Chapter 2

Ryder acted quickly. Before long, the body was cremated, and he returned with an urn of ashes.

A funeral hall had already been set up at home, and neighbors who heard the news came to help.

Seeing a perfectly healthy person reduced to a black and white photo and an urn of ashes, everyone sighed.

My face was pale and haggard from the experiences of my previous life, making me truly look like a heartbroken woman whose husband had died.

Ryder, meanwhile, wrapped his arm around Serena and told me,

"Serena just found out she's pregnant. It's not good for her to be in the funeral hall; she might get sick. She doesn't need to be here."

He carefully helped Serena sit down, his face full of tenderness.

I ignored their intimate display, but Serena spoke to me.

"You don't have a man in your house. In the future, you'll inevitably need favors from Ronan. You can't just take advantage, can you?"

Her eyes were full of greed, trying to extract benefits from me with empty promises.

Ryder also chimed in,

"Don't you still have some gold bracelets and earrings? Why not give them to Serena as a subsidy?"

"You're just one woman; you don't need such precious things."

I looked up sharply, staring intensely at him.

Those were the only keepsakes my mother had saved her whole life and left to me before she passed away. How dare he!

Ryder, however, felt no guilt, making his demands self-righteously.

"You don't wear jewelry when you do housework or farm work. Giving them to Serena would make good use of them."

"Also, my brother asked me to handle some things for him before he died. Give me all the money he left in the house."

I was silent for a few seconds, then covered my face and started to cry.

"There's no money left. Ryder's money was all used up long ago, even my dowry went to him. I don't have any money now."

Ryder said anxiously,

"That's impossible! My brother clearly said he had over five hundred dollars!"

I was fearless:

"He was lying, feeling embarrassed about not having money, just trying to save face."

"Ronan, your brother is gone. You're the only man left in the family. If you don't help me and still demand money, are you trying to kill my child and me?!"

These words were naturally false, but Ryder couldn't refute them.

The neighbors around listened and looked at me with pity, urging Ryder to help his sister-in-law.

Ryder's face darkened:

"My older brother said he had five hundred dollars; it absolutely can't be wrong."

I sneered, got up, and brought out all of Ryder's things.

"Ryder only left these broken old things. I'll burn them for him right in front of you, so you won't have to keep thinking about them."

I dragged over a metal basin used for burning, threw Ryder's documents and letters into it, and lit his clothes on fire too.

Ryder instinctively tried to stop me, then stopped, his face black.

When I threw the things he had given me into the basin, he finally couldn't hold back.

"These are all things he gave you! What do you mean by burning them all?"

My voice choked:

"The person is gone. These inanimate objects have no meaning left."

"Moreover, you're pressing me so hard. The moment he died, you started asking me for money. I want to ask Ryder where he had any money left for me!"

I spoke with tears and extreme sorrow, causing everyone to sigh with emotion.

Ryder's face was ashen, and he could only watch me burn all his belongings.

Back in the room, my daughter Lily opened her big eyes and asked me confusedly.

"Mommy, that was Daddy, why does everyone say he's Uncle?"