After the divorce agreement was signed, Melanie went to the hospital. On her way there, she stumbled upon Tracy's Instagram post.

It was a picture of an apartment.

On the pale green couch, Tracy had her bare legs resting on Raymond's lap and was flashing a peace sign at the camera.

The caption read, "I want to be part of your past as well."

Melanie was just a college junior when the Strickland family went bankrupt. Her father, Morris Strickland, couldn't accept what had happened and took his own life by jumping off a building.

Her mother, Bethany Adkins, was shoved down the stairs by debt collectors and left in a vegetative state.

In a single night, Melanie found herself abandoned by the world, left wandering the streets with only a few of her belongings.

On her third night sleeping in the hospital corridor, Raymond had a falling out with his family. After selling everything of value he owned, he appeared before her with 18 thousand dollars.

"Melanie, I'm homeless now, just like you. If you feel sorry for me, could you let me stay by your side?"

Melanie froze, then threw herself into Raymond's arms and cried her heart out while calling him a big dummy.

Flustered, Raymond quickly wiped her tears and smiled. "Yeah. When it comes to you, Melanie, I'll always be a big dummy."

They had rented a tiny apartment for six months with eight thousand dollars and used another three thousand dollars to make it feel like home.

Melanie would fumble her way through cooking to make Raymond's favorite spaghetti bolognese, whereas Raymond would grumble before scooping her into his arms, chiding her for walking around barefoot.

Even the proposal happened in that little apartment.

After regaining his status as the Johnson family heir, Raymond twirled Melanie around the room and vowed, "This place will always belong to you, Melanie."

Yet now, he had forgotten everything he had promised just because Tracy said she wanted to be part of his past.

Tears slid down Melanie's cheeks before they were wiped away swiftly.

Taking a deep breath, she left a comment under Tracy's post. "You can keep whatever I don't care for. They suit you just fine."

She refreshed the page, only for the post to disappear.

And just like that, Raymond's call came in, his tone furious and accusatory as he questioned, "Melanie Strickland, what in the world is wrong with you? You made Trace cry!

"I don't care where you are right now. Get over here and apologize to her right this second. If you don't, I won't be paying your mother's hospital bills anymore."

Upon hearing that, Melanie couldn't help scoffing.

Seven years ago, when she refused the Johnson family's help and insisted on paying Bethany's hospital bills herself, Raymond had grabbed her hand, his face red with anger, and exclaimed, "Melanie, she's my mom too!"

But now, just because Tracy had cried, he was threatening to cut off Bethany's medical care.

Holding the phone with a slight tremor, Melanie simply said, "Fine."

"What?" Raymond frowned, thinking he'd misheard.

Melanie drew in a steady breath before speaking calmly but firmly, "I can handle my mom's hospital bills myself."

Throughout her seven years in the Johnson family, Melanie had never stopped working.

Now, she was already a fairly well-known designer in the country. Even without the Johnsons, she could afford the hospital bills.

Raymond could be heard breathing hard on the other end before laughing in anger. "Fine. You've got guts—I'll give you that!"

Right when the call ended, Melanie arrived at the hospital. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Bethany's attending doctor rushing toward the hospital room.

Her heart skipped a beat. She hurried after him.

Arnold Hicks, the director of the hospital, grabbed her arm upon seeing her, looking visibly distressed. "Mrs. Johnson, Mr. Johnson has just issued an order forbidding any hospital under Johnson Group from treating your mother.

"If you can't get him to change his mind within an hour, we'll have no choice but to remove your mother from the hospital."

"What?"

Melanie went pale instantly. She tried calling Raymond at once, but the call went unanswered. Her messages were also left unread.

With nothing else she could do, she left with a bitter smile, hurrying over to Raymond and Tracy's new little home. She hadn't even stepped inside when the sound of laughter reached her ears.

"Raymond, are you sure that'll work? What if Melanie takes her mother to a different hospital? If that happens, you won't be able to do anything to her anymore, no?"

Tracy blinked innocently, her voice teasing.

Raymond said in a lazy drawl, "She won't. Everyone knows that the one thing she can't let go of is that half-dead woman. If I didn't have her mother as leverage, I wouldn't be this open about us. She'll cave."

Was this why Raymond had changed? He acted without restraint because he had leverage?

Tracy chuckled, then paused as if a thought had struck her. She wanted to test the waters. "But she's still Melanie's mother. Don't you think you're taking it too far?"

