Back home, I saw Emily's favorite toys scattered all over the floor. When Ryan arrived, I was holding a doll about the size of Emily.

I had cried until I had no tears left.

My Emily.

"Violet, it's Grayson who has wronged you. It's the White family that has wronged you," Ryan said angrily, demanding the butler find out where Grayson was.

It didn't matter where Grayson was. My Emily was gone. I looked up, unable to speak a word, bitter and heartbroken.

"I will divorce Grayson. I want to take all of Emily's belongings."

Her daddy didn't love her, but I did. What Grayson didn't want, I treasured.

"Don't talk nonsense. I promised you I would take care of you for life."

Outside, Grayson stumbled through the door, looking around frantically but not finding Emily.

His voice trembled violently as he roared, "Why would you hide something this big from me, Violet? Have you gotten bold? Where is Emily? You must be lying to me. Where did you hide her?"

Grayson walked up to me, but I no longer had the strength to argue with him.

Ryan slapped him, saying, "You bastard! Your daughter is gone. How dare you to be with another woman."

Their shouting was too loud. It disturbed Emily.

Grayson was never a considerate person. He never said he loved me but readily agreed to marry me. I was the one who loved him deeply, and it was my own fault for stubbornly pursuing him despite the pain. But Emily was innocent.

Ryan broke several canes, beating Grayson until his back was bloody and raw.

Finally, he collapsed on the ground. I walked past him barefoot, hearing his weak voice.

"Violet, I'm sorry. You used too many tricks to get me to come home, exhausting my trust in you. I never expected so many people to be watching over Emily and yet..."

I stopped and turned to look at Grayson. He had become so unfamiliar, blaming me for not taking care of Emily.

"Let's get a divorce, Grayson."

"I won't agree to it, Violet. You can forget it." Grayson tried to stand up, but Ryan had beaten him too severely. "You wanted to get married, and now you want a divorce. Why should everything be up to you?"

I gave Grayson a cold and resolute look. Wouldn't our divorce clear the way for Mila?

"Isn't this what you wanted, Grayson?"

"I'll have the lawyer send you the papers. All you need to do is sign them."

Perhaps he didn't expect me to be so determined. Grayson tried to grab me, but he was too badly beaten and fell several times.

"Violet, I'm seriously hurt..."

He said with pitiful tone. Before, he wouldn't even need to say a word. A small scratch would make me worry to death.

I went back to Emily's room and sat on her bed. Soon, Grayson came in, awkwardly trying to explain.

"I know you're very sad about Emily. If you want to cry, just cry. I'll be here with you, Violet," he said.

He sat down beside me, but I didn't want to talk to him anymore.

Shortly after, Grayson's phone rang, and I heard Mila's voice.

"I'll be right there. Wait for me," Grayson said, glancing at me. He hung up and tried to kiss me, but I dodged. He said Mila had fallen, and he needed to go check on her.

He said there was nothing between him and Mila and told me not to overthink it. He said we'd start over when he got back.

"You're disturbing Emily."

...

In the following days, every divorce agreement I sent was torn up by Grayson. It seemed he was deliberately avoiding me.

I personally received Emily's urn and arranged her favorite flowers myself. I wanted to accompany Emily on this final journey.

Grayson never showed up at the funeral, and many people were talking about me.

"How could I not know, since I went to school with Violet? Grayson never liked her. He liked our school's beauty, Mila."

"I heard Violet's dad took the fall for the White family. Violet must have something on them."

There were many rumors, but they all believed I forced Grayson to marry me. In their minds, I used any means to become his wife, and my current situation was deserved.

I stood in the wind, still waiting for Grayson. Ryan was furious.

"Call him."

"No need, Grandpa. I've taken all of Emily's things. If Grayson refuses to sign, I'll sue for divorce."

"Sigh," Ryan sighed heavily. "I watched you two grow up together. How did it come to this? If Grayson's mother were still here, she wouldn't want to see you like this."

My heart ached as memories flooded back like waves. Grayson's mother loved me dearly. She used to say that if Grayson ever wronged me, she would break his legs. Her smile was always so bright, like a beam of light, yet she ended up jumping off a building due to depression.

Since then, Grayson became much more withdrawn. It was just before the college entrance exams, and the White family kept the news of his mother's death from him. They also told me not to tell Grayson, fearing it would upset him.

Later that night, amid thunder and lightning, Grayson found out and completely broke down. He began to hate me too.

"If you don't come to Emily's funeral today, don't ever return to the White residence. I'll consider you no grandson of mine!"

Ryan angrily hung up the phone and handed it to me. I unlocked it and saw the latest updates on social media.

Mila had posted a picture of her daughter with the caption, "Daughters are daddy's little lovers from a past life. Look whose little sweetheart this is?"

People in the comments were joking, saying it must be Grayson's illegitimate child.

The cufflink visible on the hand in the photo was a limited edition with a national style pattern. Only Grayson had it in Avolle city.

I felt deeply uncomfortable and sick to my stomach. With Ryan by my side, I accompanied Emily on her final journey.

I touched the photo, remembering how, after every argument with Grayson, Emily would come over to hug me and wipe away my tears. She was so young, but she already knew Grayson didn't love us.

Emily would say, "Mommy, don't be afraid. If Daddy won't spend your birthday with you, I will."

She was my little sweetheart, never Grayson's.

That night, I returned to my place to find Grayson drunk and lying there. He reached out to grab me.

"Violet, don't leave me. You're still so young. We can still have our own children," Grayson said.

Grayson, do you really have no heart?

"Can we start over, Violet?" He pulled at me, gripping me tightly.

"No, Grayson."

Grayson's tall shadow loomed over me. His breathing was heavy. When he heard my words, he actually started crying.

"Why can't you just be a little more compliant, Violet? Will it kill you to give in?"

With a loud bang, Grayson kicked something nearby.

I had long lost any expectations for him. What did he mean by giving in? Emily was gone, and there were no ties left between us.

"You can tear up the divorce agreement, but I'll keep sending them. It's just a waste of a few sheets of paper."

"There's nothing between Mila and me. Why don't you believe me?"

Grayson was very frustrated. His eyes were red as he looked at me, asking what it would take for me to believe him.

"I know you mind about Mila, but..." Grayson hesitated. He paused and said it wasn't what I thought.

"I don't mind. What I care most about is Emily. Do you know, Grayson? Emily wanted to see you one last time before she died, but you refused her."

Grayson's whole body went rigid. He seemed to lose all his strength and slid down the wall.

He collapsed outside the door like a drunkard, murmuring, "I'm sorry, baby. It's me who let you down."

How ironic. Emily had humbly begged him before, but Grayson treated her like that.

What's the point of late remorse?

I went back inside, locked the door, and curled up on the sofa. The house was empty, with no more sounds of Emily's laughter. As soon as I closed my eyes, tears would fall.

I remembered receiving Emily's urn and knowing she would never come back to me.

I felt so sick and nauseous. The light of my life had been extinguished, and I no longer wanted to continue this long journey of life.

The next day, when I went out, I saw Grayson still sitting there.

He heard the door open and stood up excitedly. He was still wearing the same clothes from the day before. The usually fastidious Grayson had spent the night there.

How ironic.

"I'll take you..."

I took out the divorce agreement, coldly saying, "No need. Just sign it, Grayson. I'm telling you clearly, there's no chance for us anymore."