Chapter 3

Early the next morning, I went to the hospital and scheduled an abortion.

"You're eight weeks along. You should probably go home and discuss this with your husband first."

In the examination room, the doctor looked concerned as she tried to persuade me.

Looking at the tiny bean-shaped fetus that had already begun to take form on the ultrasound screen, I couldn't stop the tears from rolling down my cheeks.

But moments later, I gritted my teeth and said firmly, "I've made up my mind. My husband cheated on me. There's nothing for us to discuss."

After leaving the hospital, I went to a law firm and asked a lawyer about all the evidence and documents I would need to file for divorce.

When I came back from the law firm, I found two unexpected people sitting at the dining table.

Martha saw me staring at the two of them. She pursed her lips and declared, "Holly, since you've found out about it already, from now on, Andy will be staying with us. You don't need to take care of him. Just don't abuse him."

The situation couldn't sound more absurd to me. I pointed at the docile-looking Kayla beside Andy and asked, "What about her? You've brought the bastard back to the house, so are you bringing the homewrecker—"

"You shut your mouth!" William roared at me, cutting me off before shooting me a warning look. "Don't say such nonsense in front of the child!"

I watched as William gently lifted Andy onto his lap. Even though Andy dropped food scraps all over him, he didn't mind and kept feeding Andy patiently.

I was reminded of how William had doted on Ivy when she was first born. But after she became ill, he always used work as an excuse to stop being around.

Once, after a round of chemotherapy, Ivy felt so sick that she couldn't stop herself from vomiting all over William. He never held her again after that, not once up until the day she died.

How was I supposed to accept this? Why did some other boy get to blatantly receive the fatherly love Ivy never got?

I couldn't stand looking at them anymore, so I headed to the bedroom. However, when passing Ivy's old bedroom, I noticed that the door—which had always been kept locked—was now open.

After entering the room, I was horrified by the sight before me.

All of Ivy's belongings had been rummaged through and now laid scattered all across the floor. Even the doll she had loved most had been ripped apart, its head torn clean off and left lying in a corner.

My chest heaved with rage as I stormed back into the dining room. "William Stewart! Who did this?"

My eyes were red with fury, but William merely glanced at the headless doll in my hand. "It's just a toy. What are you yelling about? That's going to be Andy's room from now on. Gather up everything that's for girls and throw it away."

After saying that, William continued feeding Andy as though nothing had happened. The blood rushed straight to my head. I strode forward and flipped the entire dining table over.

"Get out! Out, all of you!" I screamed, my voice shaking.

At the very next second, someone slapped me hard across the face, sending me crashing into the mess on the floor. My arm landed on the broken porcelain shards, and blood immediately began pouring from the wounds.

However, before I could even gasp in pain, Kayla let out a shrill shriek. "William! Is Andy choking because he got scared? Quick! Help Andy!"

William's expression darkened. He didn't even look at me again. He simply scooped Andy up and hurried out of the house.

As I watched them leave, I suddenly remembered a conversation I'd once had with William.

"Check it out, Holly. This is the nursery I decorated for our daughter. Isn't it pretty?"

"How do you know it's going to be a daughter?"

"I'm sure it'll be, and my daughter will definitely be spoiled rotten. I'll make sure she lives like a princess!"

I suddenly burst out laughing, my tears streaming down my face. After some time, I struggled to my feet and said out loud, "Ivy, let's forget about your daddy. We don't want him anymore."

I went back to the bedroom and packed up everything that belonged to Ivy. Then I packed my own things as I got ready to leave. However, I didn't get to finish before I got a call.

"Ms. Thompson, your husband said he wants to move your daughter's grave. He has taken your daughter's ashes away."