Chapter 5

I didn’t answer directly, but asked, frowning:

"How did you know I was here?"

Adeline's voice was hoarse.

"I checked your bank transactions."

I suddenly remembered that not long after we married, Adeline took control of our finances, monitoring my and our daughter's expenses closely. Even the bank cards were under her name.

Looks like I won’t be needing that card anymore.

But I was puzzled. Shouldn't she be at home taking care of Jasper? Why was she here?

Adeline, unusually gentle, took my hand.

"I know you’re still mad about last night."

"So this morning, after Jasper felt a bit better, I sent him away. Don’t worry, he slept on the sofa."

I looked at her in disbelief.

She never used to explain these things. Whenever I argued with her about them, she’d call me petty and narrow-minded.

But now, without me asking, she kept talking in my ear.

I felt annoyed and pushed her away, expressionless.

"Are you done? I need to go to an interview."

Recently, I’d sent out many resumes and received offers from several big companies.

But just as I was about to leave, Adeline, tearful, grabbed me, her voice trembling:

"Declan, must you be so heartless?"

"Jasper and I grew up together. I just want him to be well. Is that wrong?"

"Besides, haven’t I been good to you and our daughter?"

"Haven’t I paid for everything you and our daughter needed all these years?"

"Do you think this is fair to me?"

Her confident words felt ironic.

She only gave us 200 dollars a month, barely enough for basic needs, let alone school or commuting...

To feed our daughter, I worked three part-time jobs after work. Yet, I couldn’t gather the ten thousand dollars for surgery and watched as our daughter died on the operating table.

Tearfully, Adeline softly said:

"Declan, stop this, come home with our daughter. Let’s live happily as a family, okay?"

Her pitiful look only amused me.

Why should I act like her obedient dog, doing whatever she says?

Seeing my stern face, she reluctantly offered:

"Then... I'll raise your and our daughter's allowance to 500 a month!"

"Didn’t our daughter want to go to the beach? Let’s go today, okay?"

"Look, I even bought her the swimsuit she always wanted."

She finished, looking at me expectantly.

She thought her offer was tempting enough that I couldn’t refuse.

I sneered coldly, "You want to take our daughter to the beach?"

"Then come with me."

Adeline had no idea what was coming. She thought I’d forgiven her. As she followed me to the car, she joked:

"We’ve been together so long, and you still have surprises for me?"

"Alright, I’ll humor you and check it out."

But when I drove to our daughter’s grave, Adeline looked confused.

"Declan, weren’t we going to your mom’s to see our daughter?"

"Why did you bring me here?"

I gave a bitter chuckle, "You want to take our daughter to the beach, right?"

"Then follow me."

Adeline had no idea what was coming. She thought I'd forgiven her. Even as she got into the car with me, she joked with a playful smile:

"We've been together for so long, and you're still planning surprises for me?"

"Alright, I'll humor you and come along."

But when I drove to our daughter's grave, Adeline looked puzzled.

"Declan, weren't you taking me to your mom's to see our daughter?"

"Why did you bring me here?"

The moment Adeline saw our daughter's photo on the tombstone, the swimsuit she had bought slipped from her hands.