"Hey babe, something urgent came up at work."
"I won't be home tonight."
I was arranging the last rose when Samuel's text came through.
I'd spent the past week planning this romantic dinner for Valentine's Day.
Knowing how busy he was, I still couldn't help but beg:
"You've been working nonstop for years."
"Can't you just take one night off? I've got something special planned."
Samuel's voice message came back sharp and annoyed:
"Stop being so selfish, okay?"
"The entire company's riding on my shoulders."
"It's not like you're doing anything important at home."
"I don't expect you to understand, but at least don't make things harder for me."
"Everything I do is for us. I'll make it up to you tomorrow."
His words felt like knives stabbing into my chest.
Two years ago, a lab explosion cost me my right arm.
During those dark days, Samuel took over my company, becoming the CEO of Emerson Enterprises.
He never once made me feel like a burden, and I've been grateful ever since.
But now, every word he spoke cut deeper than the last.
The candles and gourmet meal I'd prepared felt like a cruel joke.
Just as I typed "Okay," a notification popped up—a new follower request.
The profile picture looked oddly familiar.
Her latest post was a selfie.
She was wearing a low-cut dress, her porcelain skin glowing.
The caption read:
"Can't get enough."
Zooming in, I spotted a man's hand in the corner of the photo, wearing Samuel's limited-edition watch.
My heart skipped a beat. Then, a comment appeared under the photo.
Samuel: "Tonight, I'm all yours."
My blood ran cold.
That's when it hit me—this was Lily, the intern Samuel had hired six months ago to "mentor."
Over the past year, he'd used every excuse to spend time with her.
Lately, their meetings had become more frequent, and I'd started to notice.
Whenever I brought it up, Samuel would brush it off:
"Relax, babe. She's just a kid fresh out of college."
"I'm helping her figure out her career. Don't overthink it."
He'd even cup my face and say,
"You're the only one for me. Lily's just a mentee."
"She's not even on my radar."
But now, this so-called "mentee" was flaunting her victory in my face.
Lily had tagged her location in the post.
I threw on a loose coat to hide my missing arm and rushed to the upscale lounge.
—
As I stepped into the lobby, I overheard two male staffers whispering:
"Must be nice to drop that kind of cash."
"He booked the whole place. I peeked inside earlier—it's like a fairy tale in there."
"CEO and his sweet little intern?"
"Sounds like a soap opera. Real-life drama, huh?"
Noticing me, they quickly plastered on professional smiles.
"Good evening, ma'am. I'm sorry, but the venue is fully booked tonight."
I forced my voice to stay steady, though it came out hoarse:
"Mr. Emerson sent me to drop off some documents. Let me through."
Hearing Samuel's name, they assumed I was from the company.
Not only did they let me in, but they even pointed me to the right floor.
When I walked into the private dining room and saw them enjoying their candlelit dinner, my last shred of hope shattered.
"Samuel, so this is your ‘urgent meeting'?"
My sudden appearance caught him off guard.
But instead of looking guilty, he glared at me:
"Emily, are you stalking me now?!"
I ignored him and pointed at Lily:
"Two years of marriage, and you ditch me on Valentine's Day to wine and dine her?"
"Samuel, don't you think I deserve an explanation?"
Lily quickly stood up, putting on her best damsel-in-distress act:
"You must be Mrs. Emerson!"
"Please don't misunderstand—Samuel and I are just friends!"
"He's been so kind, helping me adjust to the city."
"I'm all alone here, and he's just been guiding me…"
She picked up her wine glass as she spoke.
This movement gave me a clear view of her outfit—a backless gown that clung to her curves, her figure subtly revealed with every step she took.
Lily:
"I didn't mean to cause any misunderstanding, Mrs. Emerson."
"I'm so sorry for taking up so much of Samuel's time."
"Please, accept this drink as an apology."
Before I could react, Lily's hand "slipped," and the entire glass of champagne spilled onto my empty sleeve.
"Oh my God… Mrs. Emerson, I'm so sorry! I'm such a klutz…"
A sharp pang shot through my chest, and I instinctively pushed her away.
But she fell back as if I'd shoved her with full force, collapsing to the floor with a dramatic wail.
"Lily!"
Samuel rushed to her side, helping her up, his eyes filled with concern.
Lily cradled her wrist, tears streaming down her face as she looked at me:
"Mrs. Emerson, it's all my fault."
"I'll take whatever punishment you give me."
"Just please, don't let this come between you and Samuel…"
"If you don't want me around, I'll resign tomorrow."
