I stared blankly at the monitor screen that showed a straight line. The machine's sound was monotonous, almost mocking me. No, it doesn't. This isn't real. My Laura is still here. She didn't leave. No way.

"Mrs. Katty..." The doctor's voice sounded so far away. I turned my head shakily. "We did our best, but..." Her sentence hung in the air, shattering all my hopes.

I ran to the side of the bed. Laura's body was still warm; her face looked calm like she had just fallen asleep. I held her hand tightly, hoping for a miracle, hoping she would open her eyes and smile at me.

"Laura, sweetheart. Mommy's here. Open your eyes, child. Please." My voice trembled, full of desperation.

Livia tried to calm me down, but I couldn't contain my pain. The nurses looked at me with compassion. One of them touched my shoulder, trying to pull me away from the increasingly painful reality. I brushed it away roughly. "Don't touch me! Could you bring her back? You have to save her!" I screamed, but they were silent.

I screamed, shouting for God, for anyone who could bring my daughter back. My knees buckled, and I fell to the floor, my hands gripping the sheets of Laura's bed tightly. The world seemed to collapse on me. Everything was dark.

When I came to, my body felt weak. Livia was holding my hand. I was still in the hospital, and a doctor approached. "Mrs. Katty, we've prepared Laura to be taken home. Our condolences."

I walked slowly, my legs feeling so heavy. All the funeral preparations were done by hand. I chose the best dress for Laura, the white dress she always loved. I wanted her to go gracefully, like the little angel always smiling brightly.

Everyone who knew Laura came, offering condolences that made me want to scream against the words even more. I wanted my daughter back. She was my only treasure.

My cell phone vibrates on the table. William's name was on the screen. I picked it up with a cold voice. "Your daughter is waiting until twelve. Come if you still have a heart."

I hung up without waiting for a response. I didn't care. I just wanted him to know how much this loss hurt.

All too soon, I decided to have a cremation. Laura's ashes were already in my hands. Her body, her laughter, and her hope had become ashes so light in my hands but so heavy in my heart.

My phone screen lit up. A photo appeared on it. William smiles and gives Priska a pink gift box.

My hand shook. It feels like I've been slapped so hard, and shortly after, another message arrived.

"You'd better give up because William will still choose me over you." Carol.

I dialed William's number, my fingers almost breaking from the tight grip. When he answered, I asked, my voice calm yet poisonous. "Is the gift ready? Laura is still waiting.”

William sounded hurried. "The gift was burnt at the scene. I'm looking for a new one. Wait a little longer."

I smiled sadly, staring at Laura's ashes in my hand. "Laura is waiting for her gift in our backyard, among the roses."

I hung up the phone, letting the silence answer everything.

I stared at the soil in the back garden, trying to dig without anyone's help. The house was silent, just Laura and me.

My tears fell, and at the same time, I heard the sound of footsteps that stopped right behind me.

"What the hell are you doing? Where's Laura? I've brought her a birthday gift.”

I tightly grip the small shovel, digging the soil in my backyard. In front of me, pink roses bloomed beautifully, just like Laura had always loved. That's where I wanted to plant the small urn with her ashes. I didn't want Laura to be alone.

William's presence disturbed me.

"What are you doing?" William's voice sounded sharp, filled with anger and contempt.

I remained silent, suppressed my feelings, and kept digging. However, he was not satisfied with my silence.

"You're teaching a child to do dirty gardening like this again? No wonder Laura didn't grow up to be a graceful princess! She should have been like Priska, who was well educated by Carol," he continued mockingly.

I stopped my hands, slowly raised my face, and looked at him. My breath trembled, not from hurt but from suppressed anger. I wanted to scream at him, tried to blame him, wanted to thrust this pain into his chest. But I chose silence.

Calmly, I placed the urn in the hole I had dug. However, William, who seemed to have just realized the urn's existence, stretched out his hand and grabbed it.

“What is this?" he asked, his voice weakening at the sight of the engraved name and Laura's photo on the urn.

His hands trembled as his face turned pale. The urn almost slipped from his grasp as he fell to the ground. Tears that I rarely saw from this man began to fall.

"No." his voice trembled. "This isn't Laura. This can't be!"

"Why is it impossible? Laura called your name many times. In her pain, she expected you to come to her, but what? Did you defend someone else's child? You're evil, William! You're a monster!"

"Enough, Katty! Stop it!"

I just looked at his expressionlessly. I wouldn't give him any comfort, not after what he did.

Another step was heard behind us. Carol appeared with Priska hiding behind her body. The little girl looked cheerful and healthy without the slightest injury from the fire that occurred.

“William," Carol whispered, touching the man's shoulder. "I'm sorry, but isn't this the result of Katty's negligence? If only she had been more responsible, Laura wouldn't have..."

I stood stiffly, clenching my fists at my sides. I could feel my blood boiling at his words.

William looked at me with a hatred I had never seen before. "She's right. This is your fault! You were supposed to look after Laura, but instead, you let our child die! You're careless!"

I chuckled sarcastically and painfully. I shot Carol a glare. "Very funny, Carol. You who only thought of your safety during the fire but now stand here as a victim? Didn't you take refuge only with Priska, leaving the others behind?"

