From the moment Oliver drew his last breath in my arms, I ultimately gave up on Chris.

But Chris thought I was just holding a grudge.

"Ashley, can't you be reasonable? Oliver won't disappear from the hospital. You can visit him anytime. Adeline is still here. Do you have to upset everyone?"

He won't disappear.

That was what Chris said most often whenever I called him to visit Oliver at the hospital.

But now, Oliver really had disappeared.

He would never return.

I looked at Chris coldly.

"You don't need to be involved in anything to do with Oliver anymore. Do whatever you want, I won't care anymore."

After that, I pulled my suitcase and walked past him.

Chris finally sensed something was amiss and grabbed my hand.

"Did Oliver get mad because I didn't visit him? I'll go as soon as I'm done with this."

I couldn't help but laugh in exasperation.

It had been days. If he had just made a phone call to the hospital or even asked anyone around him, he would have known what happened. There was no need for him to utter such nonsense.

But he hadn't, and even now, he was using the same absurd excuse of being too busy to fob me off.

I pulled away from his grip.

"No need!"

From now on, there would be no need at all.

I just want to get away from this dreadful place as quickly as possible.

He immediately blocked my path with a commanding presence.

"I didn't think this through. From now on, I'll come running as soon as Oliver calls. Will that make things right?"

It was Chris at his most apologetic.

He probably thought my anger stemmed from his neglect of Oliver, and uncharacteristically, he lowered his stance to coax me.

Commonly, I would have gladly accepted his apology, perhaps even flattered, and then hugged him, blaming my temper.

But now, I remained silent, my face cold and pale, my only desire to leave.

Finally losing his patience, Chris's tone grew cold.

"Ashley, you're my wife, and Oliver is my own flesh and blood. Why must you always compete with a patient?"

Chloe had a frail heart since childhood, often relapsing, and as childhood friends, Chris had cared for her all her life, embedding it deep in his bones.

Even after both had married, he continued to look after Chloe and her daughter as if they were his own family.

Yet, I found it all rather amusing.

My jealousy had caused scenes before, as Chris always insisted Chloe only as a sister to him.

He pitied Chloe, whose husband had died young, and felt it his duty to care for her more.

He would tell me to be sensible and not let my imagination run wild.

I feared losing him, and so I gradually came to accept that a third person could intervene in our relationship.

I allowed Chris to abandon Oliver and me for Chloe time and again and allowed our years of marriage to be marred by countless arguments over Chloe...

With all these allowances, I still couldn't fulfill Oliver's final wish.

It was just to see Chris one more time. How hard could that be?

After all, Chloe could see him every day.

I was done arguing with Chris. Whatever he said, so be it.

Chris watched my retreating figure, a flicker of bewilderment crossing his eyes.

He felt he was losing something, instinctively wanting to grasp hold, but Chloe interrupted him.

"Chris, let her go if she wants to. Where's Adeline's room? I'll go check on her."

Chris's voice came from behind me.

"This way."

Then, right before my eyes, I saw them leading someone into Oliver's room.

"What are you doing?!"

I pushed Chloe away and blocked their entrance to Oliver's room.

Chris, who had been guilty, suddenly changed his expression.

In a panic, he looked at Chloe, whom I had pushed to the ground, concern in his eyes that I had never seen before.

"Ashley, you're insane!"

I glared at Chloe, who was still on the ground, pretending to be frail and unwilling to get up.

"Don't even think about taking over this room!"

Chloe, noticing my angry demeanor, saw a glimmer of opportunity and immediately clutched her chest.

"Chris, what did I do wrong? Why is Ashley so upset? I just thought that since Ollie is always in the hospital, the room was unused, so I suggested that Adeline could stay for a few days."

I was furious.

Just because my child was ill and bedridden, did that mean his room should be taken away?

I looked at Chris.

"Did you agree to this?"

He didn't respond, but I found my answer in his expression.

In our second year of marriage, Chris and I welcomed a new life.

At that time, we were in another cold war over Chloe. I left the pregnancy test report in his study, and by evening, he had surprised me with a massive bouquet of roses.

