Chapter 4

I carried Lily to the crematorium myself.

My whole body trembled as I placed her small, still form onto the cold steel tray. The heavy door closed. The flames ignited with a low roar.

"Lily, Mommy will... avenge you." The words were a broken promise whispered into the sterile air.

George sat in a wheelchair nearby, weeping without end. "I' ve harmed you so much... I have no right to stop you anymore. But Sarah, if Liam comes to his senses... can you give him another chance?"

I turned to him, my eyes dry. I had no more tears left to cry.

"When my daughter cried and begged him, why couldn' t he give her a chance?"

I took the death certificate, the paper feeling heavy and wrong in my hands, and went home. I needed to pack my things, and Lily' s.

The moment I opened the front door, I was hit by a strong, sweet smell of champagne and the sight of scattered blue streamers all over the floor. It was a party.

Tiffany was draped over the sofa, a glass in her hand. She saw me, and a provocative smile touched her lips. She raised her voice, making sure Liam could hear from the other room.

"Liam, honey, your wife is back. You should let go of me. Otherwise, she' ll be in a bad mood later and drag poor Lily into her act again. That poor child, so young and already learning to lie and deceive just like her mother."

Liam stormed out of the kitchen, his shirt unbuttoned. He pointed a finger at me.

"Sarah, stop right there!"

He looked at me with disgust. "I' ve already explained to you that Tiffany getting pregnant with my child was an accident. It' s bad enough that you' re jealous of Tiffany and constantly hassle her."

His words were like stones, heavy and blunt.

"Now Tiffany' s child is gone because of your torment, and you show no remorse. Today, you even took our daughter to steal Tiffany' s amusement park day."

"I never tormented Tiffany, and her miscarriage has nothing to do with me," I said. My voice was a dead-level monotone. "I' m tired of saying it. Believe it or not."

"Whatever excuses you make," Liam scoffed. "You' ve constantly used our child to compete with her and challenge my bottom line today. I don' t think you deserve to be Lily' s mother. I' m going to let Tiffany raise Lily. She will be her new mother."

The absurdity of his words almost made me laugh. I turned and walked toward the stairs, ignoring him. I had to get Lily' s things.

He grabbed my arm, his grip like iron. His eyes narrowed, a hint of probing in them. "If you don' t want to give Lily to her, that' s fine. I' ll compensate Tiffany with another child, but you better not torment her this time."