My wife, Sarah, died unexpectedly. My in-laws made an absurd request. "Why not have Stella play both roles? After all, Luke can't be without a mother."

My brother-in-law, Greg, yelled at me, calling me shameless, and stormed out in anger.

I looked at my sister-in-law, Stella, who looked exactly like my late wife. I could hardly conceal my grief. I was about to urge them to abandon their ridiculous idea, when I accidentally overheard a conversation between her and her parents.

"It was Stella who died, so why did you lie and claim it was you?"

Sarah sighed. "I love Greg. I staged my death so I could be with him legitimately. As for asking me to play both roles, don't even bring it up again. As for Michael, I have already given him a child and a respectable marriage. I owe him nothing."

Turning around, I saw Luke with reddened eyes, asking me softly, "Daddy, does that mean that Mommy no longer wants us?"

I bent down and pulled him into my arms, forcing myself to soothe him. "Your Aunt Stella wants to protect the person that she loves. We shouldn't bother her. It's time for us to prepare a new life."

With tears welling up in his eyes, my son, Luke, said, "Can I spend my final birthday with Mommy before we leave? It's my fifth birthday. Mommy promised she'll celebrate with me."

My heart broke into a million pieces listening to his plea.

"Alright, we'll spend your fifth birthday with Aunt Stella, then we'll go."

After tucking Luke into bed, I opened the drawers and took out Sarah Grant's death certificate.

This year was our sixth year of marriage. I never expected it to end with me becoming a so-called widower. I did not even have to sign any divorce papers.

Luke still had expectations of her, longed for that flickering trace of motherly love. I, on the other hand, had been deceived time and time again. She disappointed me, utterly and irrevocably.

She liked her late younger sister's husband so much that she would be willing to fake her death and let me bear the grief of losing my wife.

I was not going to trouble her anymore. After Luke's fifth birthday, I would take him and leave this place for good.

The following day, Luke went looking for his mother with a card he had specially made.

Seeing the eagerness in his eyes, I felt extremely sorry for him.

In almost seven years of our marriage, Sarah had never once celebrated our son's birthday.

Before her fake death, she promised she would celebrate her son's fifth birthday. I sincerely hoped she could find it in herself to stick to her promise.

However, the next second, I would hear Luke wailing in the living room. I rushed over there to see the card he had painstakingly made, torn into pieces, and scattered around the floor.

My niece, Nina, stomped on the pieces of the card and said smugly, "Luke, you idiot, your mother is long gone! She's ashes now! You're an ugly child, so you don't deserve a mother at all!"

Then, she threw something at Luke. I immediately shielded Luke from whatever was coming at him, only to see it hit me and roll away on the floor.

It was the wedding ring Sarah had mysteriously lost during the funeral.

Seeing how hostile Nina was to Luke, Sarah merely stood by the side and watched, allowing Nina to do whatever she wanted.

Tears started welling up in Luke's eyes, but he still mustered up the courage and approached Sarah, saying, "Mommy, I've gotten a few gold stars in school. I even won a prize for my drawing. I've been a good boy. C-can you celebrate my birthday with me just this once?"

Sarah touched Luke's tiny face, seemingly kind, but then, she pried his fingers off her one by one.

"Luke, be a good boy. Your father can celebrate it with you."

I picked up the wedding ring and looked at her, suppressing the anger in my tone. "Stella, before Sarah passed away, she promised she would spend one birthday with Luke. Couldn't you just pretend to fulfil your sister's wish, or pretend to show some pity for him by pretending to be his mother, just for his fifth birthday?"

My brother-in-law, Greg, appeared at this moment and said hostilely, "Michael, I'm sorry that your wife passed away. I'm also sorry that Luke has lost his mother, but you can't just steal my wife in front of Nina and me."

Sarah furrowed her brows as if about to turn me down. However, when I met with those indifferent eyes, she looked away shiftily. She was also taken aback when her eyes landed on the wedding ring.

She pursed her lips and said, "Honey, Michael is just looking out for his child. Luke is about to have his birthday. As his aunt and uncle, we should celebrate his birthday."

Then, she looked at me and said, "Michael, as your wife's younger sister, I'll help her fulfil her dying wish. I'll be with Luke for his fifth birthday."

I snorted sardonically.

Ever since she started taking over her younger sister's identity, she had been constantly emphasizing how she was Sarah's younger sister.

I threw the wedding ring into the bin. "Alright, then. I hope you don't go back on your word."

Luke beamed instantly when he heard Sarah's response. He immediately started discussing what to do and eat on his birthday.

