"Nate, it’s okay. Cry it all out. I know you're really heartbroken, mate. Just let it all out … it's okay ... it's okay … "

Several people pulled me away. The moment my hand slipped from the car door, the funeral car drove off. That was the end.

I watched as it got farther and farther away, taking my children with it. My body finally gave out and I closed my eyes, losing consciousness. When I woke up, I was in the old Humphrey Family’s mansion. Dimitri sat by my bed, his eyes red and swollen.

As soon as he saw me open my eyes, he wiped away his tears and spoke in relief, "Nate, you're awake! Do you want some water? Are you hungry?"

I tried to force a smile, but instead, tears rolled down the sides of my face.

"Dimitri, please ... Let me go. I have nothing left with me anymore … "

Dimitri froze, then sighed as if he had made up his mind.

"Fine, Nate ... I'll tell Grandpa."

I watched his back as he left the room. As soon as he left, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. Without further ado, I covered my eyes with the back of my hand and sobbed.

I had come to the Humphrey Family when I was six years old. Mr. Humphrey and my grandfather, Mr. Brown, had been World War II comrades. Both of them were bound by a lifelong friendship.

When I was three years old, my parents died in a freak accident. My grandfather raised me after that. But when I was six years old, he unfortunately passed away. His passing left me completely alone in the world.

It was Mr. Humphrey who took me in. He raised me as his own grandson. Over the years, both he and Dimitri treated me like real family. For seven years, no matter how cruel Tatiana was, I endured it. As a man, I stayed home, did the housework and took care of my children.

I thought that as long as I had them, that was enough.

But now, I had nothing.

I didn’t know how much time had passed when Dimitri came back into the room.

"Grandpa wants to see you."

I walked into the study, where Mr. Humphrey sat in his old rocking chair. He looked at me with deep sorrow.

"Good grief, Nate! I’ve heard everything. It was my stubbornness that kept you trapped all these years."

"The children will be buried tomorrow. Once the ceremony is over, if you want to leave, you are free to do so. That ungrateful bitch really let you down. She never deserves you just for one bit."

I didn’t say anything. I just bowed deeply to him.

Tears dripped onto the floor as I bent forward. I was grateful to the Humphrey Family for raising me for over twenty years, but I could never forgive Tatiana. I could never continue being her husband!

Besides, there was nothing left to say.

Mr. Humphrey let out a long sigh.

"Alright, my dear Nate ... You can go."

As soon as I returned to my room, Tatiana walked in.

She sneered the moment she saw me.

"What? You ran to Grandpa to complain already? Nate, do you really think that if you get on his good side, I’ll just listen to whatever you say?"

"I don't understand what kind of spell you put on Grandpa and my Dimitri to make them take your side for so many years."

The moment I saw her, the hatred in my heart nearly consumed me. I wanted to kill her. I wanted her to pay for my children’s lives!

But then, their voices echoed in my head.

"Dad, where’s Mom? Is she busy with work again today? We haven’t seen her in so long."

"Even though Mom doesn’t like us, we still miss her a lot."

"Dad, we love you so much... And we love Mom too."

The last thing my sons said to me before they were carried out of the basement had been the same.

"Dad, don't blame Mom. We made Mom unhappy. Please don’t fight with her because of us..."

I took a deep breath and turned away from Tatiana, refusing to look at her. Instead, I walked to the bed and sat down. Frankly, I was really done with that woman.

Seeing me ignore her, Tatiana’s expression darkened. She suddenly grabbed my wrist, shoved me onto the bed and climbed on top of me.

"What are you pretending for?" she sneered.

"Didn’t you beg Grandpa to let me come back? Why do you look so miserable now that I’m here?"

She leaned down, trying to kiss me. I struggled, but she had me pinned. I had no choice, so I bit her lip hard.

Tatiana hissed in pain and immediately sat up, wiping her mouth.

"Are you crazy? What’s fucking wrong with you?"

She glared at me, her eyes full of disdain.

"You’ve gotten good at playing games, Nate. First, you said the child was being treated at the hospital just to lure me back. When that didn’t work, you ran to the old house and whined to Grandpa so he’d pressure me. And now you’re pulling this little hard-to-get trick?"

She scoffed.

"You ignored the children just to get my attention. Where are they now, huh? They’re only five years old and you left them alone at home? How cruel can you be?"

My hands clenched into fists. My voice was cold when I interrupted her.

"The children are dead."

Tatiana froze. For a second, something flickered in her eyes. There were shock and disbelief beneath her gaze. But she then smirked.

"Nate, I really underestimated you. You’ll say anything to get sympathy."

Without another glance at me, she stood up and walked to the door. Before leaving, she paused, her voice sharp.

"You rejected me this time. Don’t go crying to Grandpa that I ignored you, or I’ll only find you even more disgusting."

The door slammed shut behind her. After that, the room fell into silence. I wiped my lips fiercely, trying to erase the scent of her.

Tatiana and I had been in love once. On her eighteenth birthday, she stood in front of me, her cheeks flushed with shyness.

"Nate, can I like you?" she had asked.

