Wendy didn't ask about her until the day after Tiffany's death, but I was able to learn about her recent situation from others.

After Barry had surgery. Wendy stayed in the hospital like a nanny, taking care of him. She even slept in the hospital at night to make it easier to take care of him.

The people in the same ward envied Barry for having such a good mother. Wendy smiled and did not refute. Instead, Barry knocked over the milk with one hand.

"She's not my mother. She's a mistress."

Even so, Wendy was still able to tolerate him with a smile, saying that he didn't mean it.

But back then, Tiffany just ate one more strawberry, and she scolded Tiffany for being rude.

I often wondered who Wendy’s biological child was.

Wendy blocked me, so I had to call her using my friend’s phone.

The call was answered. It was a man who spoke, "Hello, who is this?"

It was Devin Carter, Wendy’s ex-boyfriend. I knew his voice.

"Where's Wendy? Let her answer the phone."

The other party seemed to realize who I was, and continued, "It's you, Wendy's current husband. She always mentions you to me, and I'm pretty familiar with you.

"Wendy is taking a shower at my house. She said she won't be going home tonight. Don't worry. I will take good care of her."

Tiffany just dead, but Wendy couldn't wait to move into another man's house!

I was so emotional that I couldn't help but yell, "Let her answer the phone!"

As soon as I finished speaking, footsteps approached from afar. Wendy gently calmed Devin before saying to me.

"What are you doing? Why are you yelling? You are rude. Tiffany learned that from you!"

"How dare you mention Tiffany? What were you doing on the day Tiffany passed away? You were busy taking care of Barry. You didn't even care about your own daughter's life!"

Wendy sneered, "Oh, stop acting. She was kidnapped and is now murdered. What lie will you tell next?

"John, don't criticize me all the time and say I speak harshly. Aren't you cursing your daughter to death for that money?

"If you have the energy to cheat me, you might as well make more money. Otherwise, Tiffany, that loser, will be nothing without you!"

Unexpectedly, Tiffany died without receiving any motherly love from Wendy and was insulted by her with vicious words.

I tried my best to stay calm. My teeth were chattering.

"Wendy, tomorrow is Tiffany's funeral. If you still have a conscience, come to see her."

"I'm busy." Before I finished speaking, Wendy impatiently said.

"Tiffany is a liar, but you, too?! I have to go to the hospital tomorrow to take care of Barry. I have no time to play with you two. You're crazy!"

She hung up the phone again, just like she had done many times before, taking the initiative to cut off contact with me and Tiffany.

This marriage was wrong from the beginning. Now, I finally regrated it and was tired of it.

As expected, Wendy did not come to Tiffany's funeral.

Several relatives called her one after another, but she scolded them all back, "You are annoying! Go back to tell John that I am needed here. Stop making trouble when it comes to a boy's life! So annoying!"

Then everyone present knew that Wendy did not even attend her daughter's funeral because of another man's child.

I felt ashamed, and I really didn't want to delay Tiffany's funeral because of Wendy, so I controlled my anger and said goodbye to Tiffany with a smile.

"My dear Tiffany... I have not done a good job in this life. I hope I have a chance to make it up to you with everything I have."

My voice choked with sobs. Tiffany's voice and smile could not be erased from my mind.

The happier she smiled, the more I hated Wendy.

...

After the funeral, Tiffany's teacher found me and put a box of daily necessities and books in my car.

"Mr. Abbott, these are Tiffany's things from school. I wanted to leave them for you as a souvenir, so I brought them here without permission."

I nodded in thanks. After seeing off all the guests, I just sat there in a daze holding the box.

Tiffany didn’t have much stuff. A small box was enough to hold everything she had just begun in her youth.

There was a letter on the top, which looked like it was written by Tiffany. And the cover of the envelope was addressed to her mother.

[Happy birthday to my dear mother! I make this gift by myself. Although it is a little simple, I spent a long time on it. I'm sure you will like it very much.]

[Mom, I've always wanted to ask you why you didn't come to my parent-teacher meeting but instead attended it for Barry from the next class. But then I thought, I must be not good enough. When I'm good enough to make you proud, you will come to my parent-teacher meeting, right?]