"I'll disappear from your lives forever…"
Watching Lily twist the truth, I was shaking with anger:
"Stop playing the victim! You're the one who—"
"Enough!" Samuel snapped, cutting me off.
"Emily, what the hell is wrong with you?"
"Can't you stop causing scenes for once?"
"After your accident, I took over the company, I've been taking care of everything."
"What more do you want from me?"
"Emily, I've stayed with you out of pity."
"Do you know how disgusted I feel every time I see that ugly stump of yours?"
"If you leave Lily alone, I'll keep up this charade of a marriage."
"But if you keep harassing her, don't blame me for ending this."
His cruel words hit me like a punch to the gut.
He said he was disgusted by my missing arm, but had he already forgotten it was his negligence in the lab that caused the explosion?
If he hadn't cut corners that day, I wouldn't have rushed into the flames to save him.
Even as I was wheeled into surgery, half-conscious, I was still mumbling,
"Save my husband… the lab… my husband…"
After I recovered, Samuel had wept in front of our friends and family, vowing to take care of me for the rest of his life.
That's why, when I stepped back from the company, the old employees supported him—out of respect for me.
Five years had passed since then, and the man who once promised to stand by me forever was now using his sharpest words to defend another woman.
"Samuel, please don't argue with Mrs. Emerson…"
"It's all my fault. I'll leave now."
"I'm so grateful for everything you've done for me this past year."
"I don't want anything else, just this bracelet as a keepsake."
Lily slowly slipped the bracelet off her wrist, shooting me a sly glance when Samuel wasn't looking.
—
"Samuel said this bracelet was blessed."
"Even if I'm alone, wearing it gives me the courage to keep going…"
Watching Lily's pitiful act, Samuel's eyes softened with pity.
"If I gave it to you, then it's yours…"
"Give it back," I interrupted coldly.
"That bracelet belongs to me."
Back when I first lost my arm, Samuel struggled with insomnia, tossing and turning every night.
So, as soon as I could manage with my prosthetic, I climbed 1000 steps up to that chapel in the mountains, despite the pain shooting through my healing wounds.
I went there to get this bracelet, said to bring peace and protection.
I prayed with all my heart, asking God to watch over the man I loved.
And now, the bracelet I'd poured my soul into obtaining had been casually handed to someone else.
I stumbled toward Lily, ignoring the champagne soaking my clothes.
The bracelet was still on her wrist.
I grabbed it, pulling hard enough to leave red marks on her skin.
Just as I was about to yank it free, Samuel roared and kicked my stump.
"Ah—!"
My damaged limb hit the corner of the table, sending a dull ache through the bone that had yet to fully heal.
I collapsed to the floor, my face pale with pain.
Seeing me like this, Samuel showed no remorse.
Instead, he exploded in rage:
"It's just a damn bracelet! How dare you lay a hand on Lily?"
"You've gone too far!"
"You want the bracelet? Fine, take it! Have it all!"
Samuel grabbed a steak knife and slashed the bracelet in one swift motion.
The beads scattered across the floor.
He looked down at me, then snatched a bouquet of lilies from the table and hurled them at my face—knowing full well I'm severely allergic to pollen.
The bracelet wasn't just precious because of those endless steps.
It was because I'd collected each bead from different places, each one carrying a piece of my heart.
"Help… me…"
The pollen hit my throat, and I started gasping for air, writhing on the floor.
I reached out to Samuel, my hand trembling:
"Call… an ambulance…"
But he kicked my hand away, his voice dripping with disgust:
"Don't touch me! If the explosion didn't kill you, a little allergy won't either."
"Emily, this is your punishment for hurting Lily."
"Remember this lesson."
With that, he took Lily's hand and walked past me, ignoring my desperate pleas.
As my consciousness faded, I faintly heard Samuel speaking softly to Lily:
"Let's get you back and take care of that wrist. It's all red."
"You're too kind. How could she treat you like that?"
"As long as I'm here, I won't let anything like this happen again."
Lily replied in a gentle voice:
"Being by your side is worth a little pain."
Even in my dazed state, the scene cut through me like a knife.
My breathing grew weaker and weaker until, finally, I slipped into unconsciousness, consumed by despair.
I thought that was the end, but when I opened my eyes again, I was lying in a hospital bed.
Turns out, two curious receptionists had come upstairs to check and found me in critical condition.
I stared blankly at the white ceiling, my thoughts a tangled mess.
Then my phone buzzed with a notification—a voice message from Lily.
