Eugene held a document folder in his hand and awkwardly rubbed his nose before clearing his throat. "Raine, I was wrong this morning. I shouldn't have spoken so harshly, but you need to understand, I'm doing this for your own good.

"In a few days, I'll bring some gifts and visit your father to help him through this. Just sign the consent form. After that, we can start trying for a baby. Haven't your parents always wanted a grandchild?"

For a brief moment, his sudden attempt to soften me made my heart waver. I thought maybe he had changed.

But in the end, he was just covering for his precious intern.

We had been married for seven years and never had a child. At first, he claimed he wasn't ready. Later, he used work as an excuse. Over the years, the pressure fell entirely on me. Everyone assumed I was the one at fault.

I endured it all for him.

I had never said a single bad word about him, and now he was acting like signing this consent form was some kind of favor he was doing for me?

How generous.

The absurdity made my blood boil. I swung my hand and hit him square across the face.

Eugene froze, clutching his cheek. "Are you out of your mind?"

He flinched as if to strike, then stopped himself.

He drew in a slow breath, trying to rein in his anger, and forced a smile. "Your mom just died. I get that you're emotional, but please be reasonable and sign it. If you do, I'll treat you right from now on. Come on."

I let out a cold laugh and crossed my arms, trying to keep my anger in check.

"Eugene, I'm not the one who should sign. Why don't you go see for yourself? You haven't even checked the body. How can you be so certain it was my mom?"

His face darkened, and he slammed his hand against the table.

"Lorraine, don't push me. Fine. If you won't sign, then we're done. Let's get a divorce!"

I raised an eyebrow and calmly handed him the divorce papers I had prepared beforehand. "Go ahead. Sign these."

Eugene didn't expect me to actually have divorce papers in hand and froze in shock.

"You're serious? Lorraine, is this really necessary? It was just an accident. Your mom died during the surgery, but do you have to make it such a big deal?

"If you divorce me, you'll get nothing. Who would want someone like you? Sign it now. If Peggy loses her promotion because of you, don't think I'll let it slide!"

Who did he think he was scaring?

I rolled my eyes. "Is life worth nothing to you? Do you really think saying it was an accident makes it all okay?"

Eugene snapped, "Are you done yet? If your mom weren't so weak, she wouldn't have died from something so trivial. Peggy has done this to countless people, and only your mom ended up dead. If she were useless, she wouldn't have come in the first place.

"Suit yourself if you won't sign, don't regret it later! Your mom got what she deserved! Your whole family is heartless, ganging up on a young woman just starting her career!"

Eugene stormed off, cursing under his breath. I watched as he walked away and let out a helpless sigh.

All these years, Mom had treated him like her own son. She woke early every morning to prepare his breakfast and always came hours ahead so as not to disturb his rest.

Even his job had been secured through my parents' connections and money, and yet he could speak with such cold cruelty.

The chill in my chest only deepened, strengthening my resolve to divorce him.

But before I could plan how to make him sign the papers, devastating news arrived.

"Where is my mother-in-law's body?"

As soon as I got the call from the hospital, I rushed over. A doctor who couldn't stand by in silence secretly called me and said that Eugene had already secretly dealt with the body in order to cover up for Peggy.

"You're too late. Your mother-in-law's body has already been cremated," he whispered. "Dr. Shaw signed the consent form for you and even used Peggy's name to access a free body donation program. All of the organs have been harvested…"

My mind went completely blank. Had that damned lunatic Eugene completely lost his mind?

I called my father-in-law, Edison Shaw, who was on his way back to the country, while speeding toward the crematorium.

I arrived just as Amanda was about to be pushed inside.

My vision went black for a moment, and I pounded on the glass with all my strength. "Eugene, stop! Are you crazy? That's your mother!"

Eugene removed his mask and shot me a look of pure disgust. He bent down to kiss Peggy on the cheek and walked out casually.

He then slapped me hard across the face and pinned my head against the glass, making me watch as Peggy handled the body clumsily and disrespectfully. "Look closely. You refused to sign, didn't you? This is what happens when you don't."

Peggy stuck her tongue out at me, then pulled out her phone and opened some silly camera filter. She aimed it at Amanda's body, took a photo, and deliberately showed it to me.

"Ms. Beaumont, your dead mother was completely useless," she said. "I just toyed with her a bit, and now she's gone.

