My mother-in-law had always been good to me.

After her husband died in an accident when Nick was only two, she raised him alone.

He was her only son, so she treated me like her own daughter.

She prepared all my favorite foods, went shopping with me, and treated me more like a friend than a daughter-in-law.

When we first got married, she often told Nick to treat me well.

And he did at first. But that kindness was fleeting.

After his first love in university returned, he had nothing but harsh words for me.

He would say his first love was gentle, considerate, and understanding, while I was just a nagging, worn-out housewife.

Lea could comfort him when he was stressed, while I only burdened him with endless complaints about trivial matters at home.

Nick despised me.

Even though he was the one who pursued me, who had initially drawn close to me.

When I discovered Lea's presence, of course, I argued and fought.

But all Nick ever said was, "Can't you be more understanding?" and "There's nothing between us."

Until I found photos of them in a hotel on his phone.

I never told my mother-in-law about any of this. Her heart was weak, and I was afraid it would upset her too much and harm her health.

I thought that if I kept enduring, maybe Nick would eventually come to his senses.

But he didn't. He didn't even care about his own mother's safety.

My heart ached.

When I looked into the room, I saw my mother-in-law struggling to keep her eyes open, trying to say something, her eyes filled with pain.

A nurse came out, "Are you the patient's family? She wants to speak with you. Please, come in quickly!"

I rushed to her side, clutching her hand tightly.

My mother-in-law asked me where Nick was.

I forced a smile, "He's on his way, Mom. He'll be here soon to save you. Don't be afraid."

She tried to return my smile, her voice choked with emotion, "Silly girl, I'm not blind. I know everything he's done to you. It's all his fault. You should divorce him. He's not worthy of you..."

I started to cry, that horrible sense of dread hitting me full force.

"It's okay, Mom. Just hold on a little longer. He's almost here!"

She shook her head and began to speak her final wishes, "When I'm gone, give my diary in the drawer to Nick. After I'm cremated, take my ashes and travel. Help me see the beautiful landscapes that our family has guarded all these years—"

It'll be okay. Everything will be okay.

I cried with her, unwilling to just watch her leave like this.

I frantically called every one of Nick's friends, but none of them knew where he was.

I won't give up.

Finally, I called the police station, "Hello, my husband, Nick Smith, is missing. It's urgent, really urgent! Please, can you help me find him? I'm begging you, please..."

Nick was found.

The police had summoned him to the station to take me home, reprimanding me for filing a false report.

Lea accompanied him.

I barely wasted a second. I grabbed Nick, insisting he follow me.

Annoyed by my persistence, he shook me off, his expression exasperated. "Enough, Nora. I thought you were insane before, but today you've outdone yourself. You dragged me to the police station. Are you not embarrassed enough?"

I scrambled to grab him again. "No, it's not like that. Your mother is really in the hospital. She's in critical condition..."

"I said enough!" He raised his hand and slapped me, shouting, "My mom went back to her hometown. If she were here, she would have called me. I haven't received any call today, and you're still trying to deceive me, aren't you? Are you trying to pull me away from Lea?"

The slap stung, the worst pain I've ever felt.

I looked into his eyes. He wasn't lying. He hadn't received a call. But his mother had indeed called.

Nick had been with Lea all day, and she had answered his phone for him. Lea must know the truth.

I looked at Lea, but she simply walked over, hooking her arm through Nick's. "Nick, don't be angry. Let's just go back and enjoy the holiday, okay?"

No, they couldn't leave.

I rushed forward and clung to Nick's leg.

"No, you can't leave today. Come with me to the hospital. Please, trust me. I'm not lying. You can call the hospital and ask them yourself!"

Nick didn't want to hear me out. He shouted at me, "Let go!"

I refused to release my grip, so he started yanking at my clothes. In the chaos, Lea's high heel struck me hard.

It was right on my nose.

The pain was so intense that I let go involuntarily, tasting blood in my mouth.

Lea whined, "Nick, look, my shoes are dirty now. And it's Valentine's Day today! What bad luck!"

"No worries. I'll take you to buy new ones right away!"

Her voice was sickly sweet. "Nick, you're the best!"

As they prepared to leave, I clutched my nose, only for Nick to shove me away. His face twisted in disgust. "Get lost."

Blood dripped onto the ground, and I felt a cold shiver run through my body.

But a feeling of helplessness overwhelmed me as I watched them walk away.

Then my phone rang. It was the hospital calling.

"Mrs. Smith, please come back quickly. The patient's condition is deteriorating fast. She doesn't have much time left. We've done everything we can. Please, hurry!"

I rushed back to the hospital but didn't make it in time to see her one last time.

They had covered her with a white sheet, and the nurse was wheeling her into the morgue.

I collapsed onto the floor, dazed. A passing nurse noticed the blood on my nose, handed me a tissue, and offered her sympathy. "Mrs. Smith, wipe it off. The leadership will certainly take Doctor Nick's unauthorized departure very seriously."

What's the point of punishing Nick? My mother-in-law was such a kind person, yet she's gone forever.

As for Nick, I hope he never regrets his actions.

My mother-in-law raised him alone, working three jobs to send him to the best schools, giving him everything while burying all her bitterness deep inside. Even when she fell ill, she didn't want to worry him.

The villagers used to say she was a curse to her husband, but she didn't care about their judgment. She sent Nick to the big city anyway.

When Nick found out she was sick, he cried.

He drank heavily, clung to me, and wept, vowing to take good care of his mother, who had sacrificed so much for him over the years.

He treated her well. After all, she was the one who gave him life, the one who loved him most in this world.

But my mother-in-law was good. Nick, however, was ungrateful.

While he was sweet with Lea, did he ever think of his mother, waiting in the hospital, desperately needing her son to save her?

I delivered the message to him, but he didn't believe me.

He himself didn't want to believe me.

He chose not to believe in our five years together, in our three-year marriage.

Then what's the point of this marriage then?

I sent him a message: [Let's get divorced.]

He replied instantly: [The divorce papers are in the bedside drawer. I've already signed them.]

Nick had been planning the divorce for a long time, preparing everything in advance.

I wrote up the divorce agreement and left it on the coffee table, along with my mother-in-law's death notice, which included my promise to erect a tombstone for her beside my father-in-law's grave.

They would be reunited in the afterlife.

I don't expect to see Nick wracked with regret, but I hope he won't forget his mother's sacrifices. It would be nice if he could visit her grave more often.

After packing my bags, I decided to take my mother-in-law's ashes on a journey, fulfilling her last wishes.

I also found her diary and placed it on the coffee table with everything else, making sure it was in the most prominent spot.

I locked the door and left with my suitcase.