Gone was her sweet tone from earlier.
Now, her voice dripped with sarcasm:
"Emily, you're one tough cookie. Still alive, huh?"
"Let me tell you something—while you were climbing those steps for that bracelet, Samuel was praying you'd die up there."
"He's been wanting to dump you, the cripple, for a long time."
"Do yourself a favor and step aside."
I saw her latest post on Instagram—a photo of her and Samuel holding hands, fingers intertwined.
I forced a bitter smile.
Since everything was already set in stone, it was time for me to bow out gracefully…
"Mr. Carter, please draft the divorce papers."
—
On the day I was discharged, I called Samuel.
The moment he answered, his voice was sharp with irritation:
"Emily, why can't you just let it go?"
"You were so stubborn the other day, and now you're crawling back to me?"
"Let me make this clear—unless you apologize to Lily, don't expect me to forgive you."
The dial tone buzzed in my ear before I could even say the word "divorce."
Almost instantly, Lily updated her Instagram with a new post—her and Samuel shopping at the mall.
In the photo, Samuel was smiling, his eyes soft in a way I hadn't seen in years.
But with me, he was always cold and distant.
As I handled the discharge paperwork alone, the nurses passing by gave me pitying looks.
Just as I pushed through the hospital doors, a man's voice called out behind me:
"Emily."
I turned, confused, as the man introduced himself:
"I'm Jason."
"Emily, about the lab explosion five years ago… do you want to know the truth behind it?"
The mention of the accident that changed my life made my expression darken:
"What truth? The police closed that case years ago."
Shortly after the incident, they arrested the lab supervisor.
He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to ten years.
The case was over. What else could there be?
Jason looked me straight in the eye and said:
"The lab supervisor was my father."
"But he was forced into it."
As he spoke about the past, anger burned in his eyes:
"I've had kidney failure since I was a kid."
"My parents scrimped and saved for my treatment."
"Three years ago, we finally found a matching donor, but Samuel used his influence to block it."
"He threatened my father—if he didn't do what Samuel said, I wouldn't get the kidney."
"Families like ours can't fight someone like Samuel."
"Watching my health deteriorate, my father had no choice but to agree."
"Samuel ordered him to rig the lab explosion, to make sure you died in it."
"But at the last moment, my father couldn't go through with it."
"He tipped off security, and that's how you survived…"
The shocking revelation left me frozen in place.
No wonder Samuel had been so insistent I go to the lab that day.
No wonder the case had been wrapped up so quickly.
From the very beginning, it was all part of Samuel's plan—a plan to kill me and take over my company.
The man I'd shared my life with was a monster in human skin.
A chill shot up from my feet, followed by a wave of searing hatred.
I stared at Jason, who had sought me out for this very reason:
"What are you saying?"
Jason's eyes gleamed with vengeance:
"Samuel destroyed my family and took your arm."
"Why don't we team up and make him pay for what he's done?"
He extended his hand to me.
After a moment of hesitation, I reached out and firmly shook it.
—-
When I pushed open the front door, the roses in the living room had long since wilted and rotted.
I sat quietly on the couch as Samuel walked in, letting out an annoyed huff before heading straight upstairs.
"I want a divorce."
The words made him freeze mid-step.
He turned around, his tone dark:
"What's this now? For old times' sake, I've been trying to keep things civil."
"If you just pretend you don't know about Lily, we can keep going."
I let out a cold laugh:
"For old times' sake? Or for the sake of my company?"
The mention of the company made Samuel's expression shift instantly.
He tilted his chin up arrogantly:
"What are you talking about? I've been running the company for years."
"Everyone at Emerson Enterprises answers to me now. You think it's still your show?"
"If we divorce, not only do I get half the company, but half of all your assets too."
"Good luck surviving as a cripple on your own."
His eyes gleamed with greed, emboldened by my current vulnerability.
He was sure I had no one to turn to, which was why he dared to act so smug even after I'd caught him cheating.
"And…" He glanced meaningfully upstairs:
"Lily's pregnant with my child."
"That kid deserves a share of the assets too."
"Emily, you'd better think carefully."
Hearing this, I didn't flinch. Instead, I stood up, furious.
Since my injury, he'd used my "poor health" as an excuse to avoid intimacy for nearly a year.
Now Lily was pregnant, and the timing spoke for itself.
"You got her pregnant, and now you want your illegitimate child to take a piece of what's mine?"