I vividly remember how elated Chris was that night and how eagerly he awaited the arrival of our Ollie.

The year we awaited this new life was the warmest Chris and I had ever spent together.

Though he still left me anytime because of Chloe, he would always make it up to us by bringing us and Oliver gifts upon his return.

I loved him dearly and was quickly appeased.

But eventually, he couldn't even bother to soothe me.

Ollie was diagnosed with acute leukemia at one due to the harmful substances in his toys.

Nearly all of his toys, gifts from Chloe via Chris, contained these toxins.

I was furious, wanting to confront Chloe with the stuffed toy's toxic report in hand, ready to sue her.

Chris blocked every move.

"I know Oliver's illness pains you, but this isn't a reason to falsely accuse Chloe."

He dismissed all evidence, attributing our son's illness to fate.

Only later did I learn that Chloe had spent a night crying in Chris's arms, panicked about my threat to expose her company.

From then on, my resentment towards Chris grew.

I was no longer subservient, indulgent.

And Chris, too, began to drift away from me.

In the eyes of others, I had nothing but the title of a wife.

He would parade Chloe around, introducing her to everyone.

Ollie's condition was deteriorating rapidly, and it was only because of my constant pleas that Chris finally agreed to visit him at the hospital.

Yet, even that he missed because of Chloe.

I'm exhausted, genuinely weary.

I was ready to let go.

But their cruelty was too much.

Oliver died, and now the murderer wanted to take his room!

I looked at Chris with disappointment, feeling that the past five years were just a joke.

Chloe's eyes were red with tears.

"Chris, look at my hand. Isn't it swollen? It's so painful! How could she be so malicious?"

Chris's attention instantly returned to her.

The push I gave came with all my strength, the resolve of a mother trying to protect her child.

So, Chloe's pain wasn't feigned.

Chris's expression turned cold.

"Ashley Stone, apologize to Chloe!"

I used to fear his cold demeanor. Even a frown or a displeased look from him would scare me, making me subconsciously admit fault.

It was all because I cared about him.

Now that I've lost what mattered most, what was there to fear?

I stared at Chris fearlessly.

"An apology is acceptable, but tell me, why did you choose to stay in Oliver's room?"

Chris avoided eye contact.

Eventually, it was Chloe who spoke for him.

"Adeline wasn't comfortable living elsewhere, and the room was vacant. Besides, it's only temporary."

I laughed out of anger.

Temporary?

Oliver is never coming back. I wonder if Chloe would call her daughter a usurper if she knew.

The answer was obvious.

I looked at Chloe.

"Don't you have a home? Are you so poor that you have to force your way into staying at someone else's place?

"Chloe, unless I'm dead, don't even think about it!"

My words drove Chloe to tears; she clutched her chest, crying out in pain.

Chris wrapped his arms around her, his eyes blazing with anger.

"It's one thing to deny her a place to stay, but did you have to push her to this?!"

"She wants to live in my son's house? Dream on!"

"Your conscienceless people, get out!!"

I blocked the door, no longer wanting to look at Chris.

All I could think about was quickly moving Oliver's stuff out and letting them do whatever they wanted afterward.

I couldn't stand to stay in this house a moment longer.

Yet, it was clear Chloe wasn't about to let me go.

"Chris, all Adeline wanted was to stay here for one night, and I had already promised her. Please, think of something."

That night Oliver had surgery, I begged him in the same way to come over. My tone was a hundred times more humble and weak.

But Chris didn't come.

Now, hearing Chloe's plea, he looked at me, trying to make me relent.

Of course, I remained defiant.

My attitude infuriated Chris, and he was intent on teaching me a lesson.

With a single glance, two bodyguards entered from outside and pinned me down.

Objects were constantly being thrown out of the room.

Curtains, sheets, stuffed animals, books... everything in Oliver's room was mercilessly thrown out.

"No! Stop it! Stop it!"

My heart felt like it was being torn into pieces.

The more I struggled, the more complex the bodyguards pressed me down.

In the end, they almost pressed my face to the ground.