All I felt was heartbreak for him. Sarah was his mother, yet he had to beg her to celebrate his birthday with him.

Sarah did not only dump me–she also abandoned her only flesh and blood.

I could barely suppress my emotions, so I quickly headed back to my room. Luke noticed my sadness, so he ran over and held my hand, saying, "Daddy, don't be sad. I'll always be here.

"I know that Mommy no longer wants to be my Mommy. I also know she doesn't want to celebrate my birthday. I-I just thought of seeing her for the last time. Perhaps after this, we'll never see her again…"

I hugged my son–my kind, understanding boy–tighty. "I'm sorry, Luke. I'm not sad. I'm just…"

'Heartbroken for you.'

How pathetic was it to crave love from a mother who would rather fake her death to abandon her husband and son?

Still, I could not tell Luke that his mother no longer loved either of us, so he should not have his hopes up. He might be less sad if he did.

I could not ask him this, so I secretly prayed Sarah could find it in her to give Luke a final good memory worth remembering.

After his birthday, we would no longer bother her.

On the evening of Luke's birthday, Luke dressed up in his favorite clothes. He personally made a hazelnut cake, eagerly waiting for Sarah to come home.

That day, it was only Luke and me at home. Even my in-laws, Richard and Barbara, were not home.

Richard and Barbara only had Sarah and Stella. Both sisters, worried about their parents, decided to live with their parents even after marriage.

I called Sarah a dozen times, but no one picked up. I kept calling until she switched off her phone.

When it was almost midnight, the light in Luke's eyes had long gone out.

I bit my lip and asked, "Maybe everyone's busy tonight. Why don't we cut the cake tomorrow?"

Luke replied sadly, "But Mommy promised we'd celebrate my birthday together."

Feeling sorry for him, I said, "Alright, we'll wait a while longer."

As if right on cue, the door lock clicked open. They arrived home full of shopping bags.

Luke immediately got up and rushed to the door.

Sarah had Nina in her arms. She smiled at Luke and said, "Luke, here's your birthday present."

"I knew you'd remember my birthday!" said Luke in awe. "This is the first time I've received a gift from you! I'm so happy!"

That made me feel some form of relief. At least Luke was happy. That way, he would not be so sad when I take him away.

However, halfway through opening his birthday present, Luke's smile stiffened.

It was a doll and a card. It looked like the type of free gift one got with a children's meal at a fast-food chain.

I could no longer hold back. "Is Grant Group doing so badly that they can't even afford a children's gift? You have to give him something from a children's meal?"

Sarah seemed to have realized how unsuitable it was. She immediately explained, "Nina wanted fast food today. It just so happens that they gave us a doll. I thought that all children liked it, which was why I brought it home for Luke as his present. If he doesn't like it, I'll go get something else for him tomorrow."

Which five-year-old boy would like a doll? The worst part was that it was a free gift. She did not even care about Luke.

I was just about to retort when Luke said understandingly, "It's fine. Thank you for the present, Mommy."

He handed Sarah the hazelnut cake that he had made. "Daddy and I made this cake together. Have some!"

The candle on the cake was lit once again.

Suddenly, Nina got down from Sarah. She tried to reach her hand out to grab the cake when Sarah reflexively smacked Nina's hand away, rebuking, "You can't eat that!"

The cake fell to the ground, smushed.

Luke and I froze on the spot, baffled.

Sarah's face paled a little. She said with furrowed brows, "I'm sorry. Nina is allergic to nuts. I was worried she'd grab it, so I had to act quickly. I'll buy you a bigger mango cake tomorrow, how about that?"

Tears fell from Luke's face, but he held back his sobs while biting his lower lip. He slowly bent down and picked up the birthday sign from the destroyed cake.

I clenched my fists and looked at Sarah disappointedly. "Sarah, don't you know Luke is allergic to mango?"

"Of course, I d-don't–Michael, I'm Stella. Of course I wouldn't know about that," said Sarah, her eyes not meeting mine. I knew she was lying.

She was Luke's mother. Luke had a mango once, and it was she who anxiously sent him to the hospital. How could she have forgotten what her son was allergic to?

Richard and Barbara stepped in to pacify the situation. "Michael, you're talking to Stella, not your wife, Sarah. What happened before, when we asked Stella to step in as his mother, was nothing but our own foolishness. Don't take it to heart."

Greg glared at me and chided, "Yeah, Michael. I know Sarah is dead, but you can't just try to steal Stella from me, right?"