Seeing me tremble with anger, Samuel only smirked:
"Illegitimate? Emily, in this situation, who's to say the child is illegitimate?"
"You think you still call the shots at Emerson?"
Watching his confident demeanor, I suddenly smiled—a slow, knowing smile.
"Samuel, you really think you're untouchable at Emerson?"
"The business world is a battlefield, and you're overestimating yourself."
My icy stare made him falter:
"What are you talking about?"
I clapped my hands lightly, and the sound of footsteps echoed from behind Samuel.
When he saw the senior board members walking in, his face went pale.
"Who called you here? Why are you here?"
The lead board member gave me a slight bow:
"Mrs. Emerson personally requested our presence."
Seeing the board members side with me, Samuel finally realized the truth—I had never truly let go of the company.
Emerson Enterprises was, and always would be, mine.
Samuel glared at me, his teeth clenched:
"Emily, I underestimated you."
"But remember, our assets are intertwined."
"If we divorce, I'll take half of everything you own."
"Once I get the money, Lily and I will start a new life."
"You'll be left alone, just a broken cripple."
Facing Samuel's outright hostility, I remained calm.
I rested my chin on my hand, smiling faintly:
"Oh? Then I guess I can't let you go after all."
"Do you really think your precious Lily will stick by you once she sees what you've become?"
Samuel clenched his fists, his eyes burning with conviction:
"Lily and I are in love."
"She'll never leave me!"
But what Samuel didn't know was that the sweet, innocent Lily he thought he knew was anything but.
—
To help me settle the score, Jason had been secretly gathering information on Lily for years.
Long before I even suspected Lily and Samuel's affair, Jason had already noticed something off about her.
He told me how she used her beauty to manipulate people at the company, charming her way into favors and opportunities.
Since Samuel saw Lily as his one true love, I figured it was time he saw exactly what kind of person she really was.
Following my plan, Jason transferred to Lily's department as the new project lead.
With his sharp looks and effortless confidence, it didn't take long for Lily to take notice.
She started using her usual tricks, finding excuses to linger around him, but with Samuel as her financial backer, she knew better than to overstep.
Then, out of nowhere, Samuel called her in for a private conversation.
When Lily heard that Samuel wanted to spend the rest of his life with her—and even let her take part in managing the company—she was ecstatic.
After all, she had provoked me and orchestrated my discovery of their affair for this exact reason. Now that her dream was within reach, she was practically glowing with excitement.
But Samuel's next words made her smile freeze.
"Lily, I really underestimated Emily."
"She's been secretly controlling the company all along!"
"Now that our affair has been exposed, I can't keep up the act anymore."
"I'm planning to divorce her."
"Then we can finally be together—out in the open."
Lily's heart skipped a beat.
She quickly asked, "And if you don't get the company, how much will you walk away with after the divorce?"
Samuel's expression darkened instantly.
After a long pause, he stammered, "If everything goes smoothly, I'll get half of her assets."
"But… she's refusing to agree to the divorce and has already frozen all my accounts."
"But Lily, I promise—I'll figure something out."
"I'll leave her as soon as I can!"
Lily understood exactly what he meant.
She had only ever stuck by Samuel for his money.
And now?
Not only was he broke, but he might even need her to support him.
Her expression faltered for a split second before she forced a sweet smile.
"It's okay, Sam."
She reached out, taking his hand gently.
"You've already promised to marry me, and I'm the only woman for you."
"I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes."
Samuel was deeply moved, convinced he had finally found true love.
Just as he was about to pull Lily into his arms, her phone rang.
She glanced at the caller ID and quickly shot Samuel a nervous look before stepping outside to take the call.
When she returned, she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.
"Sam, my department director just called—I need to head back to the office."
"You should get some rest."
"I'll come see you in a few days."
Before Samuel could respond, she hurried out the door.
In reality, the call wasn't from any director—it was from Jason.
Lily hadn't expected me to act so fast and put Samuel in checkmate.
Now, her only option was to hope I wouldn't hold a grudge over her past provocations and that she could quickly find a better safety net.
She abandoned Samuel without hesitation and rushed to meet Jason, even bringing a bottle of red wine along.
Jason, ever the gentleman, greeted her with a charming yet reserved smile.
A seasoned player in the game of love, Lily knew the timing was just right.
Besides, with Samuel's value plummeting, there was no need for her to hold back anymore.
She leaned in close, her eyes filled with deep affection, and finally confessed:
"Jason, there's something I've been wanting to say for a long time, but I never had the courage."
"My feelings for you have grown beyond my control—I need to tell you the truth."