I stared at the things on the ground, but my vision was always blurred by tears, unable to see clearly.

The wrinkled mud figurine was Oliver's hand-made mother, the crooked airplane model was Oliver's birthday gift for Chris, and the children's picture book was what Oliver had read since he was a child...

Chris pressed. "Ashley, apologize."

I nodded desperately.

"I apologize! Don't smash it! I'm sorry! I shouldn't have pushed you! I was wrong! Don't smash it!"

Chris stopped; he looked at my humble appearance at that moment. The imagined happiness did not come; instead, there was some irritability.

"Let's go."

Chloe grabbed him.

"Adeline hasn't moved her stuff in yet..."

Before she could finish, Chris silenced her with a cold glare.

"Don't make me repeat myself."

The three of them left.

Silence filled the room.

Leaving me alone with my heart shattered.

I finally moved out of that house for good.

I packed up all of Oliver's belongings and moved everything into the new house.

I set up a room just for him.

What Chris couldn't provide, I, as a mother, could.

My Ollie wasn't neglected.

I locked myself in my room, not stepping out for a week.

Once I sorted out my feelings, I started to focus on work.

Before marrying Chris, I owned a design company.

But he disliked me being in the limelight and wanted me to stay at home and take care of the family.

Back then, I was so in love with him that I decisively left the company in the hands of my partner, Samantha Peak, giving her complete control.

I completely lost myself.

Only now do I realize how foolish I was.

I reached out to Samantha and explained the situation.

Samantha was amazed.

"Back then, you handled the technical side, and I managed the finances. But you suddenly left. I was so worried I couldn't sleep for days," she said.

"I'd be more than happy to have you back; together, we'll take the company to new heights!"

I returned to the company busier than ever.

It was fulfilling and liberating.

No longer did I worry about Chris's affections or try to decipher his thoughts. I didn't even need to be jealous of him and Chloe.

My emotions were now stable and predictable.

Every day, I would send Chris a signed copy of the divorce agreement.

But it was as if he never saw them.

He only called me once.

"Ashley, what on earth are you thinking?" he shouted.

I simply responded with a cold, "Sign it."

He hung up the phone in anger.

From that day on, we never spoke on the phone again.

One day, a neighbor from my hometown called to say that the land in front of my family's house was going to be appropriated for a factory.

My blood ran cold.

Oliver's ashes were buried there!

By the time I took a taxi to get there, a fleet of excavators had arrived, their engines roaring to life.

I dashed out of the cab, eyes red, trying to rush in, but Chris stopped me.

"You're insane!" Chris yelled, gripping me tightly, rendering me immobile.

All I could do was watch helplessly as the excavator's giant scoop dug into the lemon tree, unearthing the shattered white urn of ashes.

Everything was destroyed.

I collapsed. I was feeling nearly dead, with only a faint breath escaping my throat.

Chris had personally ordered the excavation of his own child's ashes...

Chris looked at me, his eyes filled with a faint trace of heartache.

Yet, his words were cold.

"Ashley, that land was originally rented by your family from my Walker family. I've demolished the house; I don't need to inform you about it, do I?"

Chloe came over with a sneer.

"Ashley, the land belongs to Chris. Even if you're unhappy that he's using it to build a factory for me, there's no need for this.

"Interfering with construction, I have the right to call the police."

It turned out Chris's sudden decision to demolish was to build a factory for Chloe.

A factory producing the same shoddy dolls that killed his son!

I stood up, my eyes red with fury, and before I knew it, my hand had struck Chris across the face.

Chris was stunned but quickly recovered, his anger uncontrollable.

"Ashley, have you lost your mind?"

"I have gone mad! That place is where Oliver was buried! His ashes are there!"

Chris shuddered. "How is that possible!"

He looked at me incredulously, then pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

"Is Oliver in the hospital right now?"

Even he didn't know how his voice quivered, barely able to speak.

His assistant on the other end paused, finally speaking up.

"Mr. Walker, Mr. Oliver Walker... he passed away ten days ago. The land you've started working on was chosen by Mrs. Walker as Mr. Oliver Walker's burial site."