Nora Blythe

The connected call only carried the sounds of Jaime Walter and Derek Surrey’s pleasure. She did not seem to hear what I said. After an impatient click of her tongue, she hung up.

I lowered my arms and stared at my mother’s decomposed body. My strength felt completely drained.

Derek then sent me a series of messages. When I opened them, I saw videos of the two of them having sex that night. Their intimate sounds filled the room.

Derek smiled in the video and asked Jaime, “You really are not giving him the miracle drug?”

Jaime narrowed her eyes, looking unconcerned. “Not taking it will not kill her right away. Joseph Sheldon and his useless mother always act pitiful to get my attention. I want to see how long they can pretend.”

Their laughter almost crushed the last bit of reason I had.

When I was taken to the hospital, the doctor said my broken arm and infected wound had almost reached the point of no return. After a month in a coma, the doctor told me they had detected leukemia in my body.

During this time, Jaime refused to give my mother the drug. She also refused to see me.

A wave of helplessness washed over me.

I only regained my senses when the police and ambulance arrived.

“The time of death should be about a month ago. The deceased starved to death, made worse by her illness. Hurry and prepare the death certificate.”

After hearing the forensic doctor’s words, my eyes filled with tears. I lowered my head as they fell to the floor.

I had spent all my savings to treat my mother’s illness.

Jaime’s sudden appearance had once given me hope. She paid for my medical bills and provided my mother with the latest miracle drug from her company. Later, when her family pressured her to marry, I offered to marry into her family.

I obeyed her every demand to repay her. I tried my best to be a good husband.

I believed I could spend my life with Jaime until the male escort she screwed showed up at our home and told me to give up my place.

My mother was so shocked that she became bedridden after learning about it.

Jaime did not stop. She began seeing Derek, her first love who had returned from abroad. My attempt to confront her only earned her sarcasm.

“You did all that just to cure your mom, did you not?” She threw a stack of photos at my face. Her voice carried deep hatred. “My mother died on the operating table, and your mother was her attending physician.”

“Did you think I married you out of love? Every moment with you makes me sick. Your mother killed my mother, and I am going to make you pay for it.”

Jaime hated me, so she kept pushing my limits.

I endured everything out of guilt and gave in every time. I crushed my dignity again and again.

I gained nothing in the end. I lost the only family I had left in this world.

I knew Jaime would not answer my calls. The divorce needed to be discussed face to face.

I sent the divorce agreement to Derek’s house because Jaime had to be there.

As expected, she called me as soon as the delivery was signed for. “What does this divorce agreement mean? Do you still want your mother’s drug?”

Jaime always used this to threaten me. She believed I would never divorce her as long as my mother needed the drug, and she believed she could do whatever she wanted.

I looked at the death certificate in my hand. My voice sounded hoarse. “No. I do not need it anymore.”

My emotionless reply surprised her, but she soon laughed in a sharp, mocking tone. “Joseph, did you fall off the cliff and break your head? Looks like you learned a few tricks these past few days. Have you decided to give up?”

A dull sadness spread through me, and I let out a small, self‑mocking laugh.

My mother was dead. She no longer needed Jaime’s drug, and Jaime could no longer threaten me.

Jaime noticed my silence and softened her tone. “It is only medication. I will give it to you. Wait for me to come home tonight.”

She hung up as if she were doing me a favor.

She did not return until midnight. The moment she walked in, I smelled strong alcohol and perfume on her.

She saw me sitting in the living room and did not greet me. She sat down a short distance away.

Jaime tilted her head back, and I saw her neck covered in marks from Derek. “I thought you would stay in the hospital forever. I did not expect you to be discharged so soon.”

Her tone stayed sarcastic. She glanced at my bandaged arm and tossed me a bag. “This month’s medication.”

I stared at the bag without speaking.

Jaime frowned at my lack of reaction. “What do you want?”

I threw the bag back. “I do not need it anymore. Take it. I will not need it again.”

Jaime paused and blinked her long eyelashes, surprised by my words. She knew I had risked my dignity and life to save my mother. She quickly recovered and scoffed. “Joseph, do not play games with me. I told you. Your mother killed my mother. You will suffer for the rest of your life.”

Her eyes were bloodshot, and the hatred in them was clear.

I sighed, feeling completely drained. “Since you hate me so much, let us get a divorce. That way you will not feel irritated every time you see me.”

I meant every word.

My mother was dead, and I had been diagnosed with late‑stage leukemia. Nothing held me back anymore. I would rather leave than continue this life with Jaime.

“Does your mother know this? She wanted us to live well and give her a grandson before she dies.” Jaime still did not take me seriously. Her gaze drifted to the closed bedroom door as she smiled.

“Your mother is in poor health. Are you not afraid she will die of anger if you threaten to divorce me?”

My mother had always treated Jaime like her own daughter. That was why she could not accept Jaime’s affair. She often told me to be kinder to Jaime because she felt guilty for failing to save Jaime’s mother.

My mother never contradicted Jaime, no matter how far she went.

I watched Jaime act so carefree. My hands lowered, then weakly clenched before falling open again. A sudden thought struck me. Everything I had done over the years had not been worth it.

Jaime noticed my blank expression and let out a cold laugh. She threw the divorce agreement I had sent her onto the table.

I had already signed it. The space for her signature remained blank.

“I’ll pretend I don’t know about the divorce. I’ll have someone prepare the medicine for the next few months. Don’t call me cruel.”

Jaime wanted to continue speaking when her phone rang.

Derek’s panicked voice came through at once. “Jaime, look at the trending topics. Our photos were…”

Jaime’s face darkened. She scrolled through her phone in a rush. She stood up at once and slapped me hard across the face.

Her eyes were wide and bloodshot. “Joseph, how did I not see how sneaky you were? You even posted these videos online to threaten me.”

The slap left me dizzy. When I regained my senses, I saw that the top trending video was made from the intimate photos Derek had sent to my phone.

I gritted my teeth and spoke in a low voice. “Ask Derek about this. It has nothing to do with me.”

Jaime never believed me. “Who else could it be? Did Derek release it? Joseph, when did you install a camera on my bed? Do you enjoy watching me with someone else?”

Each word stabbed into me like a knife.

I took a shaky breath. I wanted to defend myself, yet I stayed silent.

Jaime demanded that I apologize in front of reporters and the media to protect Derek’s reputation.

I closed my eyes and answered in a flat tone. “Okay. Set a time.”

My calmness left her with nowhere to release her anger.

She let out a cold snort and threw the bag of medication at the closed door of my mother’s bedroom. “What a buzzkill.”

She muttered under her breath, slammed the door, and drove away.

My cheek still burned as I smoothed the crumpled death certificate and placed it on the table. “Mom, I will take you back to our hometown to reunite with Dad. You wanted to leave for a long time. This can be your relief.”

I spoke softly while booking a flight home. My father’s ashes were buried there. I did not want my mother to be alone.

The next day, Jaime informed me to admit my mistake in front of the media.

I went to the company as agreed. As soon as I stepped inside, I heard the rustling of clothes and the playful sounds of Jaime and Derek in the cubicle.

I would have lost my temper in the past. I would have questioned her and demanded answers.

I stopped at the door and waited calmly for her to finish.

After a long wait, Jaime finally stepped out, straightening her clothes. Derek followed behind her. She paused when she saw me and tugged at her collar to hide the marks on her neck.

The reporters she had arranged were already present, and the broadcast was live.

Her expression returned to normal. She glanced at me and spoke in a cold voice. “Joseph, you need to understand your situation. Your mother’s life is still in my hands. If you do not want her to die, you had better admit your mistake properly in front of the media.”