Gabriel and Anthony never came home that night.

When Andrea opened the bedroom door the next morning, all she saw was an empty living room.

Her phone suddenly vibrated, and she turned it on to see Gabriel's message.

Gabriel: [Darling, I have a meeting at the office, so I left first. I also dropped Anthony off at kindergarten. Don't forget to eat the breakfast on the table.]

Andrea did not expose his clumsy acting. She replied to him with an "Okay" and headed out. She had no time to indulge in their acting anymore as she had her own things to take care of. Andrea took a taxi to the crematorium and made an appointment for cremation.

The staff registered her information on the computer while asking her who the deceased was.

Andrea said lightly, "Myself."

The staff, who was typing, froze and looked at Andrea with pity, thinking, 'She's so young. What a pity. Does she have a terminal illness?'

Andrea ignored the look of pity and added, "Please send someone to Repulse Bay's Villa No. 9 on October 22nd to collect my body for cremation."

The staff looked at her in shock, wondering how she knew the precise date of her death. "What should we do with the ashes afterward? Should we call and inform your family or..."

Andrea shook her head. "No need. I'll pay extra. Once you're done with the cremation, scatter my ashes."

Her soul would be extracted after leaving this world, leaving her physical body to die. However, she wanted to disappear, leaving Gabriel and Anthony no way to mourn her.

After settling the payment, Andrea walked out with her phone in hand. She immediately noticed three familiar figures not far away.

Gabriel held Hannah in his arms, gently comforting her. Anthony also attentively used a handkerchief to wipe Hannah's tears. The three of them looked so harmonious together that they looked like a happy family.

If only Andrea had not spoken up... "What are you doing?"

As soon as Gabriel and Anthony saw Andrea, they panicked.

One immediately let go of Hannah, who was in his arms, and the other stood upright, just like his father. They instantly created a distance between themselves and her.

Andrea walked over and looked at Gabriel. "Shouldn't you be at work?"

After saying that, she lowered her gaze to her son aside. "And aren't you supposed to be at kindergarten?"

Gabriel hurried to her, his voice tinged with panic. "Andrea, don't misunderstand. While I was on the way to drop Anthony off at kindergarten, I saw her crying uncontrollably by the roadside. I asked her what was wrong and found out she had just lost a close family member. She didn't know what to do, so I brought her to the crematorium. I was only comforting her just now."

Hearing this, Anthony also walked over, tugging at the hem of her clothes. He pitifully explained, "Yeah, Mom! Dad sent Ms. Jennings here because he felt sorry for her. Don't be mad, okay?"

Hannah stopped crying and timidly glanced at Andrea. She bit her lip as she apologized, "Mrs. Fulton, it's my fault for interfering with Mr. Fulton's work and Mr. Anthony's studies. My close family member has passed away, and I'm in deep pain. They were just comforting me. Don't be upset."

There was nothing wrong with her remark, but just as Hannah finished speaking, a crematorium staff member walked up to her, holding a small urn. "Ms. Jennings, your pet dog's ashes are ready."

Andrea took a glance and asked, "Is this the 'close family member' you mentioned?"

Hannah's fingers tightened around the urn as she took it. The sorrow on her face froze. She opened her mouth to explain, but Gabriel spoke first. "Andrea, this dog has accompanied Ms. Jennings for over ten years. They were practically family."

Andrea looked meaningfully at him, but said nothing.

After burying the ashes in a grave, the four of them got into a car and headed to a restaurant. Halfway through the drive, Gabriel looked at Andrea as if he had just remembered something. "Andrea, why were you suddenly at the crematorium today?"

Andrea sarcastically smiled to herself as she pondered, 'You only thought of asking after such a long time.'

She glanced at Hannah sitting in the front and replied calmly, "My friend's dog also died. She could not stop crying, so I had to come on her behalf."

The atmosphere in the car suddenly turned awkward.

Gabriel was about to say something when the driver stopped the car. "Mr. Fulton, we've arrived at the restaurant."

