It was our daughter's birthday. For the first time, my husband agreed to put aside his work and go to the beach with her.

While I was in the bathroom, he suddenly sent me a photo saying that our daughter was waiting for me.

But he had something urgent to handle, so he had to leave!

I hurried out and rushed to the beach barefoot, but I couldn't find my daughter.

I was so panicked! I looked everywhere and called my husband, but no one answered.

The next day, the body of a little girl was recovered from the sea.

I held my daughter's swollen body in my arms, feeling so desperate that I couldn't drop a single tear...

At the same time, my husband's first love made a post that went viral.

"It's great to have you by my side!"

In the picture, my husband is feeding her soup with loving eyes.

Two days later, I still couldn't get in touch with my husband.

I took a screenshot and questioned him in anger.

"Is this the urgent matter that made you leave Mia at the beach?"

It was not until Mia was cremated and put in a small box that my husband replied.

"There were many people at the beach, which made it safer for Mia to stay there. Plus, Mia is a good girl, but Linda only has me!"

——

"Gary Durant, I want a divorce!"

I typed these words quickly and sent them to him along with the divorce agreement.

Gary was the person I fell in love with at first sight. He was like a lifesaver to me, and since then, I could no longer control my heart.

I began to secretly admire him when I returned the clean school uniform to him. He seemed to have forgotten the good deeds he had done.

He loved someone else. So, I just wanted to stay by his side. When the teacher punished him, I forged his handwriting and did homework for him. When he sneaked out of class to deliver a love letter to Linda, I covered up for him.

I didn't know why I was willing to do so much for him. Subconsciously, I just wanted to be by his side.

When Linda was in love with him, I was still the one who covered for them. I was a straight-A student. So, no matter how much I lied, the teacher couldn't bear to blame me.

My classmates laughed at me for being a fool, but I was the only one who understood that I loved him too much and would do anything to make him happy.

Gary fell out of love when Linda went abroad without saying goodbye.

I mustered up the courage to comfort him, and he finally noticed me.

He said he wanted to get into a key university, so I did my best to help him.

We went to a prestigious university together, and he thanked me in tears at the celebratory banquet.

When he asked me if I had any wishes, I was lost in his deep eyes, and I couldn't help but confess my love.

He was stunned for a moment and took me in his arms.

My classmates screamed and congratulated me for getting his love.

That year, we were eighteen years old, and now, it's eighteen years later.

It has been more than twenty years since my secret crush on him.

I thought my love could warm his heart.

I thought after what we had been through from youth to middle age, we could also grow old together.

I thought the two of us and our daughter would be happy forever.

But I overestimated myself. I kept pleasing Gary, but in the end, I had nothing.

His ex returned, and I lost. Even if I gave birth to his child and helped him get ahead in life, I was still like a clown.

People who are favored are always fearless, so he and Linda could hurt me without feeling any guilt.

After we had succeeded in business, Gary said he would be the breadwinner and that I should stay home. So, I stayed behind the scenes and became a good wife.

He was busy expanding the business while I went for prenatal checkups alone, endured sickness alone, and gave birth to the baby alone.

Later, I raised Mia alone and accompanied her to the hospital when she was sick.

Those who didn't know me misunderstood me as a shameless mistress. But I knew who I was, so I never really cared for that.

I kept telling myself that Gary was just too busy and he wanted to give me and Mia the best he could offer.

Now, I finally understand that Mia and I have never meant anything to him.

He agreed to celebrate Mia's birthday because I begged him for a long time.

This was the first time he was there for Mia's birthday. However, he left her on the beach and let her drown for Linda.

Mia was only four years old and was still a child. How come she had become a big girl who didn't need anyone's care in Gary's eyes?

My heart ached so much that I couldn't breathe whenever I thought of how Mia had drowned in the sea. How scared and desperate must she have been at that time?

If I had known that Gary wouldn't wait for me when I went to the bathroom, I would have taken Mia to the public bathroom as I did in the past.

I shouldn't have expected Gary to care for his daughter for just a few minutes. The price was Mia's life.

I knelt in front of Mia's grave but still couldn't shed a tear.

When I started having stomach pains, I stood up to leave.

Unexpectedly, I saw Linda and Gary in the corner having an intimate conversation.

"Gary, I asked a master to do a divination for me, and the southeast corner is the most auspicious location for me. Let's choose that spot. Willy will love it!"

Willie was a dog that Gary gave Linda.

After saying that, Linda's tears dripped onto the urn in her hand, making her look particularly pitiful.

Gary hurriedly hugged Linda and comforted her, but unexpectedly, he saw me.