"Don’t worry, I’ll treat you well."

Her eyes held an innocence that made my heart soften. Without hesitation, I nodded.

For the next two years, I cherished her. I gave her everything and she made me feel like I was her entire world. Until I turned twenty-two. That was when my grandfather called us both into his study.

"Tatiana, Nate, both of you are already in marriageable age. I’ll pick a good day for the wedding."

That day, something changed.

Tatiana’s warmth turned cold. Her gaze, once filled with love, became sharp with impatience and disgust. I never understood what I did wrong. She never told me.

A year after our marriage, she got pregnant. I thought things would get better from then on. But after giving birth, she became even worse.

Tatiana stopped coming home at night. She even ignored our children. She walked the streets with Travis, her childhood sweetheart. She openly showed the world that I was nothing to her.

I fought. I argued. But she only gave me a cold, mocking smile.

"You got what you wanted, Nate! The title of the Humphrey Family’s son-in-law and the child. What more do you want?"

"Your whining makes me sick."

After that, I stopped searching for answers. I stopped asking why. From then on, I devoted myself to my children.

For seven years, Tatiana never loved me. She never loved our beautiful children either.

I thought that as long as I had my children, I could endure everything. That life would go on, even if it was painful. But now, I had lost even them.

So, why would I live like this then?

Early the next morning, Mr. Humphrey and Dimitri, took me to the funeral home. When my children were slowly uncovered after they had been embalmed, my vision blurred with tears. My lips trembled, but I bit down hard, refusing to make a sound.

Dimitri watched me with concern.

He told me weakly, "Nate ... if you need to cry, just cry it out, mate. It’s okay."

I shook my head silently.

Bang! Bang!

Mr. Humphrey slammed his cane against the ground, his face dark with rage.

"Where is that wretched woman? On a day like this, how can a mother be missing from her own children’s funeral?"

Dimitri’s jaw tightened. A flash of anger crossed his eyes before he glanced at me guiltily.

"I called Tatiana, Grandpa," he muttered, voice low.

"Her phone was off."

When the mortician had finished the last touchups and put lilies for my twins, Mr. Humphrey reached his hands to touch the children. But before he could touch them, I stepped forward and touched my children.

My hands tightened protectively around the smooth surfaces of the coffins as I gently picked the lilies from their little hands that would never move.

"They're mine," I said quietly.

"My children."

Mr. Humphrey opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, I knelt before him.

"Grandpa ... you've given me more than I could ever repay, but these children are mine. I beg you-"

My throat tightened, but I forced myself to continue.

"They will not be buried in the Humphrey Family graves. They will not be remembered as members of the Humphrey Family. I don’t want that! I refuse!"

A heavy silence fell.

Mr. Humphrey frowned slightly at what I just said. But Dimitri, who was still supporting his grandfather, met my gaze with quiet understanding. He knew what I had suffered for years.

"Alright, Nate," he said softly.

"You’re their father. It’s your call. I’ll try to make Grandpa understand."

I looked at Dimitri gratefully, then turned and left the funeral home with my hands still pressed with lilies against my chest. After that, I headed straight home. What I had in mind was that I needed to pack my children’s things. I couldn't leave their memories in that cold house.

But the moment I opened the door, a sickening sound filled my ears.

"Oh, don’t do that, Travis ... I just got pregnant. The doctor said I need to be careful!"

A man's voice, hoarse with lust, responded, "Alright, alright. Don’t worry. I’ll be gentle. I won’t hurt our baby."

Laughter. Moans. The unmistakable sounds of pleasure.

They were in the master bedroom. Our bedroom. How disgusting!

I stood frozen in the doorway as I was forced to listen to those disgusting sounds. My grip tightened around the lilies. To be honest, it really broke my heart.

I didn’t know how long it lasted. Eventually, the door opened. The two of them finally emerged.

Travis looked smug but had the audacity to feign innocence.

"Oh, Nate! You’re back?" he said, smoothing his shirt.

"Tatiana told me the kids were at kindergarten, so she insisted on bringing me over. Sorry about that."

Tatiana walked out behind him, slipping easily into his arms. She didn't even spare me a glance.

"Why are you explaining things to him?" she scoffed. "He has no right to question us."

Travis chuckled. "Alright, alright. Let’s go. You must be starving."

Only then did Tatiana’s gaze finally land on me—but not on my face. Her eyes flickered to the lilies in my arms and her expression twisted in disgust.

"What’s that? Why would you carry lilies, flower of mourning? Ugh. You don’t know how disgusting they are in your hands."

With that, she looped her arm through Travis’ arm and walked out the door, laughing as if she hadn’t just spat venom at me.

I stared down at my arms and gently wiped a hand over the lilies.

"It’s okay," I whispered.

"She wasn’t talking about you two. Don’t listen to her."

I placed them carefully on the coffee table and began gathering my children's things.

Clothes. Toys. Sketchbooks.

On the drawing board, there was a picture my son hadn’t finished yet. I ran my fingers over the lines, tracing them lightly. But my children would never finish anything again.

They would never come back to me.