Chapter 3

"Yes, today is Zoe's birthday. I bought her favorite cake."

He said, panicking as he went upstairs.

Calling, "Zoe, are you upstairs? Don't play hide and seek with Dad, okay?"

Guests started whispering again.

"What kind of father doesn't know his daughter died?"

"Exactly, bringing a mistress and her child here, heartless."

I ignored them, kneeling, continuing to burn paper money.

Unable to find my daughter, Declan stormed back down.

"Adeline, where's Zoe?"

"Dad Declan, is Zoe playing hide and seek with us?"

"Can we take her to our new home to play? It's beautiful."

Hearing "new home," I suddenly looked up.

Remembering Nora wanted to buy a house here for her son to attend school.

Could it be?

I quickly stood, walked to Declan.

"Declan, did you use our daughter's education fund to buy a house for them?"

"Adeline, don't blame Declan. He felt sorry for us having no place to live and used it temporarily."

Nora acted pitifully, trying to gain sympathy.

So it was true!

If Declan hadn't taken that money, Zoe wouldn't have died from lack of surgery funds.

I suddenly shouted at Declan angrily,

"That was our daughter's life-saving money! How could you do this?"

"What life-saving money? Our daughter is alive."

Declan still couldn't accept that our daughter was gone.

"Then, Dad Declan, can I invite Zoe to see fireworks tonight?"

"Last night's fireworks were beautiful."

Hearing Jasper's words, I laughed in anger.

"So yesterday, when you hung up on me, it was to watch fireworks with them?"

Declan answered confidently.

"Yes, kids like excitement. I joined them. So what?"

Ha!

What do you mean, so what?

Yesterday was our daughter's cremation day, and he was busy with someone else's child.

Zoe always wanted Declan to take her to see fireworks, but he always had excuses.

Yet now, he watched fireworks all night with Rosalie's child.

Declan, you're so heartless. It's fine if you don't love me, but how could you treat my daughter like this?

My best friend, unable to hold back, shouted at Declan.

"Declan, you're such a jerk, ignoring your child but treating someone else's as your own. Is he your biological son?"

Nora suddenly, with teary eyes, explained.

"Miss, you can't say that. It will cause misunderstandings."

I spent the entire night watching fireworks with Rosalie's child.

Declan, how could you be so cruel? You may not love me, but how can you treat my daughter this way?

My best friend, unable to hold back any longer, began to berate Declan.

"Declan, you're truly despicable. You neglect your own daughter but treat someone else's child like they're your own. I bet that kid is actually yours."

Nora's eyes welled up with tears as she tried to defend herself.

"Ma'am, please don't say such things. It will cause misunderstandings."

Declan stepped protectively in front of Nora and her child, glaring at my best friend. "Your words are damaging Nora's reputation. Apologize to her."

My best friend sneered, "Apologize? Never. You should be the ones apologizing to Zoe."

"You didn't even know your own daughter had passed away. You don't deserve to be called a father."

She spoke the last sentence with sheer contempt for Declan.

"Stop spewing nonsense. My Zoe isn't dead; she's only five years old."

He shouted, then began to tear apart the wreaths in the room.

"I'll show you acting. I'll show you playing."

"Declan, you can't do this. Zoe wouldn't be happy."

"Stop it right now."

I rushed to stop Declan from destroying things, but he wouldn't listen.

In a matter of moments, the entire memorial service was in shambles.

Many guests, unable to bear the sight, left, shaking their heads.

Seeing him about to strike my daughter's urn, I ran over and cradled it protectively in my arms.

"You can't smash this."

"Heh, Adeline, you're really putting on a show, even setting up an urn."

"No, it's truly my daughter's ashes inside," I croaked, my voice nearly gone.

Declan snatched the urn from my hands and smashed it to the ground.

Watching the ashes scatter, I fell to my knees with a thud.

I murmured in agony, "Zoe, I'm sorry. It's Mom who didn't protect you."

"Truly sorry!"

Tears streamed down my face like a broken string of pearls, mingling with my daughter's ashes on the floor.

Declan seemed to realize he had gone too far, his lips moving slightly.

"You wanted to use these things to deceive me."