As the group entered the private room, Gabriel was worried Andrea might get cold sitting under the air conditioner, so he switched her seat, poured her hot tea, and even warmed her hands. He indeed seemed like the perfect husband until the restaurant manager suddenly walked in respectfully with a gift.

The manager pushed the door open and stood respectfully in front of Gabriel, Hannah, and Anthony.

"Mr. Fulton, Mrs. Fulton, and Mr. Anthony, this is your 99th visit to our restaurant. You celebrated your wedding anniversary here last year today. This year, we've prepared an anniversary gift and a celebration cake to wish your family a happy life for years to come." The manager then handed the gift over, but no one took it, and a deadly sense of silence filled the room.

While the manager was puzzled, Andrea suddenly burst out laughing. It was this laugh that brought Gabriel back to his senses.

He furiously pushed the manager's gift away, pointed at Andrea, and said coldly, "What nonsense are you spouting? She's just my secretary. This one is my wife. And what do you mean by 99th visit? Is your memory faulty? This is the first time my family has come to this restaurant!"

The restaurant manager looked back and forth between Andrea and Hannah in disbelief. "But I..."

"Enough! Get out!" Gabriel's expression was filled with warning and impatience this time.

The manager came to his senses and quickly apologized. "I'm sorry. It was my mistake.”

After the manager left, Gabriel immediately grabbed Andrea's hand, his eyes full of panic. "Andrea, don't overthink it. It's really my first time at this restaurant." He then looked toward Anthony.

"Yeah, Mom." Anthony also sat beside Andrea and nervously clung to her arm. "It's really the first time Dad has brought me here. If I’m lying, my pants will start burning!"

Hannah watched Gabriel and Anthony anxiously try to appease Andrea, and jealousy flickered in her eyes. She dug her nails into her palm, but soon let go.

Hannah forced a smile. "Yeah, Mrs. Fulton. Please don't let the manager's statement drive a wedge between you and Mr. Fulton. This is a high-end restaurant. How could I have come here with him?"

Looking at the trio before her, Andrea's gaze was full of sarcasm.

When they had just entered the restaurant, a waiter promptly greeted them and led them to their usual private room, and served their usual dishes without them saying anything. No one would believe it was their first time here after everything that had happened.

However, Andrea did not expose them. She only said flatly, "Got it. Let's eat first."

She did not want to dwell on it, but she realized there was not a single dish on the table she could eat when she stretched out her cutlery. Everything was spicy, which she could not handle. However, it happened to be Hannah's favorite.

Seeing that Andrea had not eaten anything, Gabriel quickly looked at her before following her gaze to the dishes on the table. His face turned pale instantly. Perhaps he finally remembered her preferences—he raised his hand to call the waiter over to change the dishes.

"It's not necessary." Andrea shook her head.

The meal eventually ended hastily, and the group got into the extended Rolls Royce. On the way home, Gabriel and Anthony sat beside her, constantly cheering her up and making her smile—perhaps noticing her bad mood.

Even Hannah could not help but feel envious, and her tone had a subtle hint of jealousy.

"Mr. Fulton, your family has such a good relationship. Mrs. Fulton, I admire you. If only I had such a wonderful husband and son."

Andrea looked up at her with a fake smile. "Don't worry. You'll have the same someday." After all, Andrea had already decided to give Gabriel and Anthony to Hannah.

As soon as Andrea finished speaking, a dazzling high beam suddenly shone in her direction. Andrea instinctively raised her hand to cover her eyes. She was about to ask what had happened when she heard the screeching of brakes.

The next moment, an out-of-control truck from the opposite side slammed into them!

Bang!

"Hannah, watch out!" Gabriel shouted.

"Ms. Jennings, watch out!" Anthony yelled.

While everything happened in the blink of an eye, Andrea watched Gabriel and Anthony leap past her and tightly shield Hannah in their arms.

