Chapter 1
On our eighth wedding anniversary, my husband treated Anya Hemsworth to dinner. Our five-year-old son asked for the first course.
She suddenly cried. “Sister, I know you’ve never liked me, but today is my birthday. How could you let a child humiliate me?”
My husband became furious and threw our son into the pigpen.
I knelt, admitted my mistake and begged him to spare our son. I promised I would never act recklessly again, only asking him to let our child live.
He ordered his’ bodyguards to hold me down and sneered. “Your precious son, whom you raised, has no manners. Since he likes to fight for food so much, let him fight with the pigs.”
I was forcibly injected with sleeping pills and when I woke three days later, I learned the starving pigs had eaten my son. I collapsed in the rain, crying, clutching his severed finger.
Nearby, my husband held Anya by the waist, lighting a sky lantern for her and taking photos of her favorite things.
Broken and hopeless, I took out my phone and called my husband’s sister.
“Sophie Taylor, the family has no heir now. I’ve repaid my debt. Please let me go.”
“Sophie, did Henry bully you again? And what do you mean the Taylor Family has no descendants? Isn’t Andrew…”
“Sophie, Andrew is dead,” I cut her off. “Henry locked him in a pigpen for three days and nights and starving pigs ate him.”
I stared at the tombstone in front of me and gently touched the photo in black and white. “Sophie, I gave everything for this child, but in the end, it couldn’t stop Henry’s canary from speaking a single word.”
“Let me go. Four years ago, the doctor said Henry could never have children. I’ve repaid my debt. I just want to take Andrew and leave.”
“How could this happen?” Sophie sounded shocked. “Is there some misunderstanding between you two? Or was Andrew just being naughty and hiding somewhere-”
“Sophie!” I laughed coldly. “I wouldn’t joke about Andrew. Besides, Henry is busy showing off at an auction with his canary, lighting lanterns for her and buying a British princess’s jeweled necklace worth hundreds of billions.”
There was a long silence on the other end before Sophie finally said, “Okay, I understand. Thank you for your hard work all these years. I shouldn’t have forced you. From now on, do whatever
you want.”
After hanging up, I went home, drenched from the rain. When I saw the mess of clothes on the floor, my numb heart gave a painful jolt.
Andrew’s body was still warm, yet Henry was still enjoying himself.
“Hey, Kate Vergara, you’re back? What happened to you? You look like a ragpicker.”
Anya, wearing my pajamas, came quickly down the stairs. She brushed her hair back, revealing a purple kiss mark on her neck. “It’s because Henry is so full of energy. I can’t satisfy him, so he takes it all out on me.”
I looked at her without a word.
When I stayed silent, Anya’s eyes turned cold and she sneered. “I heard a pig ate your son. So, how is it? Do you like this gift, sister?”
I froze, then demanded in disbelief, “You did it? You killed my Andrew?!”
She gave a careless nod. “Not only did I make sure a starving sow ate him, I even recorded it. He kept calling me ‘Mom, and it sounded so sweet, hahaha…”
“Anya, you’re not human!”
I lunged at her in fury, but before I could strike, a large hand grabbed me.
“Henry, what are you doing? She killed our child! Are you protecting her?!”
Henry hesitated. Beside him, Anya covered her face, wiping away tears. “Henry, I only came downstairs and saw her soaking wet, so I kindly offered to help her change. But then…”
“Maybe I should just leave. You’ve never liked me. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have let your child order the first dish on my birthday…”
Henry’s expression darkened. “Kate, apologize to Anya.”
“What did you say?!” I stared at him in disbelief.
“In Anya’s hometown, the birthday person always orders the first dish, or they’ll have a miserable year ahead.” Henry placed his arm around her waist. “Apologize to Anya and this will be over.”
“Also, make some seafood dishes. Anya and I haven’t eaten since yesterday. After that, go get our son and take him to kindergarten.”
I listened to his commanding tone and smiled bitterly.
When Andrew was two and still couldn’t walk, I prayed to God and even followed the elders’ advice to “cut him off” with a kitchen knife. Henry laughed at me then, calling me naïve and superstitious. “Why believe that nonsense? This is the age of technology, not the past.”
My thoughts snapped back. My face turned cold and I gritted my teeth. “Henry, don’t you understand? I said Andrew is dead….”
Before I could finish, Anya cut in, pretending not to understand. “Henry, why would Kate curse her own child? Could it be she doesn’t like your child with hers?”
‘Although I don’t know how children feel, I believe no mother would curse her own child, unless she didn’t love them. After all, I’m a woman too, so I understand.”
Henry listened and my brows furrowed. “Kate, have I been too good to you? Have you forgotten how you even became my wife?”
“If you dare curse my son again, I’ll throw you out and you’ll never be my wife.”
I bit the inside of my cheek, tasting blood and spoke coldly. “Henry, let’s get a divorce.”
His face showed a flicker of panic before he scoffed. “Kate, do you think I care about you just because you’re pulling this trick? If Anya hadn’t said she was worried you hadn’t eaten in three days, I wouldn’t have come back.”
“Anya is so kind! I truly regret marrying you.”
“Then divorce me. That way, Anya and I can be happy.” I looked at him without emotion. Maybe my stare was too sharp, because for the first time, Henry seemed uneasy.
He pulled Anya into his arms. “Stop playing hard to get. It won’t work on me.” Then he left.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the severed finger I had found in the corner of the pigpen. It was Andrew’s.
After a long silence, I took out my phone and called Professor Zion Martin.
When the call connected, I went straight to the point. “Professor Martin, do you still need help?” He sounded a little surprised. “Kate, why did you think of calling me? Have you finally decided?” I stared at the severed finger in my hand and Andrew’s voice echoed in my mind. “Mom, you used to be so successful. Why do you insist on staying home as a housewife?”
“If one day you could return to your old job, I’d be so proud of you!”
My thoughts returned and I choked up. “I’ve decided. I’m willing to join the Bessemer project.”
‘Good. Then I just need to cancel your identity. You know this is top secret. And your husband’s family…”
‘Professor Martin, don’t worry about them. Give me a week. I’ll meet you after I’m done and I’ll cancel all my documents.”
| had just hung up when Henry’s angry voice sounded behind me. “What are you canceling? Planning to leave without me?”
