My wife was infuriated when our son accidentally kicked Rosalie’s dog, and she locked him in the cage meant for aggressive dogs. I knelt in front of the iron cage, frantically pleading: “I can go in and apologize on behalf of my son. He’s severely allergic to dog hair. If we don’t get him to the hospital, he could die!” My wife stood by Rosalie, looking at me with disdain. “It’s your indulgence that spoiled our son into such a brat! Today, as his mother, I’ll teach him a lesson!” “Don’t worry, the therapy dog won’t harm him. It’s just one night—consider it a minor punishment for a serious lesson.” All I could do was watch as my son’s injuries worsened, his struggles weakened, and eventually, he fell silent. I collapsed in despair, begging my son to wake up and call me “Dad” one more time. Three hours later, the cage was finally broken open. Adeline posted on Facebook, sharing a picture of a pregnancy test. “Finally welcoming my little darling.” My heart felt lifeless. After signing the divorce papers, I took Liam to the funeral home, and I left a like and comment on her Facebook post. “Wishing you happiness.”
When Adeline called, I was at the funeral home. The mortician was stitching Liam’s body, covered in scars like centipedes. “Nolan, how dare you comment on Facebook! Declan and I grew up together, pure and innocent. What’s wrong with having his child?” “You hurt Coco and took Liam away, and I let it slide, but you have the nerve to provoke with comments! Do you know Declan’s depression flared up after seeing them?” “This time, I won’t be lenient. When Liam returns, he must kneel in front of the dog cage for three days and nights!” A stabbing pain shot through my heart, with the cries of Liam being bitten replaying in my mind. I gripped the phone, taking a deep breath. “Adeline, Liam can’t come back for you to torment. He’s dead!” Adeline scoffed dismissively. “Nolan, you’ll say anything to separate me and Declan, won’t you? It was just three hours in a cage, how could anything happen!” “You think dragging Liam out as an excuse will make me believe your nonsense?” I wanted to explain but felt a wave of helplessness. Adeline had a new child now; why would she care about me and Liam? My nails dug into my palms as I forced myself to stay calm. “I’ve signed the divorce papers. Adeline, we’re divorcing. You and Declan are free from interference.” Adeline was silent for a few seconds before hanging up directly. “Has that rebellious daughter realized her mistake?” My father-in-law hunched over, tapping the ground with his cane. I shook my head. “I’ve decided to divorce her.” My father-in-law looked at me with pity, sighing deeply. “Our family has wronged you.” He touched Liam’s bruised hand, tears falling. “What a sin! A good child tortured like this! How could there be dogs in the suburban area? It must be that vile woman bringing in wolfdogs!” “Why is Adeline so foolish!” Bitterness spread from my chest. Adeline wasn’t foolish; she just didn’t care. She once forbade a dog within miles so Liam could sleep undisturbed. But everything changed when Declan returned. Not only did she bring Declan’s dog into the villa, but she also opened a dog kennel at home, calling it “animal rescue.” The whole villa was constantly filled with barking. I took the terrified, pale-faced Liam to Adeline multiple times, but she just sat lazily in Declan’s arms, saying, “Think of it as desensitization training for Liam. Besides, these dogs are very tame; they won’t hurt him.” But these dogs were clearly aggressive breeds! Anyone entering their territory would be viciously attacked! I could barely stand, Liam’s painful struggles before death replaying in my mind. His body was bloodied by bites, one eye gouged by claws, helplessly calling “Daddy” through the cage. I futilely pounded the cage, watching Liam’s blood drip from the dog’s mouth, his struggling arm growing paler until it stopped moving. Even as he sighed, he looked towards the house, hoping his mother would come save him… My throat choked up, the grief almost knocking me off my feet, veins bulging on my forehead. “Sir, the little master is ready.” The mortician finished his work, looking at me with sympathy. I nodded, picking up Liam to head to the crematorium, feeling the resistance on my sleeve. My father-in-law spoke mournfully. “Let Adeline see him one last time; she is his mother after all.” 2 I remembered Liam’s final look, hesitating as I called Adeline. The phone rang a few times before she answered, and I spoke before she could. “Liam is leaving. If you still consider him your child, come send him off one last time.” Hearing my words, Adeline laughed. “Nolan, how vicious you are, cursing your own son to chase away Declan!” “I’m telling you, don’t use Liam to threaten me! Even if he’s dead, it has nothing to do with me. The child in my belly is my real child!