The tenderness on his face immediately disappeared, leaving only impatience and coldness.

"Rachel Chase, are you crazy? You think it's fun to play these tricks on me? You should know that I hate it most when people check my whereabouts!"

He scolded me while gently stroking and consoling Linda, who was weeping.

I felt sick seeing them like this, so I walked over to him and tried to leave.

On the narrow stairs, Linda suddenly stopped me.

"Rachel, my dog, Willie, died during delivery yesterday. Both she and her puppies died. I thought Gary might save them, but I didn't expect them all to..."

"Rachel, don't be angry with Gary. It's all my fault. I should be more considerate."

She looked sincere, but it only showed that she never really respected me as Gary's wife.

Her eyelashes were still wet from weeping. I could tell she was actually smug about it.

"That dog will die sooner or later with you as its master."

There was a famous pet hospital downstairs of Linda's apartment. If the dog had been sent for treatment in time, how could it have died of delivery?

I was just being honest, but Gary's face darkened.

"Where's your manner, Rachel? I can't believe you are so vicious! Linda lost her beloved dog and was so sad that she almost became sick. Not only did you not sympathize with her, but you also deliberately stabbed her in the heart. You should apologize to Linda now!"

Gary had the nerve to force me to apologize to Linda just for a dog whose cause of death was unknown. How shameless he was!

I suppressed my anger and tried to avoid him.

Gary was stunned for a moment when he saw that I didn't cry, make a fuss, or apologize. Then he seemed to think of something and grabbed my clothes.

He almost made me fall.

"You're getting bolder these days. I just didn't spend time with Mia yesterday. What's the big deal? I've already taken the time to say happy birthday to her. What else do you want from me? You always make a big deal out of such things. Do you still want me to be your husband?"

"I see. It was a great blessing for Mia to hear her father say happy birthday to her!" I thought.

"I won't make trouble anymore, and I don't want you anymore!"

I rubbed my sprained ankle and answered him calmly.

Gary then realized that his action just now caused me to sprain my ankle. He squatted in front of me and said, as gently as he could,

"I don't want you to always act like a shrew in front of Linda. She was already sad about losing Willie. You know how much she loved that dog. She said that the puppies in Willie's belly were still alive, so I let Mia wait for you there. Mia understood my anxiety, and I promised her that if I rescued the puppies, I would let her have one. She also urged me to rescue the puppies quickly. Even Mia didn't blame me, so why can't you be more tolerant? I will go back early tonight to celebrate Mia's birthday. What do you say?"

It had been so many days. If Gary had ever returned home, he would have found that Mia was gone.

But all he cared about was Linda, and my daughter was nothing compared to a dog in his heart.

"That's okay. She won't be able to have any birthdays again."

After saying this, I stood up and left.

Even though my ankle was aching, I still pretended nothing was wrong.

I didn't want to show my weakness in front of someone who didn't love me. That would only give Gary more chance to hurt me.

Seeing that I wasn't listening, Gary lost his patience again.

"Can you please just listen to me? That's an unlucky thing to say. I will take time every year to accompany you and Mia on her birthday. As long as she wants me, I will do my best to satisfy her. Is that enough?"

Maybe it was my indifferent attitude that made Gary realize that something was wrong. I loved Mia so much. In the past, I would have been thrilled when he made promises to me and Mia, even though I knew they were all empty promises.

But Mia was gone, and I could no longer tell myself that his willingness to make such a promise showed that he cared for us.

My daughter's death shattered my illusion, and I could no longer deceive myself.

"Please take a look at the divorce agreement. I'll only take what's mine. If there's no problem, just sign and go through the process!"

I sent him the screenshot of the scheduled divorce date and then strode away.

It was so painful that I felt like walking on the edge of a knife.

My suffering was almost over.

Looking at my back, Gary frowned. He pressed his twitching eyelids and called Wade, his secretary.

"Wade, help me buy a pure white Pomeranian, send it to my daughter, and tell her that it's a puppy I saved. Also, tell her to wait for me at home."

As soon as I reached the gate of the cemetery, I received a call from the cemetery manager.

"Ms. Chase, your daughter's grave has been dug up!"

I was enraged by those words. After confirming it again, I started to feel dizzy.

I almost ran to Mia's grave.

The master said Mia was destined to lack water element in her life. So, he suggested we call her Mia.

It was also the master who helped me to choose that spot in the cemetery for Mia.

Mia loved puppies, so I personally carved Mia's name and made her tombstone in the shape of a puppy.

"Gary, the master was right! Even the tombstone is carved in the shape of a puppy. It seems that this is the resting place chosen by God for my dog!"