When Andrea opened her eyes again, the first thing she saw was a white ceiling, and she smelled the pungent scent of disinfectant.

A nurse pushed a cart into the room to change her bandages. The nurse quickly came over when she saw that Andrea had woken up. "Mrs. Fulton, you're finally awake! You don't know how worried Mr. Fulton and Mr. Anthony were while you were in a coma.

"They not only stayed by your side day and night without sleeping or resting, but they also brought in all the best doctors in the city for consultations. They even went to the Evergreen Church outside the city to pray for your recovery. There are 999 steps. They climbed every single one to the top. It even made the trending list!"

The nurse finished speaking and handed Andrea her phone. In the video, Gabriel and Anthony were climbing the steps toward the mountaintop church.

The Evergreen Church was renowned for answered prayers, so many people often climbed the steps to pray. However, it was unprecedented for a father and son like Gabriel and Anthony to do it together. That was why many people filmed them with their phones.

In the video, they could be heard choking on their words as they prayed for Andrea to wake up. However, Andrea's heart was only filled with mockery as she watched the video.

If Gabriel and Anthony loved her that much, they would not have abandoned her during the car crash to protect Hannah.

The news of Andrea's awakening soon reached Gabriel and Anthony. Without even tending to their injuries, they drove back to the hospital overnight and rushed into her hospital ward, pulling her into their arms.

Andrea witnessed Gabriel losing control once again, but Anthony joined him this time.

Looking at Gabriel and Anthony's red-rimmed eyes and shaking bodies, she was indifferent—all she felt was numbness. She wondered, 'Wouldn't it be great if I had died? They could have had their wish and become a family with Hannah. Wouldn't that be great? Why bother acting in front of me now?'

Gabriel and Anthony cried for a long time and said many things, but she remained unresponsive. When they finally let her go, the calmness on her face and the sarcasm in her eyes stunned them.

Perhaps recalling what happened during the car crash, Gabriel hurriedly explained to her.

The reason they had protected Hannah first was that Andrea and Hannah were dressed similarly that day. It was why they had instinctively mistaken Hannah for her. Gabriel added, "Andrea, I'm sorry. We mistook her for you. It won't happen again."

Anthony chimed in, "Yeah, Mom. I promise I won't mistake Ms. Jennings for you again. Will you forgive us?"

Both Gabriel and Anthony quickly raised their hands and swore.

Andrea only felt exhausted at that instance. They had lied so many times that they believed their lies. She wearily closed her eyes, refusing to listen to any more of their lies. Her outfit and Hannah's that day were two different styles.

More importantly, they called Hannah's name when the truck crashed into them. Andrea thought, 'Gabriel and Anthony, at least try to lie better if you want to trick me. Why can't you even lie properly?'

She said nothing and turned her back to them as she cried.

Gabriel and Anthony assumed she was tired and quietly left the room without continuing on the subject.

Over the next few days, Gabriel and Anthony stayed by her side—perhaps out of guilt or fear. Gabriel did not pick up any of Hannah's calls. The prolonged neglect made Hannah panic, and she began to target Andrea.

Photo after photo was sent to Andrea's phone, and a video was eventually included. Even though Andrea had long known that Gabriel, Anthony, and Hannah had formed their own family, the photos of them together still stung her eyes.

The first photo showed Gabriel lovingly holding Hannah in his arms by a floor-to-ceiling window as fireworks exploded outside, Hannah's neck was covered with hickies.

The second photo was of Anthony sleeping soundly in Hannah's embrace. He gripped the hem of her clothes tightly as if afraid she would leave.

The third photo was a photo of Gabriel, Anthony, and Hannah together at a restaurant. The three of them sat together and were intimate like a family.

The fourth photo showed the three having a snowball fight and building a snowman. All their faces radiated happiness.

...

In the last video. Gabriel and Anthony kissed Hannah on the cheek at a birthday party.

Gabriel said, "Happy birthday, Darling."

Anthony said, "Happy birthday, Mom."