I went downstairs and picked up the urn.As I stared at the empty urn,I let out a bitter laugh before hailing a cab to the cemetery.

When I returned home after handling everything,I found two extra people in the villa's living room.

Alice sat on the sofa,cradling her child,while Tom watched them with tender eyes.They looked every bit like a real family of three.

I walked past them expressionlessly,heading to the stairs.

"Stop!"

Tom's icy voice rang out.

I halted and spun around to face him.

“Do you know why I brought Alice and Marco,our child,back to the villa?”His gaze seemed to accuse me of being unreasonable.

I scoffed coldly.“I don't know and I don't want to know.”

“Because you kidnapped our baby.He was terrified and has been crying nonstop ever since.As his mother,Alice,has been constantly worried.And all of this is because of you!”

"So,Lucy…apologize to them.

I lifted my head calmly.“And if I refuse?”

The moment I said that,Alice spoke softly and weakly,"Tom,let it go.No matter how Lucy treats us,I deserve it.I shouldn’t have clung to you all this time.”

Immediately,Tom's face filled with a headache.He held her tightly and lowered his head to soothe her with a soft whisper,“Don't be so cautious.With me here,no one dares to bully you.”

Just then,the family doctor came near.Tom glanced at Alice before rising to leave.“You don't like hearing these things.I'll discuss it with the doctor outside.”

After he left,only I,Alice and their baby remained in the living room.

In an instant,the hurt expression vanished from Alice's face,replaced by a smug,triumphant look.

"Lucy,did you see that?”she declared,lifting her chin.“Just one little lie from me and Tom scattered your brother's ashes.The one he loves is me.”

Her words stabbed through me,but I forced myself to speak,"So what?You gave him a child,but the position of Mrs.Howard is still mine,isn't it?”

Instantly,Alice flared with anger,her eyes blazing with fury as she glared at me.

Just then,the sound of Tom returning echoed from outside.

A flash of malice flickered in Alice's eyes.Suddenly,she released her grip and let Marco fall from a great height.

"Ah!My child!"

She screamed and collapsed to the floor.

When Tom entered the room,he saw Alice picking up Marco from the floor with trembling hands.Her eyes filled with anguish and tears.

"Lucy!You're bullying them again!"

His brow furrowed with fury as he raised his arm high,delivering a hard slap across my face.

I stared at him in disbelief.“I didn't do it.Alice herself,who threw Marco to the floor.If you don't believe me,check the surveillance footage.”

I pointed at the security camera in the corner,my eyes fierce with defiance.

Tom sneered coldly.“Fine.As you wish.Check it!”

Before he could summon the butler,Alice grabbed his arm.There was panic in her voice,“Tom,can you check on Marco?What's wrong with him?He won't stop crying.”

I caught the subtle movement of her hand pinching the baby,but I didn't speak up or expose her.After all,Tom would never believe me anyway.

He took the child from Alice's arms and gently soothed him.Then he looked up at me with eyes cold enough to freeze blood.“Don't worry.I'll see justice done for both of you.”

He then beckoned two bodyguards,who then seized my shoulders and forced me to kneel before Alice.

I struggled desperately.“I didn't hurt either of them!Check the surveillance footage!”

But he seemed blind to my pleas and replied coldly,“I trust Alice.She wouldn't lie.It's you who's always resented her.”

My forehead slammed hard against the floor.The wound throbbed faintly,yet that pain paled beside the agony within my heart.

Only after I was forced to the ground for the ninety-ninth time did Tom nod in satisfaction,then leave with Alice and their child.

Before departing,he glanced at me and said,“Lucy,you've been acting rather unreasonable lately.So,I won't be coming back these next few days.”

Like he had said,Tom didn't return to the villa for the next few days,nor did he send me a single text message.Instead,it was Alice who sent me countless photos every day of her and Tom kissing at sunset,strolling hand-in-hand through the streets and watching movies together.They even took Marco to early education classes together.

They looked like a real married couple,their eyes brimming with adoration for their child.