"Jason, I've fallen in love with you."
"From the moment we met, you captivated me."
"I know you have plenty of admirers, and I never dared to hope for your attention, but I just want you to know how I feel."
"Please, give me a chance to prove my love to you."
Looking into Lily's expectant eyes, Jason smirked inwardly.
But on the surface, he played his part perfectly—blushing slightly as he gave her a hesitant nod.
"Lily, I'd like to give this a try… with you."
Lily was overjoyed—so much so that she ignored all the subtle warning signs.
Once they were officially together, she wasted no time scheming ways to get money out of Jason. Meanwhile, he flawlessly played the role of a naïve, wealthy heir willing to do anything for love.
Consumed by her efforts to keep Jason happy, Lily gradually drifted away from Samuel.
Meanwhile, with the company restructuring underway, Samuel was growing increasingly irritable, and their phone calls often turned into heated arguments.
Little by little, Lily started avoiding his calls—until one day, she disappeared from his life completely.
—-
Two months slipped by, and just as Lily was basking in the sweetness of her romance with Jason, an anonymous post surfaced on the company forum.
Rumors spread like wildfire—claims that she was dating multiple men and being kept by wealthy businessmen.
In an instant, the office was buzzing with gossip, and Lily felt like she was sitting on pins and needles.
"That gold-digger!"
"My best friend was one of her victims!"
"She spent so much money on her, only for Lily to turn around and flirt with every guy in sight!"
"I remember seeing her at my dad's gala, clinging to some rich guy."
" At first, I thought I was mistaken, but turns out, she really did latch onto a sugar daddy."
The relentless accusations made Lily's face burn with humiliation.
She turned to her colleagues, her voice trembling with fury:
"These are all lies! I've never done any of this!"
"Once I find out who's behind this, they'll pay!"
Just as she was about to say more, Jason emerged from the crowd.
His face was filled with disappointment.
Without a word, he raised his hand and struck her across the face.
"Lily, you liar! I was a fool to believe in you!"
Seeing Jason, Lily's heart lurched in panic.
She grabbed his wrist, her words tumbling out in a frantic rush:
"Jason, please listen to me! Someone's setting me up!"
"I swear, I've never done anything to hurt you."
"You're the only one in my heart!"
"Still lying?"
Jason's voice broke as tears streamed down his face.
He threw a file at her, its contents spilling onto the floor.
"Take a good look at this!"
Lily's gaze landed on the prenatal report with Samuel's name on it."
"Her legs gave out beneath her.
"This… I…"
Before she could stammer out a defense, Jason cut her off coldly:
"I fought to get my family to accept you."
"I was planning to bring you home for the holidays."
"And this is how you repay me?"
The revelation that Jason had been ready to introduce her to his family—only for things to fall apart so catastrophically—made Lily seethe with hatred for the mastermind behind this setup.
As she desperately tried to salvage the situation, her phone screen lit up with an incoming call.
Samuel.
The sight of his name, combined with the prenatal report in Jason's hands, sent a chilling realization through her.
She clenched her fists.
It's him. Samuel must have found out something… and now he's out to ruin me.
Though burning with rage, Lily forced herself to stay composed.
She turned to Jason, her voice firm:
"Jason, this report has to be fake!"
"Give me some time—I'll find out the truth!"
Meanwhile, Samuel's call wasn't random.
Under my arrangement, he had just learned about Lily's betrayal.
The thought of everything he had sacrificed for her—only to be stabbed in the back—filled him with rage.
As soon as the call connected, Samuel's voice was sharp and commanding:
"Lily, how dare you betray me?!"
"I gave up everything for you, and this is how you repay me?!"
"Do you think just because I'm down, you can climb onto someone else's ladder?"
"Don't forget, you still own shares in my company."
"You're not going anywhere!"
Samuel had only meant to pressure Lily into admitting her wrongdoing—after all, he had once truly cared for her.
But to Lily, his words only confirmed her worst fear.
So it really was him.
Suppressing her fury, Lily softened her voice into something pitiful, almost pleading:
"Samuel, you've got it all wrong."
"Let me explain in person."
"Can we meet the day after tomorrow?"
—-
It was the first time in two months that Lily had reached out to Samuel.
Despite his frustration, Samuel still dressed to impress, hoping this meeting would mend things between them.
But fate had other plans.
On his way to see Lily, a runaway truck suddenly veered off the road and slammed into his car.
The impact sent the world spinning.