When I arrived there in a panic, Linda had already put the dog's urn into Mia's grave, and Mia was nowhere to be found.

Gary was helping to re-bury the urn with a shovel in his hand.

I rushed over and snatched the shovel from Gary's hand.

"Stop it! Do you know what you are doing?"

I glared at him with bloodshot eyes and roared,

"Do you know whose grave this is? How dare you dig it?"

My extremely ferocious look scared Linda so much that she shrank behind Gary.

She grabbed Gary's hand and explained to me with tears in her eyes,

"What can I do to get you off my back, Rachel? I just want to find a place to bury my poor dog and her three puppies. Why are you making things difficult for us for an unknown dog? This tombstone clearly shows it belongs to a newly dead dog. I've already paid a fortune to the family as compensation, and the family has also agreed to let us dispose of the urn at will. Why are you here to stop us now?"

Linda's words made Gary feel uncomfortable for a moment, but he didn't refute her.

I finally understood that in Gary's heart, our daughter Mia was no better than a dog, even if she died!

If Gary looked at the tombstone, he would see Mia's name on it.

Having no hope for him, I got on the ground and started digging the soil that Gary had just buried.

He actually buried my Mia so carelessly!

When I was about to put Mia into the grave that was supposed to be Mia's, Gary could no longer hold his temper. He pushed me to the ground.

"Rachel, you are such an unreasonable lunatic! If you make trouble again, I will really divorce you!"

I laughed. I would love a divorce.

I slapped him hard on the face.

"Gary, no one is capable of hurting his own children, but you are an exception!"

Seeing that I was about to dig out the dog's urn, Linda was so anxious that she covered her chest and cried.

"Gary, I...I don't think I can hold on any longer. Please help my dog!"

Gary covered his face, which I slapped, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and kicked me in the lower abdomen fiercely.

"You crazy woman! You hurt Linda over a stray dog. If anything happens to Linda, I'll make you pay with your life!"

My abdomen was cramped with pain, and cold sweat ran down my cheeks.

"Okay. I'll let her pay with her own life today!"

I could imagine that I was like a monster at that moment.

Perhaps my resolute tone frightened Gary. He cleared his throat and offered me a way out.

"As long as you help Linda to settle her dog's grave and apologize to her, I will forgive you for what you did today!"

His condescending look seemed ridiculous to me.

He asked me to dig my daughter's grave and apologize to the murderer who indirectly killed my daughter!

At that moment, hopelessness and sorrow took over me.

I spit on the dog's urn and said in a rebellious tone,

"Bah!"

"Oh my gosh, Gary. Is this really the well-educated and virtuous wife you spoke of? Even street shrews are better than her. How did you fall for such a disgusting and vicious person? Didn't she want a divorce? Just give her that and offer her some money to get rid of her. Or, she may sabotage your company's listing!"

Going public was Gary's obsession. Linda surely knew Gary well. Her remarks made Gary make up his mind immediately.

"Rachel, your behavior today is no different from that of a lunatic. For the old times' sake, I will ask the lawyer to give you more property, but I'll have Mia's custody. I want you to stay away from Mia in the future. I don't want her to know that her mother is a lunatic!"

I suddenly laughed.

What a stupid fool Gary was!

The divorce agreement clearly stated that we only had to settle marriage property, no child custody included.

"Gary, have you ever thought about why Mia isn't here with me?"

Gary was stunned by my words.

Mia had always been inseparable from me since childhood.

He just frowned and said impatiently,

"It's a good thing that you didn't bring Mia with you. If she saw you like this, she would have psychological trauma for the rest of her life! You could have a good life, but you had to end that for such a small matter. I'm Mia's father, and I'll always be that. We have a close relationship, so why would she care so much about a birthday? You don't understand how much I've given up for her. I work so hard to make money so that I can spend more time with her in the future. But you, on the other hand, just moan at home every day and instill worthless ideas into her!"

Gary looked at me, looking sorry. When he was still trying to manipulate my mind, I yelled at him,

"Just drop the act! Your hypocrisy makes me sick! If you cared about Mia, you wouldn't leave the four-year-old girl at the beach. That's the beach, you know?"

"What's wrong with the beach? There was no shark or tsunami. Why are you making such a fuss? It's such a waste of time talking to you!"

Gary was utterly disappointed in me. He kicked Mia's urn hard.

As a result, the urn broke into pieces, and the ashes stuck to his shoes. In disgust, Gary kicked the urn away.

"No!"

I rushed over, but I failed to protect Mia. The ashes spread in the air and were carried away by the wind.

Gary's foot also landed on my lower abdomen.