“Daddy, don’t hit Mommy! Hit me instead!”
Timmy’s plea wouldn’t work this time. Ethan
slapped Timmy.
“You think I forgot about you?! If you hadn’t
stopped me, my daughter might be alive!
You’re like your mother a born villain!”
He grabbed a piece of metal and swung it at
Timmy.
Timmy was frozen with fear.
Sarah threw herself in front of Timmy,
shielding him.
The metal pierced her body; blood gushed,
splattering Ethan.
Even then, she pleaded for Timmy.
“I wanted the Jo wealth. Timmy’s innocent. I
harmed your family. Hate me…but spare
Timmy…”
Her injuries were severe. Ethan, enraged,
continued his attack until Matriarch Jo’s
bodyguards intervened.
The doctor shook his head.
“She’ll be paralyzed, a vegetable.”
Matriarch Jo showed no mercy.
“Take this illegitimate child to an orphanage.
The Jos don’t raise such brats.”
Timmy was taken to a harsh orphanage.
Ethan crawled to me.
“Chelsea, I was deceived by that woman! I
く
wronged you and our daughter! Forgive me!
I’ll be better, we’ll have another daughter, and
cherish her…”
I looked at him, sadly.
“But my daughter is gone, Ethan. Even though
you never cared, she still longed for you. No
matter how many children I have, they won’t
replace her.”
Ethan knelt, begging me to hit him.
“I’m sorry! I’m not human! I killed our
daughter! Hate me, hit me! Anything to make.
amends!”
I pulled away.
“Will beating you bring her back? Ethan, her
ashes were scattered by your own hands. You
forgot?”
Ethan slapped himself, hoping for my
sympathy.
“It’s my fault! I’m not human! I’m sorry,
Chelsea! Kill me to avenge our daughter!”
I watched the spectacle, the love of my youth
now destroyed.
“Enough!”
Matriarch Jo intervened.
“I was going to give you Jo Industries after
you left the rescue team. You’re unfit to be
the head of the family!”
“Kneeling won’t earn Chelsea’s forgiveness!
This pathetic self–harm… you disappoint
me!”
“You’re expelled from Jo Industries, losing all
your wealth. The new head of the Jo family…”
She looked at me with compassion.
“Will be Chelsea.”
But…
I looked at Matriarch Jo, heartbroken.
My heart was ashes. I was too weary to lead
the family.
I rejected her offer.
“Our daughter dreamed of seeing the world
く
with her parents. I promised her, but I failed.”
“I want to take her ashes to places she
wanted to see. It’s the only reason I live now.”
Matriarch Jo agreed. As I gathered my
daughter’s ashes, Ethan wailed.
“Chelsea! Don’t leave! Don’t take her! I love
you! I love our daughter! I can’t live without
you! Please!”
His cries moved others but not me. I gathered
the ashes, held them close, and whispered,
“My love, we’re going home.”
I left Ethan’s cries behind. I took my daughter
to the places she’d dreamed of. I felt her
spirit near.
Later, I read about Ethan’s breakdown in the
newspaper. He was mad, muttering my
daughter and my name, begging for
forgiveness.
But that had nothing to do with me. I burned
the newspaper. I felt nothing. It was over.