A searing pain tore through Samuel's chest before everything faded to black.
It was rush hour.
A passerby spotted him lying in a pool of blood and immediately called 911.
The ambulance rushed him to the nearest hospital, where the staff quickly contacted me.
The doctor's face was grim as he delivered the news—Samuel's injuries were critical, and due to extensive tissue necrosis, his left leg had to be amputated.
The police swiftly identified the truck driver using traffic surveillance footage.
His confession mirrored Jason's father's—he pleaded guilty without hesitation.
He claimed his impotence had led to his divorce, and his resentment toward younger men had consumed him, causing him to lose control.
On the surface, his story held up.
But just as the case was about to be closed, I requested a private meeting with the driver.
In a cramped interrogation room, I slid a bank card across the table.
"You didn't hit him because of impotence, did you?"
"I heard about your wife's workplace accident."
"You've been drowning in medical bills, struggling to keep up."
"I get it. Life can be cruel."
"But I've been through something similar before."
"I know a cover-up when I see one."
"This card has two hundred thousand dollars."
"Tell me the truth, and it's yours."
The driver's eyes flickered at the mention of money.
After a long silence, he finally confessed.
He named Lily as the mastermind behind the crash.
She had known about Samuel's plans all along.
Determined to eliminate him, she orchestrated the accident to clear the path for her and Jason.
When the police stormed into the hospital room, Lily was right by Samuel's bedside, playing the devoted lover.
As they arrested her, her face twisted in shock.
"What are you doing?! I'm a law-abiding citizen!"
The police were ready.
They presented the driver's revised testimony, detailing how Lily had paid him $20,000 to stage the "accident."
With undeniable evidence, there was no escape.
The court sentenced her to eight years for conspiracy to commit assault.
Lying in his hospital bed, Samuel stared at the empty space where his leg used to be and let out a gut-wrenching scream.
"Why… How could she do this to me?"
Tears welled in his eyes as he looked at me, his expression one of desperate regret.
"Emily, I was wrong… I was such a fool to trust someone like Lily."
"Now I see—you're the only one who ever truly cared about me."
"Please, give me another chance. Let me make things right."
Samuel clutched at my sleeve, his eyes pleading like a lost child.
I looked down at him, a cold smile tugging at my lips.
"Your naivety is truly pitiful."
As soon as the words left my mouth, the hospital door creaked open.
Jason stepped inside.
Samuel froze. His face drained of color.
His gaze locked onto Jason, his voice trembling with rage.
"You! You're the reason Lily turned on me!"
"What the hell do you want now?!"
But when he saw Jason standing silently behind me, his anger turned to fear.
Realization dawned on him.
His eyes darted back to me.
"So that's it… You set this up… Emily, this was all your plan…"
I didn't bother denying it.
"You left me crippled. Now you're just reaping what you sowed."
Samuel trembled, his face ashen.
"This can't be…"
His eyes suddenly locked onto Jason.
And then—recognition.
He finally saw the boy he had threatened five years ago.
"It's you… So this was all a trap…"
He slumped back onto the hospital bed, sobbing uncontrollably.
But remorse came too late.
With the evidence Jason had gathered and his testimony, the investigation into the lab explosion was reopened.
The court sentenced Samuel to twenty years in prison.
On the day of the verdict, I accompanied Jason to his father's grave.
"My dad didn't last long after he went to prison. The guilt ate him alive."
After paying his respects, Jason suddenly knelt before me.
He bowed deeply toward his father's tombstone.
"My father's debt is paid today."
"Ms. Emerson, please accept my apology… and my gratitude."
I stared at the simple engraving on the stone, my emotions tangled.
Once, I had been consumed by hatred for this man.
But now, knowing the truth, I felt a pang of pity—for the life Samuel had ruined.
His greed was the root of all this evil.
We were all just casualties of his ambition.
I let out a long sigh and turned away.
"You've made up for your father's mistakes."
"From now on, live well—for yourself."
These days, I've grown used to my empty sleeve.
Even on uneven ground, my steps are steady.
I tilted my face toward the sun, letting its warmth brush against my cheeks.
Somehow, without realizing it, I had climbed out of the quicksand I once thought would swallow me whole.
The dark clouds of the past had finally lifted.
The weight on my heart was gone.
From now on, I will keep writing the story of my life—even with this incomplete body.
I clenched my fists, feeling the warmth in my palms, reminding myself:
Even with my scars, I can still move forward.
A new chapter is beginning.
And I'm ready for whatever tomorrow brings.
End
