4. Divorce

Three days had passed since the surgery. Yet Kiara still couldn’t accept it. She refused to believe that her little girl… her precious Lily… was gone. Every time she closed her eyes, she imagined her daughter’s frail little hand reaching for hers, calling her Mommy.

“No, it can’t be real,” Kiara whispered, hugging her knees as she sat on the edge of her bed. Her body trembled, but she couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down her face. The world seemed hollow, colors drained, sounds muffled. Everything around her was meaningless without Lily.

“Kiara, please. You have to eat something,” Maya urged, kneeling beside her friend. “You’re not helping anyone by hurting yourself like this.”

“I… I can’t,” Kiara murmured. “If I had stayed with her, maybe… maybe she’d still be alive.” Her voice cracked, and she buried her face in her hands. “I left her alone for a second, and…”

Maya’s heart ached for her friend. “It’s not your fault, Kiara. You did everything you could. You stayed with her through every appointment, every sleepless night. You’re the best mother she could have.”

Kiara shook her head violently. “No… I failed her. I chose the wrong father for her. I couldn’t even protect her.”

At that moment, Maya noticed Killian standing at a distance, near the edge of the burial site, watching the crowd but not approaching Kiara. “Wait… I think I saw him just now,” Maya whispered. “Why isn’t he here with you?”

Kiara’s stomach sank. Her husband… her daughter’s father… hadn’t come to her side.

Was it shame? Indifference? Or… did he not know?

Her mother-in-law Samantha’s sharp voice cut through the air. “What’s the point of being Mrs. Reid if you can’t even keep an heir? Honestly, Kiara, you should be ashamed.”

Kiara clenched her fists, struggling to control herself. “Your son has already made you proud, Samantha. If having an affair outside marriage is commendable, then I guess congratulations are in order,” she snapped.

The group of women gasped, whispering among themselves. Samantha’s face reddened with fury. Kiara turned and walked away, ignoring their stares. She wanted nothing more than to leave.

But fate intervened—she walked straight into Killian.

Before Maya could get to where he stood, he’d walked away- maybe, intentionally. 

Watching his figure walk away, memories began flashing in her eyes. 

Reminders of six years ago. 

Their marriage had not been a bed of roses. When they first tied the knot, they were merely strangers.

At least, she was a stranger to Killian because he never noticed her till then. 

When they got married, she considered herself the luckiest girl in history. 

Who wouldn't be happy to have her long-term crush finally become her husband? 

She did her duty as a wife.

She loved him like her life depended on it. 

She'd never for once thought that anything could serve as a threat to their marriage. 

She'd never thought that he would look at another woman.

For two years, they were expecting, hopeful she'd fall pregnant. 

And after several miscarriages, her little angel came along.

But Killian never cared for her. He never cared about their relationship. 

After Killian walked away, someone else dragged Maya's attention, so Kiara was left sitting in the chair alone, watching everything unfold in a daze. 

“Tsk! What a pity!” The most annoying voice snapped her to the present. 

“What's the point of being Mrs. Reid when you can't keep a single heir?”

“After this, are you going to have more miscarriages before another girl child comes along?”

“How could you have such a useless daughter-in-law, Samantha? Isn't she a shame to this family?”

As her mother-in-law and her friends snickered beside her, Kiara took in a deep breath.

She was already in enough dilemma.

No need to pay them attention.

“If you love my son that much, you would give him a proper family!” The woman spat out. “I always knew his grandfather never liked him for real. He wouldn't have pushed my son to marry you!”

That's it!

Kiara stood up, clenching her fists.

Not letting her mother-in-law's words get to her was a skill she'd mastered for the past six years. 

Sadly, her defenses weren't so strong today. 

She could ignore the woman, but she couldn't hold herself back. “Don't you know that your son has already made you proud, Samantha? If having an affair outside marriage is a commendable act, of course.”

“What does she mean?”

“Is she crazy?”

Samantha’s friends began whispering, while the woman's eyes reddened with fury. “Are you out of your mind!? Do you know what you're saying?”

Kiara walked away. 

She just wanted to be alone. She wanted to be out of this place as soon as possible. 

Six years of serving Killian… 

Six years of serving his family like a slave got her nothing but heartbreak and humiliation. 

It cost her daughter's life. 

If only she'd been wiser and less stupid. 

“You!”

Unfortunately, the moment she turned to leave, Kiara walked straight into the man. 

Killian had been standing behind her, watching her bickering with his mother. 

He had on a deadly look as he scrutinized her face. “What was the meaning of that, Kiara?”

“Killian, let's get a divorce!”