My best friend, furious, shoved Declan, "Declan, do you have any humanity? Why would you scatter Zoe's ashes? She was just a child!"

At that moment, Dr. Wesley from the hospital arrived at the memorial service.

4.

Seeing the chaos inside, he feared being implicated in the child's death and wanted to leave.

But Declan stopped him, "Dr. Wesley, you're here just in time. Tell me, isn't Zoe still alive?"

Dr. Wesley was even more frightened by the question, trembling as he replied, "Dean, back then, Adeline didn’t have the money for the surgery fees. She called you, but you refused to authorize the surgery. All the doctors present heard it."

"So now you're lying for her, saying Zoe is dead?"

"Answer me!"

Declan shouted when Dr. Wesley remained silent.

"I'm sorry, Dean Declan. Your daughter didn't survive because the surgery wasn't performed in time."

Dr. Wesley's head was almost touching the ground as he spoke the last words.

"Declan, did you hear that? Zoe is really gone, and it's your fault." My best friend took the opportunity to add.

"No, that's not how it is." Declan muttered to himself, backing away.

Suddenly, Declan lunged forward and grabbed Dr. Wesley by the collar.

"You knew the situation best. Why didn't you perform the surgery for Zoe?"

"Dean, didn't you instruct that without your consent, we shouldn't agree to Adeline's demands?"

Declan ruffled his hair in frustration, gritting his teeth, "When did I ever say such a thing?"

Dr. Wesley widened his eyes in disbelief, "Isn't that what you instructed? Everyone in the hospital knows."

I knew Declan's character. If he didn't do something, he wouldn't admit it.

Could it be?

I instinctively looked at Nora, seeing her panicked expression and tightly clenched fists.

Declan also suddenly shot a fierce look at Nora.

Terrified, Nora's eyes filled with tears as she desperately defended herself, "Declan, I didn't do anything."

I quickly approached Nora and slapped her hard.

"I'll make you pretend. Give me Zoe's life back."

Seeing Nora being hit, Declan pushed me to the ground without hesitation.

My head hit the ground with a loud thud.

The pain was unbearable, and familiar yet unfamiliar fragments flooded into my mind.

My best friend, seeing me clutching my head in pain, hurriedly helped me up.

"Adeline, is your head hurting again? Let's get you up first."

The images in my mind slowly overlapped.

I finally remembered who I was.

After a moment, I shot Declan a cold glare.

He was already falling apart.

With red eyes, he apologized to me, "Adeline, I'm sorry. I didn't know Zoe's condition would become so serious, and in the end..."

I shook off Declan's hand decisively.

"Declan, we're finished. Get ready to face the consequences!"

My best friend was stunned by my sudden change.

"Adeline, did that bump knock some sense into you? Your aura is so powerful."

It was only after that bump that I remembered my past.

I met Declan after a car accident. I was the patient, and he was the doctor.

After the accident, I only remembered my name and had no other memories.

During my hospital stay, I fell for Declan's handsome appearance.

He had just broken up with Nora not long before, and since we were both orphans, we ended up together out of convenience.

After marriage, I knew he didn't love me that much, but he didn't lack love for Zoe.

Until recently, when his Rosalie returned with a child, taking away the little affection he had for me.

Declan was shocked by my sudden powerful aura.

"Adeline, how did you suddenly become a different person?"

"As for Zoe, I really didn't expect it. I thought..."

"Yes," I interrupted Declan, "You thought everything I did before was just my way of competing for your attention."

"Declan, in your eyes, am I really so despicable that I would joke about my daughter's life?"

"Now that our daughter is gone, our union was a mistake from the start. Let's end it here."

After speaking coldly, I crouched down, carefully gathering my daughter's ashes from the ground and wrapping them in cloth.

Declan was thoroughly panicked.

"No, Adeline, Zoe is gone, and now you're leaving me too?"

I found it utterly ridiculous.

I sneered, "Declan, it's not that I'm leaving you. You pushed me away."

"Without us, there are others waiting for you to take them home."

I glanced at Nora standing nearby. Her eyes gleamed with pride, full of provocation.

But the next second, she played the victim, "Declan, Finn is a little scared. Can you take us home first?"