Back when Ken was still struggling to get his business off the ground, he got targeted by rivals looking for payback.

That day was my first day out of college, my first day at work. I couldn't stand watching it happen. I called the police, hurled my backpack at the bad guys, and grabbed Ken before sprinting away.

Still, there were too many of them. Before the cops arrived, I took three knife wounds for him.

I was rushed to the hospital. Ken was hurt even worse, but he still stayed by my side and took care of me for a full month.

We were young, caught up in everything at once. We fell in love before we even realized it. When his startup finally took off, we got married.

Not long after, my eldest, Carly Bowen, was born. Ken was even more excited than I was. He kept saying he would give me and our child the best life possible.

He loved his career, so I stayed behind him, supporting his work and holding everything together at home.

People mocked me for getting married before I had even seen the real world, saying divorce would be my inevitable ending.

When Ken heard about it, he was furious. He cut those people off and even wanted to transfer all the family assets into my name.

Whenever he had time, he would rush home early to be with me and Carly. Even after Trista and Queenie were born, our relationship stayed just as close.

But two years ago, he started coming home later and later, constantly flying out of town for business.

Our relationship cooled fast.

I could feel it. Ken's heart had changed.

I secretly followed him a few times. Every time he claimed he was working late, he was actually with his first love, who had just come back from overseas.

Those so-called business trips were really vacations he took with her.

After digging deeper, I found out she was his business partner's younger sister. She had divorced her foreign husband and returned home to restart her career.

I had actually met Bianca Pena once, right after she came back. That day, I went to Ken's office to bring him lunch.

His stomach issues had flared up then, so I cooked light, easy-to-digest meals every day and brought them over myself.

Bianca was sitting in his office.

Ken introduced her casually. "This is my old friend, Bianca. She just got back from abroad. She'll be our executive director from now on."

I didn't think much of it. I had a lot of trust in Ken.

In the end, though, he betrayed both my trust and my feelings. Eight years of marriage couldn't stand up to the pull of his first love.

Our first explosive fight was because of Bianca.

That night was our wedding anniversary. Ken had promised to come home for dinner.

I cooked a full spread myself. Our three daughters wore their prettiest dresses and waited at the table. We waited until it was fully dark. Ken never came home.

I called him on video. He took a long time to answer, then snapped the moment he did.

"Why are you rushing me? It's just some dumb anniversary. What's there to celebrate? I told you I'm working late."

But his crooked shirt buttons and the lipstick mark on his neck gave him away.

I hung up and rushed straight to his office, catching the two of them together inside. I grabbed Bianca by the collar, my hand already swinging.

Ken caught my wrist and stopped me, his voice cold as he threatened me, "Linette, if you so much as touch a hair on Bianca's head, don't even think about seeing the three girls again. And you can figure out how to pay for your sister's surgery yourself."

With Bianca looking at me in open provocation and smug satisfaction, I swallowed the humiliation and pulled my hand back.

Our parents had passed early. My sister, Whitney Carline, was my only family.

All these years, Ken was the one making the money. If he refused to pay, there was no way I could afford Whitney's surgery.

After that, working late became his normal routine. When I demanded to know why, he looked at me with indifference and disgust.

"Because Bianca and I actually have things to talk about. She's smart and knowledgeable. You're just a housewife. Besides taking care of kids, what else can you do?"

What he forgot was that he had been the one who begged me to stop working and take care of the entire household.

After that night, I got seriously sick. I vomited blood and passed out in the middle of the night.

Ken was terrified. He pulled together the best medical team he could find to save me.

"Babe, as long as you get better, I'll do whatever you say. I'll be the best husband ever. I swear."

For a while after that, he really did rein himself in. Bianca left his company, too.

Life seemed to slip back into what it used to be. The three girls were thrilled their dad was home more often.

But that illusion was shattered a few days ago. I was on my way home from the hospital after taking care of Whitney when I ran into Ken. He was with all three girls and Bianca, eating at a newly opened trendy restaurant.

Through the huge glass window, I saw Ken and Bianca feeding each other using their mouths.

My three daughters sat across from them, giggling.

"Mom, Dad, you two are so embarrassing!"

It felt as if I had been struck by lightning. The three girls I had raised all by myself were calling another woman "Mom".

Suddenly, it started pouring. I couldn't remember how I made it home.

When the girls came back later and saw me soaked to the bone, they looked at me with open disdain.

"Why do some moms look so classy, while some are just embarrassing?"

They had said things like that before. I had thought they were talking about other parents at school.

