Chapter 2

The next day, Elizabeth waited punctually at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau.

After nine o'clock passed and William still hadn't arrived, Elizabeth promptly called him.

An exasperated voice came from the other end, "Elizabeth! What else are you capable of besides throwing tantrums? Are you deliberately trying to make me miserable?"

Elizabeth replied serenely, "Come and get divorced, William. Don't make me despise you."

Eventually, he showed up.

After signing names and affixing the stamps, the divorce certificate was in hands.

William's face was extremely unsightly, and he laughed in anger.

"Fine, fine, fine. I really underestimated you."

"Don't forget what I said. The custody of Isabella is mine! Elizabeth, I'll give you three days to pack your things and send the child over - otherwise, I won't hesitate to take you to court!"

Watching his furious back, Elizabeth wanted to laugh, but a metallic taste of blood rose in her throat.

William, Isabella is already dead, right on the day Florence's surgery was successful.

Are you happy? At least you saved the cost of a lawsuit.

Elizabeth didn't return to that home again.

She had already incinerated all of Isabella's belongings and discarded all of her own.

She had also shredded all the family photos in the house.

Recently, her health had been deteriorating rapidly, and there was often debris from her internal organs in the blood she spat out.

She had been so adamant about obtaining the divorce certificate just to sever all connections with William - even in the afterlife.

That day, Elizabeth took the luggage she had already packed and held Isabella's urn as she returned to her hometown.

Her parents had always respected her decisions.

Just as in the past, when they clearly disliked William but still consented to her marriage to him just to make her happy.

It was the same now.

They looked at the urn in her arms and her gaunt body and had likely surmised what had transpired, but they didn't pry further.

They simply prepared nutritious meals for her daily and wiped away the blood that spurted from her mouth.

Once again, after spitting blood until her voice was hoarse, Elizabeth looked at the pain in her parents' eyes and felt nothing but remorse.

She regretted burdening them during the final moments of her life.

Probably sensing her thoughts, her mother tightly embraced her and couldn't help but sob, "My dear, your father and I are so glad you came back - being able to accompany you in your last journey, we have no regrets!"

Tears streamed down involuntarily, and Elizabeth finally found peace in her heart.

On a sunny afternoon, Elizabeth sat in a rocking chair, with the grapes her mother had washed beside her.

In the midsummer glow, Elizabeth saw Isabella.

She was wearing the white dress Elizabeth had recently burned for her, lying on Elizabeth's lap, beaming brightly at her.

"Mommy! Isabella can touch you now!"

Elizabeth held Isabella's hand and watched as her parents placed her own urn beside Isabella's.

One large and one small, the two porcelain urns nestled together, just as Isabella used to sleep in Elizabeth's embrace.

Isabella blinked her clear, large eyes.

"Mommy, Grandma and Grandpa can't see us..."

Elizabeth stroked her head.

"But they hold us in their hearts."

Although they didn't know why they still lingered in this world.

But after seeing that her parents' emotions had stabilized, Elizabeth decided to take Isabella to see her father.

When she was alive, William had been entirely preoccupied with Florence in the adjacent ward.

Isabella had yearned for her father's visit daily but never got to see him in the end.

Now, Elizabeth was going to fulfill her wish and let Isabella see him to her heart's content.

In the hospital, William had just emerged from the operating room.

Isabella finally beheld the father she had longed for and excitedly flitted around him.

But William was oblivious to her presence and sat there resting impassively.

Another doctor passed by, and William, as if remembering something, called out to him.

"Dr. Henry, how was my daughter's recovery before she was discharged?"

The doctor smiled.

"She recovered splendidly. The treatment was highly timely, and there were no complications at all!"