[Mom, I still love you very much. Can you hug me again and tell me that you love me like you did when I was little? I really want a complete and happy family with you and Daddy.]

My hands were shaking, and I couldn't stop crying while sitting in the car.

Tiffany was only fifteen years old and was the best student in the class. She should be carefree and innocent.

But she died. Even before she died, she was still thinking about how to please Wendy!

All she needs was her mother's hug.

I couldn't stand it any longer, so I stepped on the accelerator and drove to the hospital.

Wendy even skipped work to take care of Barry. I simply ran to the hospital and looked for her in every room.

Sure enough, in a single room, Wendy was seen patiently cutting fruit for Barry.

Seeing that it was me, Wendy was shocked and pushed me out quickly.

"Why are you here? Stop it. Barry just had the surgery and needs to rest for a few days. If you have anything to say, go outside and tell me!"

I sneered, ignored her words, rushed in, tore the medical record on the bedside, and threw it to the ground.

"Appendicitis. This is what you call a major surgery. This is what you call a life-threatening surgery!

"Appendectomy surgery costs two hundred thousand dollars?"

Wendy frowned, played her finger, and said with reason.

"He needs supplements. Those medicines for post-operative recovery need money. And I will buy some clothes and food for him.

"It's shameless for you, a grown man, to be so stingy. I'm not surprised that Tiffany is like that with a father like you."

Every time she mentioned Tiffany, my heart ached.

She wasted Tiffany's life-saving money but called me shameless.

I made fists with my hands and took a deep breath. "Wendy, let's get a divorce. I will make you pay for everything you owe me and Tiffany."

Wendy didn't care about what I said and thought I was just using this to make her change her mind.

She was beautiful, so she was proud and arrogant and only believed her thoughts.

She didn't believe that there was someone she couldn't win, and didn't believe that I, her husband who had been good to her for so many years, would be willing to leave her.

Wendy rolled her eyes and waved her hand perfunctorily.

"Okay. Okay. I'll go home after I take care of Barry, okay? Threatening me with divorce, John, you are so bold."

"I'm serious, Wendy. See you at the law office at 10 a.m. tomorrow. If you don't come, you will get the court summons."

Maybe it was because I was too severe, Wendy's face that seemed to be planning everything finally changed.

"John, are you really going to divorce me? Are you crazy? Have you forgotten how you chased me and begged me to marry you? Now, you want to divorce me for such a small matter?"

Wendy was right. It was I who pursued her relentlessly and was willing to take care of her.

Even though I knew that she married me just to piss off Devin, I had no complaints, thinking that one day she would be touched by me.

But I waited for more than ten years.

Wendy shouted so loudly that she woke up Barry, who was soundly sleeping.

He called Wendy in a hoarse voice. She immediately ran to him and started to busy herself.

"Hey! Barry, I'm here. What's wrong? Do you want some water or some fruit? Are you hungry?"

Barry was impatient. "You are making so much noise. Can you leave?"

Wendy was stunned for a moment but still agreed with a smile. Her look made me feel sick.

It was ironic that what Tiffany had always dreamed of was discarded by the boy.

Coming out of the ward, Wendy took two steps forward and called me.

"John, I'm really sorry. I was too busy to take care of you and Tiffany. Ask Tiffany what she wants to eat. I'll make it for her when Barry is discharged from the hospital."

Maybe Wendy thought this was the best compromise she'd ever made, and I'd be ungrateful if I didn't take it.

But Tiffany was dead. This woman who didn't love me was nothing to me.

I pressed on and pushed her into a corner. My voice was serious and cold.

"Wendy, I've told you many times that Tiffany is dead. She didn't enjoy your love when she was alive. Now that she's gone, there's no need for you to pretend."

Wendy wanted to blame me, but when she saw my expression, her eyes were suddenly filled with fear and confusion. "Tiffany... Is she really dead?"

"Yes, thanks to you, her mother, she died."

"You must be kidding. No way. She wouldn't... No, there must be something wrong."

Wendy murmured, hurriedly took out her cell phone, and dialed the number that no one would answer again and again.

When she got to the eleventh call, she finally broke down and cried, "No. No! Impossible! She never tells the truth. She must be lying to me!"