Chapter 3

Autumn let out a sob.

"Forget it. I'll just take this as my apology to Stella. Everett, please don't be angry anymore."

Everett looked at me with utter disappointment, then scooped Autumn into his arms.

"Stella, I never thought you were this vicious. You're nothing compared to Autumn. Maybe I should have listened to my parents back then."

With that, he turned and walked away without hesitation.

Watching Autumn's triumphant expression, I laughed until tears came.

The one who made the wrong choice was not just Everett. It was me too.

A week later, I was finally discharged. When I opened the door to the house, I saw Autumn and her twins.

When Everett noticed me staring at them, he stepped forward to block them from view. He frowned and said, "Thanks to what you did, the twins still have psychological trauma. I brought them here so I can take care of them more easily."

Accusation flickered in his eyes. I just looked at him expressionlessly and nodded.

Seeing my calm attitude, Everett froze for a moment. Something felt off to him, and he reached out to grab my hand.

I was about to avoid him when Autumn intercepted his outstretched hand.

"Everett, if Stella doesn't agree, the kids and I can stay somewhere else. As long as you come back in the evenings to see them. After all, they only recognize you right now."

After Autumn spoke, she shot me a smug look. I continued to gaze at them calmly.

Seeing this, Everett said almost spitefully, "This house belongs to the Ashfords. I can let whoever I want stay here. If Stella won't let you stay, I'll kick her out instead!"

After he spoke, he looked at me with a testing expression, as if waiting for me to lose my temper or give in.

In the past, I would have made a scene. I would have either forced Everett to kick them out, or packed my bags and left to make him choose. But now…

I forced a bitter smile and spoke with lifeless eyes. "Everett, I'm only here to get my documents. Sign the divorce papers and give them to me. When you have time, we'll finalize the divorce. I'll let you have them."

Panic flashed across Everett's eyes. Then he blurted out, "Fine, let's get divorced! A vicious woman like you won't find another rich man after you leave me anyway!"

Seeing my dead expression, he softened his voice and added, "Once they're better, I'll send them away. This will still be our love nest, okay?"

He spoke coaxingly and reached out to pull me into his arms, but all I could smell from Everett's embrace was the stench of rot.

This man had decayed at some point without me noticing. I avoided his hands and headed upstairs to get my documents.

When I turned around, I saw the twins had found the urn I had carefully stored away!

They had poured water into it and were now using it like paint, smearing it everywhere.

My heart felt like it was being stabbed. I rushed over immediately.

"You monsters! Put that down!"

Seeing how frantic I was, the twins grinned. Then, right in front of me, they smashed the urn on the floor!

I lunged forward desperately, scrambling to collect Mom's ashes from the ground.

The twins thought it was fun. They stomped on the ashes hard.

Watching Mom's ashes covered in their footprints, I could not hold back anymore. I shoved them to the ground!

The twins fell and were cut by the broken pieces. They immediately burst into wails.

Autumn rushed forward and glared at me with hatred.

"Stella, if you have a problem, come at me! It's just an urn! How dare you push my children!"

Everett looked at the twins crying on the floor. His face turned black with rage.

I continued collecting the ashes from the ground. He slapped me across the face.

Everything spun. I fell heavily onto the broken shards. Blood flowed from my wounds, but Everett did not care at all.

His frown deepened as he looked at me coldly.

"Stella, you haven't learned your lesson at all. You actually hurt the twins again. I need to give you a harsher punishment."