Raymond arched an eyebrow as the metal strap of his watch gave off a cold, steely shine. "Just thinking about how I once knelt in front of someone who's in a vegetative state makes me sick to my stomach."

Standing by the door, Melanie felt her blood run cold. The kneeling he was talking about happened on their wedding day.

Everyone had said that Bethany was a jinx as she was still causing trouble for her family even on her deathbed. Raymond, grim-faced, pushed aside anyone who tried to stop him and led Melanie to the hospital.

He knelt before the lifeless Bethany. "Mom, don't worry about Melanie. I'll take good care of her and make her the happiest woman in the world. As long as I'm alive, I'll make sure neither you nor Melanie suffers."

It would seem that the promises he made were only good for seven years.

Feeling like a chunk of her heart had been ripped out, Melanie opened her mouth to say something, but the tears came first. So this was what being in agony felt like.

Wiping away her tears, Melanie reached for the door.

A glass came flying, shattering at her feet with a loud bang. Raymond, with his legs crossed, drew Tracy closer and gave a cold, mocking smile. "Thought you had guts? Why did you still come to me?"

Melanie lowered her gaze, as still as stagnant water. "I'll do whatever you want as long as you ensure my mom's medical care continues."

Raymond snorted, his smooth voice ringing clearly. "Fine. Since you said that, apologize to Trace first."

"Okay," Melanie answered without any hesitation.

Displeased, Tracy pouted in mock innocence and cooed, "Melanie doesn't seem sincere at all. I want her to be on her knees as she apologizes, like how they do it on TV."

Raymond's eyes flickered with amusement. "You're right, Trace. Melanie, I can't help you if you aren't sincere. Now, get on your knees and apologize to Trace."

Having said that, he settled into a more comfortable position, eagerly waiting for Melanie's reaction with an amused look on his face.

Melanie knew he just wanted to see her flustered.

It was just like that time at a friend's wedding. Even though they had been warned that the media would be there, Raymond still kissed Tracy in front of the cameras and left Melanie alone to face the media's onslaught.

Afterward, he justified himself matter-of-factly by saying, "Trace is timid and easily intimidated by the media. You, on the other hand, are used to it anyway."

Because she was used to it, she had no right to refuse. As such, while her heart ached, she still had to maintain a calm and unbothered front.

And she had to do it right now as well. With Raymond and Tracy looking on expectantly, she set her handbag down and dropped to her knees with a thud.

Shards of glass were embedded in her knees, causing blood to spill all over the floor.

Yet, Melanie seemed unfazed as she spoke softly. "Ms. Lambert, I'm sorry."

For a second, Raymond froze. He instinctively pushed Tracy away and reached for Melanie.

Before he could touch her, Tracy started crying. "Raymond, I feel faint!"

Raymond stopped, scooped Tracy up, and rushed to the hospital.

Melanie tried to follow them, but her knees buckled. As she fell, the glass shards dug even deeper into her flesh.

Yet she barely felt the pain as she grabbed Raymond's shirt tightly. "Raymond, my mom's medical care—"

Raymond cut her off, "Melanie, how can you be so selfish? Can't you see that Trace has passed out? Even now, all you're thinking about is that half-dead mother of yours. I swear if anything happens to Trace today, you and your mother will pay for it!"

With that, he kicked Melanie aside and stormed off, leaving her staring hopelessly after him.

"Raymond, loving you really was a mistake."

After calming herself down, Melanie called the hospital.

The paramedics arrived quickly.

After a quick bandaging, Melanie rushed straight to Bethany's hospital room.

As soon as she entered, she saw the head nurse preparing to remove Bethany's breathing tube.

"Stop! All of you, stop! I'm Raymond's wife, and this hospital belongs to the Johnson family. Who gave you permission to touch my mother?"

Melanie's voice was sharp and commanding. She bit her lip so hard that it bled.

The head nurse looked troubled. "Mrs. Johnson, this was Mr. Johnson's direct order. We can't go against it. Maybe you can try talking to him again…"

The call connected quickly, and Raymond's impatient voice came through. "What now?"

Melanie sniffled, her voice trembling slightly. "Raymond, didn't you say that if I knelt and apologized, you'd help my mom? They're about to remove her life support. Can't you—"

"I can't," Raymond cut her off coldly. "Even though Trace wasn't hurt this time, I'm still not happy with your attitude. Don't worry. I've already checked with a doctor. Your mother won't die just because I'm removing her life support."

"But she's already brain dead. The doctor said—"

Raymond frowned, not wanting to hear another word. He interjected, "What the doctors say doesn't matter. I still need to put Trace to bed, so I'm hanging up."