Now, I finally understood. They were comparing me to Bianca. They liked her more.

That realization hurt worse than finding out Ken cheated. After all, these were the children I had raised myself.

I forced back my tears, my voice rough when I spoke, "I'm your real mother. If you're calling someone else Mom, then don't call me Mom anymore."

I clung to the last bit of hope and waited for their answer.

Carly shot me a look full of disgust. "You always pretend you're so tough. No wonder Dad doesn't like you."

Trista snorted. "Fine, we won't call you Mom. I don't even want to. We already have a new one."

Queenie was still young. She just echoed them. "If they don't call you Mom, then I won't either."

I stared at the three faces in front of me, all looking so much like Ken's, and let out a soft laugh.

I was soaked and shaking from the cold as I turned and went into the bathroom without another word.

After dropping the kids off, Ken left again. He had the staff pass along a message saying he would be working through the night.

I didn't even have the strength to call and question him anymore. That night, I vomited blood again and passed out.

Through the haze, I heard the staff panicking.

Someone was calling Ken. "Mr. Bowen, Mrs. Bowen collapsed again after vomiting blood. Please come home now!"

There was a pause on the other end.

Then, I heard Bianca's voice.

"Ken, hurry up. We haven't tried this new toy yet."

Ken snapped into the phone, impatient and sharp. "What is she pulling now? This is getting ridiculous. Don't bother with her. I want to see if she actually dies this time."

The staff sent me to the hospital anyway.

Ken didn't show up until early morning.

The red marks on his neck were impossible to miss, as if someone wanted them to be seen.

When he noticed my eyes fixed on his neck, he yanked the IV needle out of my hand.

"Linette, look at you, playing games now. You really think you can fool me? This doesn't make me feel sorry for you. It just makes me sick. Since you won't behave, I'm cutting off Whitney's medical care."

He pulled out his phone and called his assistant.

I panicked.

"No, please don't!" I cried. "Whitney just finished surgery. If you stop her treatment now, it'll kill her."

Ken knew exactly how much Whitney meant to me. And yet, just to punish me, he still cut off the medical payments.

Ignoring my pleading, he finished the call and went back to work, as if nothing had happened.

I dragged my weak body to his office anyway, forcing myself to go beg him in person.

The moment I stepped inside, I realized Bianca had returned. Not only that, she was now the vice president.

That position had been empty all this time. Back then, to thank me for staying home and supporting him, Ken had promised me, "The VP spot will always be yours. Once the kids are grown, you'll come work at the company as vice president."

I never imagined that the position he once promised me would be given to another woman.

Ken froze for a moment when he saw me, but he quickly recovered.

Bianca walked around the desk and sat down on his lap, looking at me with open mockery.

"You want to beg me to save Whitney?" Ken sneered. "You ruined our fun that day. Bianca's still angry. You're better off begging her. As long as she forgives you, I'll save your sister."

I bit down hard on my lip until I tasted blood.

Ken watched me like a predator, waiting patiently for my choice.

I hesitated for barely a second before groveling in front of Bianca.

"Please forgive me. I'm really sorry!"

My humiliation sent Bianca into loud laughter. Right in front of me, she grabbed Ken's hand and slid it under her blouse.

Ken's eyes went red as he muttered softly, "You little tease."

In that moment, something inside me died completely.

After laughing enough, Bianca finally spoke again.

"I have to admit that was entertaining. Let's try something else. Slap yourself a thousand times, and I'll let it go."

I clenched my teeth and did it. Over and over.

The sharp cracks echoed in the room. My cheeks burned, tears spilling before I could stop them. By the end, my arms were trembling, my body hollowed out, as if there was nothing left inside me.

"I'm bored now," Ken said.

He waved his hand and told his assistant to transfer the money to the hospital account.

I quietly left the office. Just before I closed the door, I saw Ken looking at me in surprise.

At the time, I only had one thought. It didn't matter how much I suffered, as long as Whitney could keep getting treatment.

After I asked for the divorce and left the apartment, I threw away that wish coin and went straight to the hospital to stay with Whitney.

She wasn't doing well. The surgery prognosis was grim.

What I never expected was that just one week after my divorce, Whitney passed away.

The only thing tying me to this world was gone. I couldn't see a reason to keep living.

On the day she was cremated, I carried her ashes back to our hometown. In my family’s empty old house, I placed her urn beside our parents'.

Left without a single attachment, I set the house on fire.

The next morning, Ken's phone rang.

"Mr. Ken Bowen? I'm calling from the hospital. Your wife set her house on fire last night. Please drop by as soon as possible."