Chapter 1

When I got home, I stared at the post for a long time, unable to calm down.

Suddenly, the fingerprint lock on the front door chimed.

I quickly saved a screenshot, placed my phone face down on the coffee table, and picked up a cloth to continue wiping my daughter's photo.

Gwen Sinclair came in holding a bouquet of white lilies beaded with water.

She placed them on the dresser and spoke solemnly. "Honey, I'm home. I went to visit Jade's grave. The rain was so heavy that I got held up."

I turned to look at her heels. There wasn't a speck of mud on them.

The cemetery was on a hill outside the city. How could her shoes be spotless after a visit?

I didn't expose her lie.

Gwen noticed nothing.

She took an elegant gift box from her pocket and placed it on the table.

“Oh, I ran into my brother-in-law on the way home. He said today marks the anniversary of Keira’s lifesaving surgery, but it’s also the day we lost Jade. He felt bad about that, so he got me a gift too.”

She picked up the scarf, looking very pleased. "He's so thoughtful. Raising a child alone can't be easy, but he still thinks of us."

Just then, the screen of her phone lit up on the table.

A WhatsApp message appeared.

[I knitted that scarf myself. It carries my scent. Do you like it?]

Gwen's expression changed sharply. She fumbled for her phone, quickly switched off the screen, and glanced at me in panic.

"What's wrong?" I asked, though I already knew.

"N-nothing. A message from the girls' group chat. It's so annoying. They're asking me to work overtime this late."

Gwen slipped her phone into her pocket and uneasily changed the subject. "Honey, don't be too upset. Jade's been gone for three years. Let's have another baby."

"Another baby?"

I turned and looked her straight in the eye. "Gwen, did you forget what the doctor said? Jade's allergic reaction caused heart failure. That kind of allergy can be inherited. What if our next child dies from eating the wrong thing too?"

The corner of Gwen's eye twitched sharply.

She instinctively avoided my gaze and gave an awkward laugh. "What are the chances of that? We were careless back then. We'll just be more careful next time."

"Yes. Careless."

I picked up the paring knife and began peeling an apple. The blade gleamed coldly under the light. "By the way, how's Lisa lately? She hasn't come over for dinner in ages."

At the mention of Lisa Shaw, Gwen's back went rigid.

"She's... she's busy. I think she's out of town for further training."

Gwen's voice was noticeably strained. "Why are you suddenly asking about her?"

"No reason."

I cut away a strip of apple peel. "I saw her showing off a new Porsche on Instagram earlier. Those aren't cheap. Do pediatricians earn that much these days?"

Tiny beads of sweat appeared on Gwen's forehead. She hastily smoothed her hair. "Maybe her family sold some property. Anyway, honey, I'm going to shower. I smell all sweaty."

She rushed into the bathroom, almost as if fleeing.

I sneered, took out my phone, opened the anonymous confession post, and left a comment: "You'll pay for what you did."