Chapter 3

Lena POV

I didn't sleep all night.

I enlarged the Shaw family dinner photo Veronica had sent and finally noticed a group photo in the corner. In it, Shaun stood beside his mother, Veronica on the other side, her face half-hidden by a flower arrangement, but the jewelry on her wrist identical to what she wore in today's photo.

I scrolled back through Veronica's account.

Two years ago, Veronica had already attended a Shaw family dinner.

That day had been my child's memorial day.

Shaun said something urgent had come up and he couldn't accompany me to the cemetery. I sat alone at the old grave until dark. When I returned home the food had gone cold, and he still hadn't come back.

That night Veronica had posted a photo. It showed fireworks outside a car window, captioned: Someone watched the most beautiful night view of the year with me.

The hand visible inside the car wore the watch Shaun usually wore.

I screenshot each one.

When he said business dinner, Veronica was at the same private club.

When he said business trip, Veronica was in the airport VIP lounge.

When he said Shaw family matters were keeping him busy, Veronica had already accompanied him to celebrate a family elder's birthday.

By dawn, Shaun pushed open the study door to see the desk covered with printed screenshots.

His expression darkened. "What have you been doing all morning?"

I didn't collect them. "Two years ago on the child's memorial day, why didn't you come home?"

Shaun paused. "The Shaw family had something urgent come up."

I pushed the car window fireworks photo toward him. "This is what the Shaw family needed?"

Shaun glanced at it, his tone cooling. "Lena, what's the point of digging through all this? Veronica and I were just ordinary friends back then."

"That day was our child's memorial day."

Shaun was silent for several seconds, finally only saying, "I don't remember clearly."

I nodded and gathered the screenshots.

The doorbell rang shortly after.

Veronica stood at the entrance wearing the house slippers I kept by the door, holding a roster.

She came in like the lady of the house and placed the roster on the coffee table. "Shaun, I've finished organizing the relocation service roster. There will be many family elders. If Lena attends, everyone will feel awkward."

I looked down.

I wasn't on the roster.

I asked Shaun, "Is this what you want?"

Veronica coughed lightly. "Lena, I'm just worried it would look bad if matters concerning the child caused trouble in front of the family elders. If you want to see him, you can go after the service ends. It's the same thing."

Shaun looked at me. "Don't go to the service for now. After the relocation, I'll go with you privately."

I took out my phone and photographed the roster.

Veronica's eyes shifted. She walked to the cabinet and saw the duplicate memorial album I'd prepared for my child.

She reached for it.

I blocked her first.

Veronica laughed. "I should keep these from now on. The mother's name on the headstone is being changed. If you keep too much, it won't look appropriate when outsiders see."

I held the memorial album to my chest. "Don't touch my son's things."

Veronica's eyes immediately reddened as she turned to look at Shaun.

Shaun frowned. "Lena, Veronica's just trying to organize the service properly. Don't treat her like an enemy."

I didn't argue. I carried the memorial album upstairs.

I placed the memorial album, old headstone photos, cemetery documents, Shaw family dinner photos, and Veronica's old social media screenshots in the same document folder, then took out my wedding ring and bank card.

The inside of the ring was engraved with Shaun's and my initials, with our child's birth month beside them.

Downstairs, Shaun was still discussing seating arrangements with Veronica.

I put the ring in the top of the document folder, locked it, and began packing the last batch of clothes.

When Shaun came upstairs, I had just closed my suitcase.

His expression changed. "What are you trying to pull now?"

"Packing some clothes I don't often use."

Shaun reached to open the case.

I pressed down on the latch. "I'm packing my own things. Do you need to inspect those too?"

Shaun stared at me. "Before the relocation service, you'd better not do anything that embarrasses the Shaw family."

Downstairs, Veronica was calling for him.

Shaun glanced at me and turned to go downstairs.

As soon as the door closed, I took the train ticket from the closet compartment and put it in the document folder.