To win a smile from his childhood sweetheart Elaina Mercer...

Phillip Murray just watched as Elaina set her dog on my grandmother Mylee Cantrell, tearing her carotid artery.

That very night, I handed Phillip the divorce papers.

"Sign it. Let's set each other free."

Phillip, however, tossed the papers into the trash with disdain and contempt.

"Wasn't it just a dog bite?

"For all we know, that old woman might be dirtier than the dog itself. Elaina didn't even make a fuss. What are you getting all worked up about?"

***

The light at the entrance flicked on with a snap.

Phillip, who was just about to take off his shoes, frowned when he saw me sitting on the sofa.

"You're home? You came back without telling me, and you didn't even turn on the lights. I almost thought there was a burglar in the house."

As usual, Phillip stretched lazily and yawned.

"Busy all day. I'm so tired."

He looked so calm.

His calm demeanor made it clear that he didn't care at all about letting Elaina's dog attack my grandmother.

I couldn't help but wonder.

How many other times had Phillip allowed Elaina to do something similar?

The thought of it made my heart ache.

Phillip lay back on the sofa, casting a commanding look my way.

I neither moved nor spoke.

In the past...

Whenever Phillip showed the slightest hint of exhaustion...

I would rush to serve him like a maid.

I would massage him, offering a full range of services.

And I would even throw in some elaborate games in bed at night.

No matter that each time left me exhausted, I was happy to endure it.

Because I loved him.

But now…

My cold and distant attitude began to irritate Phillip.

"Why are you just standing there? I told you I'm tired, my head aches, and my legs and back hurt. Come over and give me a massage..."

As he spoke, his voice began to fade.

His expression grew tense.

"A few days away and you've learned to smoke? Charlee, do you enjoy degrading yourself like this?"

His remark made me realize that the cigarette in my hand had almost burned down to the filter.

I glanced down, noticing the tiny embers burning into my foot, leaving a dent in my skin.

Yet, I felt no pain.

I couldn't even remember when I had learned to smoke.

After all, just yesterday, I didn't smoke.

Expressionless, I pulled out the divorce papers from my bag and tossed them in Phillip's face.

Then, I lit another cigarette, the flame illuminated his startled expression.

I sneered.

"Sign it. Let's set each other free."

Phillip picked up the divorce papers from the floor and glanced at me with irritation.

"You want to divorce me?"

He then sneered.

"All because Elaina threw a little tantrum?

"You throw the word 'divorce' around so casually.

"Why are you so petty, Charlee?"

Well...

So in Phillip's eyes...

Elaina setting her dog on my grandmother was nothing more than a tantrum.

"Stop overreacting. Tomorrow, I'll go with you to apologize to your grandmother.

"She's been craving the seafood I cook for a while, hasn't she? I'll make them myself for her tomorrow."

As he spoke, Phillip crumpled the divorce papers into a ball and tossed them into the trash can.

What he did not know was that he would never get the chance to apologize.

Elaina's dog had torn through my grandmother's carotid artery.

By the time she reached the hospital, it was too late. She had died from excessive blood loss.

I looked at Phillip's self-satisfied face, filled with disgust. I even felt like vomiting.

I did not even want to say another word to him.

I flattened the divorce papers again and laid them out on the table, my expression calm and cold.

"No need for that. Just sign the papers."

The truth was, my grandmother had been craving seafood for a long time.

But every time, Phillip would use his busy work schedule as an excuse to push it off again and again.

Only I knew that during those times, he had been busy spending time with Elaina.

I had kept quiet about it, not wanting to worry my grandmother.

"Charlee! You're being ungrateful! I've been tolerating you for a long time now!

"It was just a dog bite. Plenty of people get bitten by dogs, but somehow, you're the only one making such a fuss about it!

"Besides, Elaina washes her dog every day. She didn't even complain about it, so why are you getting so worked up?"

In other words, Phillip was implying that my grandmother was filthier than Elaina's dog.

His words pierced my heart like a dagger.

And yet, I found myself laughing.

"Getting so worked up? Phillip, if I set a dog on Elaina, would you still say..."

Before I could finish my sentence...

Phillip acted like he was going to slap me.

His cold eyes, filled with malice, looked as though he just wanted to kill me.

"If you dare to do anything to Elaina, I swear I won't let you off."

A chill ran all over me, leaving me feeling as if I had fallen into an icy abyss.

Phillip always claimed that nothing was going on between him and Elaina, telling me not to overthink things.

But now…

His reaction exposed him.

The cigarette in my hand had burned down again.

I closed my eyes and then opened them.

Then I grabbed my bag from the sofa and left the house.

"If you don't sign the divorce papers, I'll go to court and sue for divorce."

I was a lawyer.

Phillip knew that if I filed for divorce, he would not win.

Before the door even closed behind me...

I heard the sound of the coffee table shattering in the living room.

"Charlee, if you leave, don't even think about ever coming back!"

I could already picture the way he must have pointed at the back of my head when he said that.

Suddenly, the night sky lit up with a violent flash of lightning.

The torrential rain poured down, pounding the ground, and quickly formed a dirty puddle at my feet.

I took a deep breath and resolutely stepped into the rain.

Suddenly, something flew past me and splashed into the filthy water at my feet.

It was the token of love between Phillip and me.

It was a white clay vase we had made together at a pottery shop.

Elaina had broken it once before.

But I had glued it back together.

Now, it lay shattered in the dirty water, beyond repair.

After leaving the Murray's house, I went to the hospital.

I was going to collect my grandmother's death certificate and ashes, intending to bring them back to the old house.

But before I even left the parking lot after finishing it...

I ran into Elaina.

I had not had the chance to put my grandmother's photo on the urn yet due to the urgency of the situation.

Elaina glanced at the urn in my arms, a flicker of confusion passing through her eyes.

Then, with red-rimmed eyes, she rushed toward me, her voice choked with sobs.

"Charlee, it was all my fault. I should have held on to Ryan better. It's because of me that your grandmother got hurt.

"I'm so sorry. Please don't be mad at me. And it's not all Ryan's fault. Your grandmother has to take some responsibility."

She was still defending her dog.

I was in a rage.

Whatever was going on in Elaina's mind, I could not care less.

This woman had not only let her dog attack my grandmother, but she had also shifted the blame.

Rage surged through me.

I raised my hand, intending to slap Elaina across the face.

But before I could land the blow, Elaina grabbed my hand and pulled me down.

It looked like I had pushed her to the ground instead.

Under the dim lights, her palm had scraped against the gravel, drawing blood.

Tears welled up in Elaina's eyes.

"Charlee, I know you're angry, but why did you push me?"

Everything happened so fast that I barely had time to react.

So when Phillip's slap landed on my face...

I stood there, frozen in shock.

"Charlee, are you out of your mind?! Didn't I warn you not to lay a finger on Elaina?!"

Phillip held Elaina tightly in his arms, shielding her as though she might melt in the rain.

The downpour battered the umbrella he held, splashing filthy water all over me.

He had hit me so hard that I stumbled backward.

The urn slipped from my grasp and fell to the ground.

In the rain, my grandmother's ashes spilled out everywhere.