1 My valedictorian daughter died tragically on her way to a part-time job, while my impoverished husband threw a lavish graduation party for his comrade’s widow’s son. For eighteen years of marriage, my husband had drained our entire fortune, incurring millions in debt, all to treat his fallen comrade’s son. To pay off his debts, I worked myself to the bone, ceaselessly earning money. Even my daughter, the top student, juggled five part-time jobs. Yet, on her way to one of those jobs, she was struck by a horrific car accident. Her head was fractured, her abdomen ruptured, and she desperately needed a massive sum for medical care. “Mom,” she whispered, her last breath ragged, “I don’t want treatment. I miss Dad.” In my despair, I called Mark Carter a hundred times, but there was no answer. When I rushed to his "workplace," I found him throwing a grand graduation banquet for someone else’s son. “Mr. Carter presents a beachfront mansion, congratulating Young Master Leo Miller on his brilliant success!” “Mr. Carter presents a luxury car, wishing Young Master Leo Miller smooth sailing and a boundless future!” “Mr. Carter presents an unlimited black card, wishing Young Master Leo Miller health and freedom from all ailments!” I watched my husband embrace Sarah Miller, his comrade’s widow, on stage. I dialed his number for the 101st time. “Our daughter… she wants to see you one last time.” “Eve, I’m busy with work right now. You and Ella be good, just wait a little longer…” Hearing Mark’s impatient hang-up, the dial tone buzzing in my ear, I slowly lowered my phone. Mark, our daughter won’t be waiting for you. And neither will I. Walking out of the banquet hall, the hospital’s death certificate arrived. My brilliant, sensible daughter, only eighteen, had left this world forever. My heart was shattered, and I wept until I fainted. My daughter, who only wanted to help ease our family’s financial burden, had been struck down, her body broken beyond recognition. And the father she longed to see in her final moments was, at that very second, celebrating a lavish graduation party for his comrade’s child. I forced myself to see Ella one last time, then sat by the river for what felt like an eternity, until a dazzling display of fireworks erupted across the night sky. Instinctively, I reached for my phone, wanting to snap a picture for Ella—she had always loved fireworks, but she was too considerate to ever ask for them. The fireworks burst across the heavens, blindingly brilliant, and then, amidst the vibrant explosions, a picture coalesced: Mark Carter, Sarah Miller, his comrade’s widow, and her son, Leo Miller. 【Congratulations, Leo, on your graduation!】 This was their true family of three. I stared, transfixed, as the image hung in the air. My phone slipped from my grasp, and the dam of suppressed emotions burst. Years ago, Mark had drained our savings and plunged us into deep debt, all to treat his comrade's son. For this family, to pay off that debt, I had toiled day and night, my face sallow, etched with premature wrinkles. Even Ella juggled five part-time jobs, working alone as a restaurant waitress, silently enduring a broken rib from a drunk patron. Yet, the money my daughter and I had worked ourselves to death to save was barely a fraction of what Mark spent on Leo’s extravagant fireworks display. I sank to the ground, sobbing, gasping for air, and then a violent wave of nausea overwhelmed me. I retched uncontrollably. The dazzling fireworks above, once a symbol of joy, now felt like sharp blades, endlessly slicing at my heart. Late that night, I returned home. Mark’s voice drifted from our shabby rental apartment. “Mark, you’ve been pretending to be poor at home for me and Leo. If Eve ever finds out the truth, will she resent us?” Mark’s tone was indifferent, as if discussing something trivial. “No. She and Ella already have my love. A little hardship is nothing.” “Leo’s father saved my life all those years ago. I’ll never forget that debt. Now that Leo’s graduated, I’ll take good care of them, mother and son.” I stood at the doorway, the death certificate clutched in my hand, my fingers trembling violently, my nails almost digging into my flesh. 