Chapter 1

My husband Adrian was in the late stages of a brain tumor and had fallen into brain death. Friends and family all urged me:

"Evelyn, let him go peacefully. Don't make him suffer anymore."

Grief-stricken, I went home to sort through our memories, only to find farewell letters he'd written to friends and family before.

The handwriting was messy, but it clearly stated that after his death, he wanted to donate his heart to his son with his first love.

At the end, he'd specifically added a line:

"Don't let my wife know."

My blood instantly froze. So he'd had a child with another woman all along.

My tears suddenly stopped. I wiped my face and dialed the hospital:

"I agree to withdraw treatment. Arrange for cremation."

Later, when friends and family saw my husband's ashes, they all stared wide-eyed: "How could you..."

My gaze swept coldly over them.

"Weren't you the ones who told me to give him a quick release?"

Friends and family were speechless, exchanging confused glances.

Only Adrian's ghost, floating beside me, looked completely shocked. He reached out to touch the urn, but his fingers passed straight through the wooden surface.

"Evelyn! Have you lost your mind?!"

His voice trembled with panic:

"How could you do this? Noah is still waiting for my heart to save his life!"

I ignored his insane rambling and held the urn expressionlessly.

Friends and family were still whispering among themselves. Someone tentatively asked:

"Evelyn, did Adrian leave any... last words?"

I gripped the urn tighter, my knuckles turning white. "He didn't say anything. He didn't even leave a note. I just followed your advice and let him leave quickly."

The people present didn't know what to say after hearing my words.

Adrian's ghost paced frantically in circles, his screams almost piercing my eardrums:

"Noah is only seven years old. He has a congenital heart condition. Only my heart can save him! I know I wronged you, but the child is innocent. Just do this one good deed, okay?"

I pulled at the corner of my mouth, revealing a faint, cold smile.

Innocent? What about the grievances my daughter and I suffered all these years?

Over the past few years, he'd always come home late, claiming he was working overtime or on business trips. He'd occasionally smell of perfume that wasn't mine. His wallet would have tickets to children's amusement parks I'd never been to.

Time and again, I deceived myself, thinking it was just emotional distance from his worsening condition. Until this farewell letter completely tore apart all pretenses.

"Adrian," I spoke to the air, my voice cold as ice. "When you wrote those letters, you thought about keeping it from me. You thought about leaving a way out for someone else's child. But did you ever think about Lily and me?"

Friends and family exchanged confused looks. No one knew who I was talking to. They just thought I was overcome with grief.

Someone softly consoled me: "Evelyn, don't be too sad. The dead can't come back. The living have to move forward."

I didn't respond and just turned to leave.

Of course I had to move forward now that the scumbag was dead.

Adrian's ghost followed behind me, cursing incessantly:

"Evelyn, you're heartless! You'll face retribution! If Noah dies, I won't let you go even as a ghost!"

I turned a deaf ear, my steps never faltering.

Retribution?

My greatest retribution was marrying the wrong man and staying in a marriage full of lies.