a bitter smile,I replied,"No need for that.I’ll move out tomorrow."

Margaret could barely contain her joy.

I rose from the sofa,my steps unsteady as I made my way upstairs.Daniel stood beside Margaret,watching me leave with indifference.Each step I took crumbled the pillars of everything I’d once believed in.

It was only today that I truly understood what it meant to"love by association."

Richard loved Margaret,and that’s why he loved her son.He couldn’t wait to leave every good thing for her and their child.

Only now did I accept that Daniel’s name wasn’t a reminder of the bond between me and my husband—it was Richard’s ultimate act of devotion to Margaret.He’d never once forgotten about her,even though she was across the world.

I wanted to hate him,but I was too old.I didn’t have the strength to hold onto that kind of anger anymore.If I could choose,I’d rather owe him nothing in this life and never meet him in the next.

With that thought,I absentmindedly reached the top of the stairs.My foot slipped,and I fell down.

All I could hear were Margaret’s screams and Mr.Chandler sobbing.

When I opened my eyes again,it was the year I had just married Richard…

The fashion design competition that made Margaret a rising star hasn’t even begun yet.Both Margaret and I studied fashion design,though we were in different classes.Originally,my dream was to become a fashion designer and create my own brand,but after Richard’s persuasion,I gave it all up to be a full-time housewife.Abandoning my dream all started with this competition.

Richard held my application form in his hand and said,"Grace,this competition is really important to Margaret.You’ll have other chances in the future,but let’s skip this one for now."He said the exact same thing in my past life.I stared at the handsome man in front of me.I could still vividly remember how I cried uncontrollably when his ashes were buried in the ground.

Now,here he was,standing right in front of me,yet I didn’t dare to move closer to him.

I don’t know how and why I got here…is this a dream?But everything feels real…

I must have been sent back from the past…

“I’m going to enter this competition.If I miss it,I might never get another chance.”My refusal surprised him.I had always given in to his requests,so this was the first time I went against his wishes.

Richard’s voice turned cold as he replied,“The Yarnell Enterprises is one of the sponsors of this competition.You’re my wife,and if you win,it could raise suspicions of favoritism,damaging the company’s reputation.”

In the past,I would have foolishly believed his words.But now,I understood he was just afraid I would overshadow Margaret.After this competition,Margaret would shine,receiving sponsorship from several companies led by the Yarnell Enterprises to study abroad and gradually become an internationally renowned designer.Meanwhile,I would be stuck raising her child,tangled in household chores.After Margaret's illness,I would be entirely focused on the child,with no chance to fulfill my dreams.

To refine a design,I could spend forty-eight hours straight in the studio.When I wanted to incorporate a small wax dye detail into my work,I ventured into other places to learn from a master craftsman,brushing off the countless sweats.

Richard knew how passionate I was about design.Yet,despite that,he still insisted I step aside for Margaret.He always said he treated Margaret like a sister and couldn’t bear to see her suffer due to her family's bankruptcy,so he wanted to help her out.But whose dream doesn't face struggles and hardships along the way?

I thought about Richard's words and nodded,“You’re right.”

He sighed in relief,a satisfied expression crossing his face.

After a moment,I continued,“But as your wife,I really shouldn’t participate,so…let’s get a divorce.”

This marriage that trapped Richard also confined me.Saying it out loud felt like a weight lifting off my chest.

Richard's expression froze.After a long pause,he responded,“Grace,marriage isn’t a joke.Even to avoid suspicion,you can’t just throw around the word‘divorce’casually.”

I replied,“It’s not casual;I’ve thought long hard about it.”

A severed rope can never be tied back together.Ever since I learned of his feelings for Margaret,I had already marked the end of our marriage in my heart.

Richard placed the application form on the table,leaving with,“Do what you want with the competition.But don’t keep mentioning divorce.Dad won’t be happy if he hears you.”

He cared about Margaret’s feelings,concerned about Dad's mood,but never once considered mine.

This was for the best;it would save me from softening my resolve.

The day before the application deadline,I submitted my form and design drafts,successfully passing the preliminary selection.

In the following days,I didn’t see Richard at all.He sent his secretary to tell me he was on a short business trip.Richard usually informed me a week in advance before leaving;he would never disappear without a word.This time felt different.

But I was too busy preparing the materials for the competition to pry further.I had the driver take me to the fabric market,but as soon as I got out of the car,I heard a familiar voice.

Margaret timidly asked,“Richard,will Grace be upset if you’re here with me?”

Richard’s warm voice replied,“I’m here to support you.Don’t overthink it.Just focus on the competition;I’ve got everything covered.”

“Grace is so talented;with her in the design competition,winning is a sure thing.I’m going to let you down,Richard.”

Margaret’s soft voice was painful to hear.

Then there was a rustling sound of fabric brushing against fabric.

Curious,I peeked around the corner and saw Richard holding Margaret close,whispering sweetly,“Don’t worry;you’ll be the champion.This win means the world to you;for Grace,it’s nothing.”

My steps froze,and it felt like something inside me shattered.

No wonder Richard could so easily give everything to Margaret;in his eyes,anything she desired was inconsequential to me.

The championship,the child,love—all of it was the same.

I stepped back,their embrace a painful sight.

Richard only gave me routine hugs before bed.He never showed affection in the daytime or in front of others.I used to think he was sensitive and insecure about that aspect,which is why I never dared to ask for too much.

But in front of Margaret,he was a completely different person.

I swallowed the bitterness rising in my throat,reflecting on their earlier conversation.Why was Richard so sure Margaret would win the championship?Was there something going on that I didn’t know about?

I returned to the car and had the driver take me to the company.Secretary Emma hurried over as soon as she saw me,“Why are you here,Mrs.Parker?Mr.Parker is still on his business trip.”

Her face showed a hint of guilt,but I had no intention of calling her out on it.

I nodded and smiled.“Yes,I know.I’m here to see Mr.Lewis,not Richard.”

Secretary Emma visibly relaxed,guiding me to Mr.Lewis's office.

Mr.Lewis was lounging at his desk,flipping through a fashion magazine.

Richard had once told me that the company had hired Mr.Lewis as a design director for a hefty salary due to his keen market insights,though he could be a bit arrogant.

Today,it was clear he fit that description.

I knocked on the office door,and Mr.Lewis glanced up.

Emma had already introduced me,but he seemed uninterested,giving me a quick look before returning to his magazine.

I stepped inside,sitting down across from him,“I wanted to ask you something,Mr.Lewis.”

He lazily replied,“What is it?”

I said,“Isn’t the Yarnell Enterprises sponsoring the fashion design competition?Aren’t you one of the judges?”

Mr.Lewis raised an eyebrow,“Yes,but what does that have to do with you,Mrs.Parker?”

“Did Richard ask you to ensure Margaret wins?”

At my question,Mr.Lewis set down the magazine,neither confirming nor denying my accusation.

A chill ran through me.

Before visiting Mr.Lewis,I hadn’t dared to jump to conclusions.After all,everyone has their pride.

I couldn’t believe he would go so far for Margaret.

He had previously urged me to drop out of the competition,citing the need to maintain fairness.I let out a self-deprecating laugh and continued,“I hope you won’t give her any favors;I want to ensure a fair competition.”

Mr.Lewis looked surprised,saying,“I work for the Yarnell Enterprises,and Richard is my boss.Why would I take orders from you?”