My daughter, Maria Cantrell, scored 703 points on the SAT and was admitted to an Ivy League college.

It was her birthday when she got in, and my husband, Hale Cantrell, cooked for the first time.

As soon as I got home with the cake, he rushed off after receiving a phone call.

Maria had been allergic to shrimp since she was a little girl, but he had no idea and made shrimp soup.

She suffered a severe allergic reaction and died at the hospital.

At the same time, Audrey Castillo, Hale's mistress, posted on Twitter, "I'm on my period. He didn't just brush me off and tell me to take some rest. Instead, he came to be with me. I'm so lucky to have him!"

The photo attached was them together, acting all intimate.

Trembling, I sent a screenshot to Hale and questioned him, "This is your so-called urgent matter? This is why you left Maria and me behind?"

It wasn't until Maria was cremated that he replied, "Maria will be fine as long as you're with her. Audrey can't do without me."

——

"Hale, let's get a divorce."

After sending him this message, I blocked his number.

I used to love Hale wholeheartedly. When we just got married, he was busy with work.

Without hesitation, I quit my well-paid job and took care of his daily life.

I took care of his every need. I was almost his maid. And I never bothered him with my things.

When I was sick, I went to the hospital alone. When I was pregnant, I went for prenatal check-ups alone.

I was even alone when I gave birth.

He wanted a boy, but I gave birth to a girl.

I felt guilty and never asked him to take care of Maria when she was just an infant.

His family favored boys over girls, and Maria and I were despised. I didn't wanna put him in a difficult position, so when Maria was one year old, I took her back to my hometown in the countryside.

We stayed there for six years.

Fortunately, Maria was like me. She was obedient, sensible, and hardworking, and the Cantrell family saw the good in her. Therefore, we left the countryside and moved into town again.

Maria grew up happily. With great grades, she was admitted to an Ivy League college.

She was my pride!

On her birthday, I went to get the cake while Hale cooked for her at home.

He made her shrimp and mushroom soup!

He didn't know that Maria, like me, had been allergic to seafood since childhood, especially shrimp!

When I came back with the cake, she had already finished eating the soup.

It was only when she went into shock that I realized what she had eaten.

"Maria, you silly girl! You're allergic to shrimp. Why did you eat it?" I asked her, crying.

"Mom, Dad cooked for me. It's the first time he did this. I didn't wanna upset him. I just didn't expect it to be ... so serious..."

She fainted after speaking and never woke up again.

I cried my eyes out.

Hale killed Maria. If he had cared about us just a bit more, this tragedy wouldn't have happened!

He didn't care about us at all!

My love for him turned into hatred.

Endless hatred!

I returned home in a daze with Maria's ashes in my arms.

There were two roses in the backyard that Maria grew. She loved roses the most.

"Mom, roses do wonders for menstrual cramps. When these roses are ripe, I'll dry them and make you some tea."

She was so sweet. She knew I suffered from menstrual cramps, so she offered to make me tea with roses, her favorite flower.

Maria, how could you leave me before you made me tea?

I picked all the petals and placed them one by one in Maria's urn.

Then I walked out of the house with her ashes on my back. In the next second, I saw Hale and Audrey walking towards me side by side.

Audrey held her stomach, looking in pain. When Hale looked at her, his eyes were full of love and distress.

When he looked at me, the love in his eyes was replaced by indifference.

"I missed Maria's birthday. So what? You blocked me and threatened to divorce me? What's wrong with you, Judy?"

"Piss off!"

I said coldly, not wanting to waste another second on him.

Audrey came to me, too. "Judy, don't blame Hale. I had menstrual cramps that night, so I asked him to be with me. You know he has always been concerned about me. It's all my fault."

She had her back to Hale when she was talking. Though it sounded like she was blaming herself, the expression on her face was triumphant and defiant.

She held Hale's arm, telling me he was hers.

"I see. Your husband is so good to you."

I was devastated and didn't give a damn about anything.

"Judy, are you listening to yourself? Audrey is in so much pain. You're a woman, too. Have some sympathy!"

Hale immediately stood up for Audrey as if she was indeed his wife, and I was picking on her.

"Yeah. Whatever."

I walked past them indifferently and left.

Hale was a bit stunned. This was the first time I talked to him so indifferently as if he was a stranger to me.

Immediately, he rushed toward me. "It's not like I was missing all night. I made Maria shrimp soup, OK? And she loved it.

"Audrey was in so much pain. Tell me. How could I ignore her? Stop being so unreasonable. You're turning me off!

"Maria has been admitted to an Ivy League college. You're her mom. Be generous. Don't tarnish her reputation!"

I was so sad. At this point, he still didn't know Maria was dead.

If he had shown a little more concern for us, he would have noticed something was wrong. But Audrey was the only one he had ever cared about.

"Enough, Judy. I'll go with you when Maria reports for her freshman year, and I'll buy whatever you want."

After he finished speaking, he stood in situ calmly, waiting for me to feel flattered.

Indeed. In the past, no matter what mistakes he made, as long as he coaxed me or offered me something nice, I'd forgive him at once and be as happy as a kid.

But now, I was utterly cold.

"No need."

I left without looking back.

Hale stood in situ in astonishment.

In a daze, he felt that something had slipped away from him.