2 Mark, you honored your debt, but you used my daughter’s life to do it! I didn’t push the door open. Instead, I went to the hospital alone. Ella had always been afraid of the dark, and I couldn’t bear to leave her in that cold morgue. The next day, on the way to the crematorium, my phone was crammed with Mark’s missed calls and texts. I ignored them. Clutching Ella’s urn, I contacted relatives and friends one by one to inform them of her death. After a full day of somber arrangements, I returned to our rental apartment. Mark sat alone in a chair, his designer suit replaced with cheap clothes. Seeing me, he rushed forward, taking my hand. “Why weren’t you home last night? Your phone was off. I rushed back the moment my business trip ended, didn’t even stop to eat.” His voice was soft, laced with gentle concern. I looked at Mark, feeling only a profound absurdity. His acting was good, but the expensive women’s perfume clinging to him was jarringly out of place in our dilapidated apartment. “I spent the night with our daughter.” My voice was flat, emotionless. I turned to go to my room. Mark sensed my coldness. He wrapped his arms around my waist, whispering, “Eve, don’t be angry. I’ve been busy with work trips lately; I know I’ve neglected you and Ella. But aren’t I working so hard to give you a better life?” I stiffened, forcing my head up, fighting back the tears. Working hard? His “work” was throwing a graduation party for his comrade’s son. The scent of her perfume on him made my stomach churn. I struggled fiercely, trying to break free. But Mark wouldn’t let go. Ignoring my resistance, he carried me to the bed, pouring his sweat into the act, as if to physically prove his love for me. “Eve, I’ll make it up to you and Ella. I promise.” His words, like a knife, shredded my last defense. Tears finally poured down my face. Ella was dead. What could he possibly make up for? I pushed him away with all my strength. “Go to sleep. I’m not in the mood.” Mark, met with my resistance, inexplicably grew agitated. He got up, made a phone call, and slammed the door as he left. I lay limply on the bed, watching him go, tears streaming down my face as I stared at the leaking, peeling ceiling. A strange sense of relief washed over me. For eighteen years, for this family, for Mark, I had spun like a top, tireless. Now, it was time to stop. 3 On the day of Ella’s burial, Mark returned to the rental apartment with a bag full of clothes and toys. “Eve, get ready. Let’s go pick up Ella to watch the fireworks.” Pick up our daughter? Could we still? I ignored the hickeys on his neck, looking at the educational toy set. He must have forgotten. Ella had just turned eighteen, and she’d already finished her college entrance exams. She was too old for toys like this. “Hurry up. I haven’t seen Ella in so long. She must miss me, too.” Mark urged. A wave of bitterness washed over me. So he knew Ella missed him. “Alright, we’ll go pick up our daughter.” I handed Mark the address for Northwood Cemetery. As we neared the burial site, the somber strains of funeral music reached us. Mark complained impatiently, “Why is Ella all the way out in the suburbs? There’s a funeral going on next door. So unlucky!” I sat quietly in the passenger seat, saying nothing. I was curious to see his expression when he saw our daughter’s funeral portrait. Suddenly, my phone rang. I clearly heard Sarah Miller’s voice from the receiver: “Mark, Leo suddenly has a fever! I don’t know what to do!” “Don’t worry, I’ll be right there.” Mark immediately turned the car around at the cemetery entrance. In his haste, the wheels crushed Ella’s floral wreath. “The company just called for an urgent overtime. I have to go quickly.” Watching his car disappear, I walked alone into the funeral service, gazing at Ella’s black-and-white portrait in the funeral hall. My daughter had whispered her longing to see her father in her last moments. She never got to. I handled everything alone, tending to the relatives and friends. After the funeral, I personally lowered Ella’s urn into the grave. Images of Ella and me, leaning on each other through life, flashed through my mind. Grief consumed me in an instant. A mouthful of blood rose to my throat, and I collapsed before my daughter’s tombstone. I woke up in the hospital. Struggling to sit up, I passed the room next door and saw Mark by the bedside, carefully wiping Leo’s forehead. This was his “overtime.” Even though I knew his heart belonged to Sarah and her son, seeing this sight still squeezed my heart. When Ella was sick, she always endured it alone. So many times, I heard her call for her father in pain, but Mark never once softened. I took a deep breath, wiping away my tears. Ella was gone. I no longer had any reason to cling to this family. “Eve, what are you doing here?” Sarah called out to me. Mark paused, mid-wipe, and cleared his throat. “I just finished working overtime. I heard Leo was sick, so I stopped by.” I forced a brittle smile. At this point, was there any need to keep lying to me? “Mark, please take care of Leo. Eve and I haven’t seen each other in so long. Let’s talk~” Sarah’s voice was cloyingly sweet, her tone as natural as if she were instructing her own husband. She pulled me out of the hospital room, and the feigned tenderness on her face instantly morphed into a sneer. “I’ve realized Mark is such a good father. Look how carefully