Chapter 6

When the journey ended and I returned home, the lock was intact.

Muriel was too busy accompanying her new lover around the world to even think about the "wedding home."

I laughed somewhat mockingly. As I laughed, my throat tightened.

I remembered how she once broke into my family home and knelt before my parents.

"Please let me be with Leonardo."

"Unless I die, I will never betray him."

My parents didn't believe her. I did.

I betrayed everything and did everything I could to build a home with her.

Every single thing in this house was something we'd acquired together with our own hands.

The floor mat from the secondhand market, the TV stand I built myself, the sofa blanket she crocheted stitch by stitch.

Later when we had money, we still didn't move.

I firmly believed that when she said "forever," she meant forever. Turns out she didn't.

Her devoted heart had weathered and corroded over the years.

When finally pried open, it was completely rotten inside.

Disgust suddenly surged up within me.

I immediately contacted a realtor to sell the house.

I packed up those 100 urns and mailed them away. Everything else was completely cleared out too.

After doing all this, I dragged my suitcase and left.

When I looked back one last time, I thought I would feel reluctant.

But when it came down to it, all I felt in my heart was relief.

I moved into my own hotel and began contacting lawyers to discuss the division of assets.

During this time, Muriel's messages bombarded me.

"Why did you sell the house?"

"Where can you go by yourself?"

"Stop throwing a tantrum. You have no family, no friends. You're not comfortable living outside, are you?"

"Come to the villa in the south side of town. You and Robinson can keep each other company. I'll treat you both well."

I didn't reply to a single message. After arranging everything, I went to the church.

It was quite regrettable, really.

Our first child was lost by accident.

Our second child was also abandoned by its biological mother.

Perhaps in this lifetime, I was simply not meant to be a father.

I wanted to light a new candle for our first child and set up a candleholder for our second child as well.

But when I got to the church, I discovered that Niland's candleholder was gone.

The priest told me it had been removed by Muriel.

My heart felt like it had a huge hole torn in it, with wind howling through, so cold my whole body trembled.

When I first lost Niland, I couldn't eat or sleep. I even cut my wrists.

It wasn't until the candleholder was lit that she told me this way Niland could have complete blessings.

She also said that for the child to be at peace, the father must be safe.

Only then did I put down the knife and try to keep living.

But she personally extinguished the candleholder.

I walked out of the church in a daze.

Looking up, I saw Robinson supporting Muriel, whose belly was slightly rounded.

"Muriel, thank you for bringing me and the baby here for blessings."

She gently stroked her belly, her gaze tender. "Thank me for what? You're my lover, and Niland is our child. Of course I want you both to be safe and happy for life."

Niland—she still dared to speak that name.

I rushed forward and slapped her hard across the face.

She was first stunned, then immediately shielded Robinson behind her.

"Leonardo, what's wrong with you? I'm still carrying our child!"

"Our child? Muriel, have you no shame?" I said through gritted teeth, desperately suppressing my body's trembling.

"It's bad enough you aborted our second child, but why did you remove Niland's candleholder?"

She froze, her eyes evasive. "You... you know everything?"