As the call abruptly ended, the head nurse helplessly shrugged and removed Bethany's breathing tube.

Her heart rate spiked on the monitor, the urgent beeping sounding almost like a cry of anguish. Brain-dead patients could only survive on ventilators.

"No… Please no!"

Restrained by the staff, Melanie could only watch as Bethany trembled and seized on the bed before going completely still. By the time the doctor confirmed her death, only three minutes had passed.

In just three minutes, Melanie's last remaining family was gone. And the one responsible was Raymond, the man who once swore he'd take care of her forever.

At that moment, Tracy updated her social media with an ultrasound photo and the caption, "Congratulations! Someone's officially going to be a dad!"

Laura Becker, Raymond's mother, was the first to like the post. "You're amazing, Tracy! You got pregnant so easily, unlike a certain someone who keeps failing. Next week, have Raymond bring you home for dinner."

Tracy responded with a shy emoji.

Melanie's mouth twitched. If anyone seemed like a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, it was them, not her.

Tears soaked Bethany's death certificate as Melanie sat alone in the morgue until dawn.

There were 28 days left until her divorce from Raymond would be finalized. In the following days, Melanie handled Bethany's funeral arrangements alone.

The embalming, cremation, and burial all took a full seven days to complete.

During those seven days, Raymond didn't come home, whereas Tracy's social media was updated like clockwork.

Raymond went with her to prenatal checkups, picked out a crib with her, and got protective charms for her and the baby.

Everything Melanie and Raymond had once dreamed of doing together, Raymond did with Tracy.

On the ninth day after the divorce agreement was signed, Raymond uncharacteristically bombarded Melanie with accusatory texts. "Where did you take your mother? I was just messing around. Did you really have to hide her?

"My mom is right. You're spoiled. Bring your mom back to the hospital at once. Don't let her pay the price for your stubbornness."

Speechless, Melanie simply replied, "There's no need."

Because of that short reply, Raymond rushed back to the villa that night. Clutching Melanie's hand, he ground his teeth in fury.

"What did you mean by there's no need? What, are you trying to cut ties with me? I'm warning you, Melanie, you—"

"Congratulations on your upcoming fatherhood," Melanie interrupted him, her gaze mocking.

Raymond let go of her hand, sinking onto the couch with a guilty look. Then, his features softened at a passing thought. "You only moved your mom because of Tracy's pregnancy, huh?

"You were afraid I'd ignore you because of her, so you did that to get my attention. Melanie, you don't have to do that. Even if Tracy has a child, you will always be my one and only wife. That will never change."

Raymond curled his lips into a smug smile. Then, he pulled out a red tourmaline bracelet from his pocket, acting all magnanimous.

Melanie had seen that bracelet on Tracy's Instagram. It was a one-of-a-kind auction piece.

Tracy thought it looked old-fashioned and had casually thrown it in the trash, claiming only old women would wear it.

Raymond, seeing Melanie zoning out, thought she was shocked and thrilled. With a smile, he continued, "Since you've gone to so much trouble to win me over, you can come to the gathering at Johnson Manor tomorrow."

Melanie furrowed her brows. Just as she was about to refuse, Raymond asked, sounding oddly curious, "What was that thing you made me sign last time? I never got a notification for the purchase."

Melanie's heart skipped a beat. She unconsciously clenched her hands.

So he didn't know that he'd signed a divorce agreement. That was for the best. At least she wouldn't have to get tangled up with him anymore when she left.

With that in mind, Melannie adopted a dismissive tone. "It's nothing. I just didn't want it anymore."

Raymond didn't dwell on it. As he stared at Melanie, who was dressed plainly, a warmth spread through his chest.

Just as he was about to say something else, Tracy called. "Raymond, the baby is kicking me again. Come keep me company."

Raymond instinctively turned to Melanie.

In the past, Melanie would have thrown a huge tantrum if she heard that, demanding he stay, or she would have pushed him out of the villa and slammed the door to make her anger clear.

But this time, Melanie did nothing. Without uttering a single word, she turned and went upstairs, leaving Raymond staring at her slender back.

"Melanie!" Raymond called after her, a mix of anger and frustration in his voice. "Did you not hear that? Trace wants me to keep her and the baby company."

Melanie nodded, her steps unbroken. "Go ahead. Drive safely."

Raymond froze, momentarily stunned. In the end, Tracy's irritated voice snapped him back to reality, and he hurriedly replied, "I'm on my way."