My mother had heart disease and had been getting weaker and weaker in recent years.

I didn't have the guts to tell her about the changes in my marriage with Marcus and had just told her everything was fine, fearing that she couldn't bear to know it.

As my mother got older and didn't have much time left, she wanted to see her grandson more before she died.

A month ago, on Marcus' and my wedding anniversary, my mother struggled to prepare a hearty meal and happily waited for us to come home.

But by the time the food was cold, Marcus and Howie hadn't returned yet.

I made countless calls and looked for Marcus everywhere but couldn't contact him at all.

My mother was so anxious that she was sweating profusely, urging me to call the police.

Just then, I received a call from Marcus' phone, but it was Cynthia speaking.

Her order for me to imitate a barking dog took away my mother's life and also the last bit of my affection for Marcus.

I understood there was no need for me to be in this broken marriage any longer.

"Katherine Selby, I can't believe you even have the guts to tell such a lie to get my attention."

Marcus tugged at his hair in annoyance and continued, "I've already told you that I've been under a lot of pressure at work lately. Can you please stop bothering me?"

When I just got married, my career was rising.

At that time, I would still prepare breakfast for Marcus the next day even after working overtime until ten o'clock every night.

Sometimes, when he was already asleep, I would put sound insulation cotton under the cutting board so that I wouldn't disturb him.

Therefore, Marcus' excuse was indeed lame.

"Sign the divorce agreement, and I won't bother you anymore."

"Your unreasonable behavior will only make Marc dislike you even more."

There was no point in wasting time talking to them, so I just picked up my packed baggage and prepared to leave.

Marcus raged, "Never come back again if you leave today!"

I didn't even look back.

The moment I closed the door, I heard Marcus comfort Cynthia again.

"It has nothing to do with you even if her mother is really dead. Besides, it's better if her mother is dead. In this way, her mother won't affect the fortune of our Fanning family anymore. As for her, she's long since been homeless. When she calms down, she'll get back here with resignation."

Indeed, whenever we had a fight, I was the one who compromised and apologized, even though it was not my fault at all.

This time, however, he would never see me return to him.

As soon as I left that so-called home, I burst into tears.

During six years of marriage, I had wasted all my youth on such a man.

It was not worth it in the slightest.

I couldn't help but think that I shouldn't have accepted the piece of candy Marcus handed to me back then.

That year, I had just graduated from college and started my career. I was still green and ignorant.

My superior had once given me a hard time and asked me to work overtime to revise the plan.

It was already past eleven at night when I finished, and I couldn't get a cab since it was raining heavily. Just when I squatted in front of the office building and cried helplessly, Marcus pulled over and handed me an umbrella and a piece of candy.

"We have met before. I'm an executive of your company's client. You impressed me with your intelligence and vigor."

Marcus asked me to get in his car and took the initiative to take me home.

He carefully took off his coat and put it on me, praising my work ability and saying that I was shining in my career. Then, we exchanged contact information.

I dared not have any unrealistic expectations of our relationship since I was well aware of the gap between our statuses.

I remained rational even though I wished there would be something between us.

But Marcus appeared in front of me more and more frequently. He would come to my company on the pretext of discussing work and specifically ask me to report on my work.

He would occasionally treat everyone in our company to drinks. Everyone else's was the same drink, but mine was exactly to my taste.

Gradually, my colleagues started gossiping about our relationship.

I was at a loss for how to explain, but Marcus held my shoulders from behind.

"I'm pursuing Kathy. She is such an outstanding girl. If I don't work harder, how can I stand out among so many suitors of hers?"

From then on, Marcus was even bolder.

He gave me flowers and gifts, offered me rides, and always prepared surprises for me.

How could I not be moved by the attentiveness of the business bigwig Mr. Fanning to me?

Thus, I said yes when he professed his love to me.

That day, he put a ring on my finger and stuffed a piece of candy in my mouth.

"From now on, I will make your life full of sweetness and will never let you suffer at all."

I was so young and naive as to believe it and allow Marcus to cheat me out of my youth with a piece of candy.

Now that I grew old and ugly, he gave the candy to another younger and prettier girl.

When I first got married, I worked very hard for the Fanning family's recognition.

I would accompany Marcus to social occasions and drink. Even when I drank so much that I vomited badly, I would force myself to help him sober up before I fainted.

Marcus urged me to resign with a distressed look on his face, saying that he would take good care of me for the rest of his life.

Therefore, I quit my job and had a child, wasting my best years and watching helplessly as our love drained away in trivialities.

Eventually, my family was broken up, and I had nothing.

I was sad but had no one around me to talk to.

After thinking for a long time, I decided to buy a bouquet of flowers and go to my mother's grave to pour out my feelings.

I picked out the tulips that my mother loved most when she was alive. Just as I had handed them to the owner of the flower shop to wrap them up, I suddenly heard Cynthia's cheerful voice.

"You promised me 9999 roses. I won't accept it even if there's only one flower less."

Marcus' smiling face darkened the instant he saw me.

"Why are you here? Are you stalking me?"

I didn't answer and was about to leave with the bouquet of tulips in my arms.

"These tulips look beautiful. I've changed my mind. I don't want roses anymore. I want 9999 tulips."

When the owner of the shop said awkwardly that the stock was not enough, Cynthia blurted out that I could give her the tulips I had.

"Give them to her! Cindy's dog died. I promised to give her flowers to cheer her up."

"These tulips are for my mother."

Marcus questioned with a frown, "Didn't you say your mother died? You lied through your teeth. Katherine, how did you become like this?"

"Katherine does make an effort to put on this act. Look, she even has an urn in her bag. It just so happens that I don't have a place to bury my dog yet. How about you give me this urn to put my dog in?"

Since Marcus hadn't given me any household expenses for a long time, I had arranged my mother's funeral in a very simple way due to lack of money.

I felt guilty about it, so I sold my wedding ring to buy this urn.

I knew Howie was the one my mother cared about most before she passed away, so I hoped she could take one last look at Howie before burial.

I didn't expect that Cynthia even wanted to rob me of this.

I could no longer stand it and slapped the tulips on her face.

"Here you go. You've been a mistress for so long that you are accustomed to taking everything away from me. Can you just go to hell?"

Marcus grabbed my hand...