he takes care of Leo.” My fists clenched, but I said nothing. Sarah glanced at me, then casually admired her freshly manicured nails. “Mark manages all of Leo’s and my expenses. He says it’s hard for me to raise a child alone, and he even got me a spa membership.” “As for you, why have you let yourself go and become such a frumpy old hag?” For eighteen years, for this family, I’d worked 14-hour days, scrimping and saving every penny. My daughter, after school, would collect empty bottles to sell, enduring countless sneers. My heart was dead, too numb to retort. “A man’s money is where his love is. Mark stopped loving you long ago. If you’re smart, you’ll pack your bags and get out.” I listened silently, offering no defense. Because she was speaking the truth. From beginning to end, Mark’s eyes had only been on his comrade’s widow and her son. My daughter and I were nothing but a cruel joke, a footnote in his grand narrative of loyalty. Suddenly, Sarah leaned closer, lowering her voice, a smirk playing on her lips. “Oh, by the way, a few days ago, Mark bought Leo a sports car. Leo was speeding and accidentally hit and killed a student on their part-time job. I wonder whose child it was. So pitiful…” “What did you say?!” I snapped, turning sharply to face Sarah. Sarah instinctively recoiled, deliberately stumbling and falling to the ground with a loud thud. The next second, Mark rushed forward, kicking me hard in the abdomen, then carefully helped the feigning Sarah up, her shin bruised. Sarah leaned into his embrace, feigning strength. “Mark, I’m fine. Eve probably misunderstood our relationship. If she hits me once to let out her anger, it’ll be fine.” Mark shielded Sarah, his eyes cold as ice as he glared at me. “Eve Carter! Sarah already has it hard enough raising a child alone, and you keep targeting her! How can you be so vicious?!” I crumpled to the ground, a sharp, searing pain ripping through my lower abdomen. Blood gushed uncontrollably from my throat. Medical staff, hearing the commotion, rushed over to help me. “Treat Sarah’s injuries first!” Mark barked at the medical staff. “Mr. Carter, Miss Hayes is bleeding from her mouth…” “Let her suffer! She just hurt Sarah! This is her punishment!” I curled up alone in the cold hospital corridor, my forehead beaded with cold sweat, my abdomen wracked with spasms, the stabbing pain growing more and more intense. “It hurts… Help… Help me…” I struggled to call out, to beg for aid. My vision blurred, until all that remained was Mark’s indifferent gaze, and his resolute back as he walked away, carrying Sarah in his arms. I woke up the next day. “Miss Carter, you’ve overworked yourself for years, and your diet and routine have been chaotic. You have late-stage stomach cancer. You have only one month left.” I leaned weakly against the headboard, tears streaming down my face, uncontrollable. “Eve!” Mark burst through the door. Seeing my red-rimmed eyes, he patiently began to explain. “Sarah’s husband saved my life on the battlefield all those years ago. I promised to take good care of her and Leo.” “Now Leo has ranked second in the whole state in his exams. From now on, I’ll spend more time with you and Ella, okay?” I looked at Mark, my eyes hollow, devoid of expression. “Do you know Ella’s exam scores?” A flicker of surprise crossed Mark’s face. “Ella also took the exams this year? Don’t worry, even if her scores aren’t as good as Leo’s, I’ll find a way to get her into a prestigious university.” “No chance.” “No chance? What do you mean?” Mark’s expression darkened. He sensed something was wrong and was about to press further. The next moment, Sarah’s call came through. “Mark, there are so many police officers in Leo’s room! Come quickly…” Mark hesitated, but then turned to leave, adding only one more instruction. “Rest well. Once I handle Sarah’s situation, I’ll come pick you and Ella up to enjoy life.” Watching Mark’s retreating back, I shook my head bitterly. I’d long lost count of how many times Mark had abandoned me, but this time, I wouldn’t wait for him anymore. I booked the nearest flight, my thumb gently tracing Ella’s picture, a sad, knowing smile on my lips. “One month, Ella. Don’t be scared. Mom will be with you soon.” Mark arrived at Sarah’s hospital room. Two police officers were preparing to take Sarah’s son, Leo, away. “Leo Miller, you are suspected of hit-and-run resulting in death. Please come with us.” Mark immediately stepped in. “It’s just hitting someone with a car. Leo is still young and didn’t know any better. Who was the victim? I can offer financial compensation to the family.” The police officer glanced at Mark, then, after a moment of silence, spoke. “The victim was this year’s state valedictorian. Ella Carter.”
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