… Declan, be careful with the baby…” Adeline’s voice suddenly turned tender, panting softly. I couldn’t bear the voice on the other end anymore and hung up. My father-in-law turned pale with anger, clutching his chest in pain. “Rebellious daughter! I’ve spoiled her, now she denies her own child!” He grabbed my hand that supported him. “Rest assured, I’ll teach her a lesson, make her apologize to you!” I shook my head, my eyes showing the relief after despair. “No need, if she doesn’t want us, I won’t hold on.” “We’ll leave.” The soft touch of Liam still lingered in my hands, but in a moment, it turned into a cold urn of ashes. I hailed a cab, taking Liam home. If possible, I didn’t want to return to this place of sorrow. But Liam’s belongings were here, and I didn’t want to leave them to be ruined by Adeline. As I got out of the car, the laughter from inside hit me. “Congratulations to our sister Adeline and brother Declan for reuniting as lovers!” The divorce papers were thrown on the floor by Adeline as she sat in Declan’s lap, laughing. “Nolan, a son-in-law, dares to talk divorce with me? Without me, he doesn’t even deserve to carry Declan’s shoes!” “Exactly! He dared threaten sister Adeline with that illegitimate child. Better that the kid died, he looked like he wouldn’t live long, embarrassing for our sister Adeline!” Such a joyful atmosphere froze the moment I walked in. The entire house was decked out in red, filled with roses and balloons. Everyone’s faces were full of happiness, making me, dressed in white, feel out of place. Adeline glanced at me casually, leaning against Declan, touching her belly. “Don’t say that, I only have one child, the one in my belly. Right, Declan?” Declan nodded smugly, one shoe pressing on a photo frame. My pupils shrank at the sight. It was a photo of Liam as a newborn, the only one with Adeline holding him. Liam needed to touch this photo every night to fall asleep. He said it felt like his mom was holding him to sleep. And now, this photo was trampled under Declan’s feet, lying with dust and dirt. I trembled with anger, my eyes bloodshot as I lunged at Declan. “How dare you step on that photo! Give it back!” Adeline slapped me, shielding Declan behind her. “Nolan, what’s wrong with you! It’s just a photo. Declan has depression, can’t you give him a break!” My nose bled from the hit, the hand holding Liam squeezed tightly with a creak. “Adeline, Liam just passed away, and you’re celebrating at home with someone. You’re that eager!” “Still acting! With a malicious dad like you, no wonder your kid was full of lies!” Adeline looked at me with disgust, her gaze settling on the urn in my hand. 3 “Knowing I’m celebrating, you brought such a disgusting thing to disgust me!” As she spoke, a bodyguard snatched Liam from me while I wasn’t paying attention. “Liam!” I tried to reach out, but the bodyguard pinned me down, kicking the back of my knee and forcing me to kneel before Declan. Watching Adeline take the urn, my heart leapt to my throat, and I spoke harshly. “Don’t touch him, you’ll regret it!” Swallowing, I softened my voice. “Give him back to me, I’ll leave immediately, never disturbing you and Declan again.” Adeline’s eyes turned dark, smirking. “I’ll give him to you, but you must kneel and apologize to Declan. You hurt Declan’s dog and disrupted his celebration, don’t think you’ll get away so easily!” Hearing this, Declan’s hand slipped, a glass shattered on the floor, glass shards everywhere. “Sorry, slipped.” Declan straightened, mocking me. “If you don’t kneel, I’ll flush this down the toilet!” Adeline urged. I clenched my hands, resolutely kneeling to Declan. The glass shards embedded deep in my knees, blood splattering. Yet I seemed unaware of the pain, bowing to Declan again and again. People around laughed, amused, but Declan shook his head. “He hit Coco, he should bow to her too. Bring Coco here!” “What are you waiting for, bow. Coco disciplined your disobedient son, shouldn’t you thank her?” “Sorry, my hand slipped.” Declan straightened up, looking at me with disdain. “If you don’t kneel, I’ll flush this down the toilet!” Adeline urged me on. I clenched my fists and knelt before Declan. Glass shards pierced my knees, and blood splattered, but I seemed numb to the pain, bowing to Declan repeatedly. People around us chuckled, but Declan shook his head. “He hit Coco; just bowing to me isn’t enough. Bring Coco here!” “Why are you just standing there? Bow. Coco helped discipline your unruly son, and you still haven’t thanked it properly?” Anger boiled within me, and I dragged my bleeding legs to lunge at Declan. The bodyguards quickly restrained me, pinning me to the ground. “You ungrateful fool, I should never have let you off!” Adeline kicked me hard and lifted the urn, smashing it into the toilet. The urn shattered, the ashes scattered into the water, and with a flush, Liam’s ashes were gone. “No, no, no!” My eyes burned with rage as I glared at Adeline, my voice filled with anguish. “Why! Why can’t you leave Liam in peace even after his death!” Adeline, frightened by my gaze, forced herself to shout back. “You’re insane! Get him to the mental health facility now!” The bodyguards dragged me out, just as my father-in-law arrived. “What is going on here?” He walked in with a cane, his hair graying, looking as if he’d aged ten years overnight. He looked angrily at the room’s decorations, his hand shaking as he pointed at Adeline. “Liam just died, and you’re celebrating here. Do you have any conscience?”
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