During those days,I gathered up everything connected to Tom and threw it all away.If Alice wanted a fickle man like him,she could have him.

That evening,I stepped out of the mall with shopping bags and stood by the roadside waiting for a bus.Suddenly,a dazzling,magnificent firework bloomed in the sky above.Following the fireworks,a few words appeared in large letters,"Happy Birthday,darling."

Seeing the driver had pulled up alongside me,I did not have time to think before I opened the door,ready to get in.

But just then,a screech of brakes pierced the air.When I turned around,I saw an out-of-control car barreling straight toward me.

My pupils contracted sharply,but my legs refused to move.

In a dizzying whirl,I was knocked to the ground and pain ripped through me.

I fumbled for my phone and dialed 911.As time ticked by,my consciousness gradually faded.

Just as I was about to lose consciousness,my phone vibrated violently.When I answered the phone,all I heard was the doctor's deeply apologetic voice.

“I'm terribly sorry,Miss.Today is President Howard's wife's birthday.To set off fireworks for her,President Howard ordered all roads in the city closed.We might not make it in time.”

Before I could process who this"President Howard”was,another firework bloomed in the sky and this time,the words spelled,"Happy Birthday,Alice,from Tom,who loves you."

I let out a bitter laugh as the call ended,feeling my body grow colder by the second.

When I opened the chat window with Tom and was about to type something,an unknown number sent me a video.

It was filmed on a beach,suggesting it was filmed recently.In the video,Alice was crying bitterly.“Though Marco is fine this time,he's so young...Lucy really put him through a lot...”

Tom raised his hand and wiped away her tears tenderly."Stop crying.Didn't I make her apologize to you and Marco that day?”

He stopped for a while before adding,"If you feel it wasn't enough,I'll have her apologize again.”

She lifted her eyes and looked up at Tom timidly."Since Lucy is out shopping today,could you...arrange a car accident for her?I just want her to taste the pain too.”

Tom hesitated.“I've closed all roads in the city for your fireworks display.If an accident happens,ambulances won't be able to reach her.”

“It's just a minor collision,”Alice coaxed,her eyes red-rimmed.“Nothing life-threatening.I'm just afraid that if she doesn't learn her lesson,she'll keep bullying our child.”

"I know Lucy is the Mrs.Howard in your heart and I'm just a distraction.But Marco is our only child.If anything happens to him,I won't want to live either...”

After she spoke,she started running toward the sea.

Instantly,Tom pulled her into his arms.“Don't say things like that.It's not that I can't bear to part with her.Whatever you want to do,I'll support you.”

The video ended abruptly here,along with a message from Alice.

[Did you see it yourself,right,Lucy?Tom never liked you.To make me happy,he arranged a car accident for you and didn't help you.]

[I remember that two days ago was your wedding anniversary,yet he was watching movies with me.And today,on my birthday,he lit up the whole city with fireworks for me.]

[If you still have any dignity left,step down from your position as Mrs.Howard immediately.]

I gripped my phone until my fingertips went white.Then,with a sharp crack,the phone fell to the ground.

I didn't bother to pick it up;instead,I was gasping for breath.

Turned out,Tom orchestrated the accident to force me into apologizing to Alice and while I was lying on the road,fighting for life,he was setting off fireworks with Alice.

My blood,mingled with tears from my eyes,dripped onto the dirt.

As my heartbeat slowed,the last shred of feeling I had for Tom vanished completely....

***

When I woke up again,I was lying in a hospital bed.My phone lay silent beside me and Tom never sent me a single message.

Suddenly,the ward door swung open from the outside and someone entered.There was a hint of heartache in his eyes when he saw me,but all he said was,"I've withdrawn your funds from Howard Group over the past few days.You can leave now.”

I changed into the clothes he brought and placed the divorce papers on the table before leaving.

“Tomorrow,Howard Group has a crucial press conference.I want you to release the news of my withdrawal at that moment.I will make Howard Group go bankrupt because of Tom.”

Closing the hospital room door,I followed him out.

From this moment onward,Tom and I severed all ties between us.He would pay the price of his actions!