Chapter 4
ven opened his month, but he remained silent.
“Nora inherited my temperament, but you were always claiming to be busy, evening kene bite, and sees you had free time, you spear t drinking or with Lily! How much time dal you actually spend with per family?” I confined. “Did you ever celebre Tora’s burthday with her, even ence? You promised hat broke your word. Yet dad Mora over blame gray? fís, the thought the hard geen you and blamed herself for being immature
“Do you know how much the wished you would pick har ng from kindergartens, own just see? You promised her that too, but you didn’t show up And still, she didn’t blame your she said she understood you were brary and had to support the family
When Nora performed at her kindergarten event, she waited at home word mafnight, wasting to show you the vides but what fad you do? You
ched it with a scowl. Do you know she cried the entire nigher
“And this time! Do you even know what Nora and I went through? That bastard john poked her hands with bamboo sticks, denied her water and food, fed her poisonous mushrooms, and hung her outside for mosquitoes to bite! Do you know how many times Nora said, Daddy will come for me?? Her last words before she died were that she would be obedient and sensible and wouldn’t make you angry again”
“Trey
you who killed Nora! You killed our sweet daughter! I cried, my voice hoarse, venting all the fury in my heart at Steven
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry… Steven fell to his knees, lowering his head. He had finally shed his arrogance, but it was too late.
“In your heart, Nora was nothing more than an optional possession, wasn’t she? She meant less to you than a hamster, didn’t she?” I demanded, my voice filled with anger despite the pain in my throat.
“No, no, no! Nora is very important to me…” Steven shook his head repeatedly.
“Ha, not as important as Lily.” I let out a bitter laugh. “Steven, you deserve to die! Do you know that? You deserve it! I will never forgive you, nor Lily, nor John! You’re all in this together!”
With that, I stopped paying attention to Steven. I carefully gathered the ashes back into the urn and placed it in compartment 99. I whispered softly, “Nora, I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you. In your next life, find a good family.”
Tears streamed down my face as I reluctantly closed the compartment. Turning around, I locked eyes with Lily’s resentful gaze. “You want Steven so badly? He’s yours. I hope you die together.”
With that, I left.
“abelle!” Steven called out, his voice trembling.
But I didn’t look back. This time, I was resolute.
After leaving the mountain, I went to a lawyer to file for divorce on my behalf and then returned home to pack my things. On the wall hung a family photo of the three of us. We looked so happy, but behind that smile was Steven’s impatience. I had begged him dozens of times to take that one and only family photo. He eventually agreed, reluctantly.
I took the photo down, cut Steven out, and threw it into the trash, just as he had discarded me and Nora, without a second thought.
Nora once said I was the greatest mom, the one who loved her the most in the world. In truth, Nora was the only light in my lonely life. During the day, she made me laugh; at night, she accompanied me to sleep. I hoped Nora would grow up happily, and she hoped I would live a long life. But fate is cruel… Perhaps, I should never have brought Nora into such a broken family. She was only six, a tender blossom, and now she’s gone.