Carol's face changed instantly, but she quickly pulled herself together. "I did what I had to do. You're the one who can't take care of your child. No wonder Laura…”

I didn't let her finish her sentence. "If you really care about William and his family, why did you come to Laura's birthday? Why did you have to be there, in my family's happy moment? You've told me before that you want to snatch my husband. So tell me, Carol, is this part of your plan?"

I looked at William sharply. "And you? Do you realize we reached out for help, but you helped them instead? You're the one who seriously injured our daughter. You should be able to choose who needs to be saved first!”

William shook his head, reluctant to hear anything I had to say. "I don't want to hear more of your nonsense, Katty. I've had enough."

"Yes," another voice came from behind.

I turned and saw William's family standing there, looking at me with disgust and disappointment. "That's enough. We all agree that William should not keep this marriage. You only bring bad luck to this family," my mother-in-law said with a cold stare.

I stared at them all, feeling surrounded by hungry wolves ready to tear me alive. But I wasn't going to let them win this game.

I took a deep breath, then looked William right in the eyes. "I don't need you to divorce me, William. I'll end it myself.”

Everyone was silent.

I stepped into the house without looking back, leaving them all with a surprise they probably didn't expect.

I returned home and put all my clothes and some of Laura's favorite clothes into a suitcase. After that, I grabbed my cell phone and called my mom. "Mom, I'm going home."

I walked out of the room with steady steps, even though the storm was still raging inside my heart. My gaze immediately fell on Carol, who was hugged tightly by my mother-in-law. The woman's face looked sad, as if she was the biggest victim of this tragedy. I restrained myself from laughing sarcastically. Ironic. It was my daughter who died, but she was the one receiving the comforting embrace.

My mother-in-law looked at me with teary eyes. "Katty, I didn't expect you to go this far. You made up a story as if it was all William and carol’s fault. You should realize you're the only one at fault here.”

I swallowed. I didn't want to apologize to them. I needed justice. I needed someone who cared about my pain.

Then, my gaze met William's. He was standing in the corner of the room with an expression that was hard to interpret. I could see traces of fatigue on his face, but I didn't care. I held up my prepared divorce declaration, then stepped closer to him.

"Sign this," I said firmly, thrusting the paper towards him.

William didn't move. He just stared at me with his dark eyes full of emotion. "You want to divorce me? So easily you want to leave?" his voice sounded cold as if I was someone foreign to him.

I laughed blandly. "You think I'll put up with all your behavior? After everything that's happened, I can no longer be by your side, William. I'm fed up. I want to end it all.”

William shook his head, took the letter from my hand, and then, without hesitation, tore it into pieces in front of my face.

I held my breath, my body stiffening at his cruel act. "What are you doing?!"

"We can't get divorced," he replied in a tone full of certainty. "I won't let you take the property. I know your game, Katty. You want to use this to your advantage."

I was wide-eyed. "So you think I want your property?!" My breath was ragged from the emotions burning in my chest. "The only thing I ever wanted was taken from me! Laura is gone, and it's all because of your stupid choices! I don't want anything more from you, William."

Carol, who had been silent, suddenly stepped forward and held my arm. "Katty, you can't blame William. If you're using your daughter's death to voice your jealousy towards me, then I apologize. I will relent.”

I swatted his hand away roughly, making her lose her balance and fall to the floor. The room was filled with sounds of shock. William moved quickly and helped her up, looking at me angrily.

"Why are you always so rude to her?!" he snapped.

I laughed sarcastically. "Oh, so now I'm the rude one? Am I the villain here? While you conveniently forget about your daughter dying for this woman?"

William gritted his teeth. "I didn't forget Laura. I lost her, too."

I shook my head. "No, William. You haven't lost anything. You still have Carol and Priska. You still have people you can choose over your daughter." I took a deep breath before ending our conversation with the words that had been burning in my chest. "I will never forgive the rottenness of your heart, William. You must burn with the remorse of Laura's death. You must feel the heat of the fire of loss.”

William's gaze changed. Something in his eyes seemed to realize, but I didn't care anymore. My heart was already dead for him.

Without looking back, I turned around and walked away. This was the end of everything. I would never go back to him, no matter what happened. Our relationship was over. And I won't forget every wound he carved into my heart.

I took a taxi to the airport. On the way, William kept bombarding me with calls and messages; he said I was still his wife and wouldn't let me go.

I turned off my phone and took off the ring on my finger. Along with the intention in my heart that was no longer open to William, I threw the ring onto the asphalt

No matter what happens, he will continue to blame me for all the ego he maintains. he will never give in, and the people around him will continue to defend the heinous things he has done.

They all lost their hearts and feelings. They didn't even lose Laura at all. I never thought I'd spend my time with people like William and his mother. I was stupid, insensitive and naive. I'll never go back; they deserve to be left behind.

If I'm the only one who cares about Laura, then I'm the only one who will embrace my wounds. They chose to defend Carol and her child—their favourite. I will never be able to forgive them again, even if I am reborn into this world.

I swear, nothing will ever make up for William's crimes, even if he begs under my feet. What he did was evil. He must regret it.