"At least her organs were worth something. It helped me secure my promotion. It's not a total waste, right? You should thank me. People like her are useless alive and take up space when they're dead, so I did you a favor and took care of it."

As a medical professional, Peggy didn't even have the slightest respect for the deceased.

Amanda had always treated me kindly, and I couldn't bear to see Eugene allow Peggy to humiliate her in death.

I shoved him away furiously. "Eugene! Are you insane? I've told you countless times, the person in there is your mother! What else do I have to say for you to believe me?"

Eugene frowned, refusing to accept it. "You don't need to make up excuses to hold me back. The forms are signed. It's too late to turn back. You left me no choice, or I wouldn't have gone this far."

I felt utterly helpless.

During the surgery, Eugene had handed everything over to Peggy. He stood off to the side, serving her tea and flirting while she worked. He hadn't even glanced at the patient's face.

Later, Peggy's error splattered blood all over Amanda's face, and Eugene couldn't recognize his own mother.

No matter what, we were married. I couldn't just watch him let a murderer destroy the evidence.

I shouted, "I'm not lying! My mom is perfectly fine at home, probably snacking on chips! You can call her if you don't believe me!"

Eugene hesitated for a moment before calling Mom, but the call wouldn't connect. Then it hit me—I had asked her to pick some peaches from home yesterday.

She must be out getting them and was probably on a plane with her phone set to flight mode.

Eugene's temples throbbed as he angrily hurled the phone at my face. "If you keep lying and cursing my mother, I will divorce you! Stay here and watch how your useless mother ends up with nothing left."

He turned to leave, but another doctor stepped in. "Eugene, the deceased really is your mother. If you don't believe us, you can check the medical records yourself."

Eugene slapped me across the face and snapped, "Are you insane? Did you even hire someone to act just to trick me into coming here?"

He then turned to the doctor, "Did Lorraine pay you to go along with her scheme?”

The doctor shot him a look. "If you don't believe us, wipe the body's face clean first, then speak."

Eugene froze, staring into the room. His face darkened, and he didn't dare step forward.

Could it really be true, just as I had said?

His hands trembled uncontrollably.

Peggy leaned against him, whining in a high-pitched voice. "Eugene! That old woman is terrible! She kept trying to come between us. I was only helping her mother through her last journey, and she just kept screaming and blaming me…"

She gave the body a deliberate push, and the flames instantly engulfed Amanda's head.

He stared at the body, which had been burned beyond recognition, even to his own eyes.

My vision went dark, and I nearly stumbled. "Eugene, you're beyond saving. How could you let a murderer treat your mother's body like this? I hope you don't regret it when the truth comes out."

He gripped Peggy's hand. "Do you recognize her face? Does it look like this?"

He pulled up a photo of Ananda on his phone.

Peggy cocked her head and thought for a moment, then shook it. "Nope. The patient's face is all wrinkled, the skin all stuck together. She's really old, and she looks a lot like your wife. It has to be her mom."

Eugene let out a long, relieved sigh and grinned triumphantly at me. "See, Lorraine? I told you it was your mother. Good thing she's gone, now she won't be meddling and disturbing my sleep."

Something inside me snapped. Mom had been waking early and working late every day to take care of him, and he called that meddling?

Fine.

I held up my hands. "Alright. You've signed the papers, your precious intern handled the body, and you've made your point. There's nothing left for me to argue."

Assuming I had given up, Eugene let Peggy do as she pleased.

Perhaps to get back at me, Peggy deliberately slipped and sent the body straight into the cremator. Not even the ashes could be saved.

Peggy smirked. "Eugene, I got scared and slipped a little. You won't be mad, right?"

Eugene kissed her on the cheek. "Don't worry. She got what she deserved. I wouldn't dirty your hand, Peggy. You handled it perfectly. Well done."

The two of them leaned into each other, as though they were about to kiss.

At that moment, Edison stormed in with my parents. "Where's Amanda's body? I want to see her one last time!"

I pointed at the disposal room. "Dad, I'm sorry. I couldn't stop Eugene. Mom was… You'll have to see it yourself."

Edison went pale and almost collapsed.

Dad kicked the door open, and the startled pair jumped apart.

Eugene stepped forward to confront them. When he saw Mom, his lips trembled, and all color drained from his face. "How is your mother here? Then who is this?"