Chapter 2
The next morning, Grandpa Arthur was waiting for me.
He saw me, covered in mud and bloodstains, and his eyes glazed over slightly, still holding onto a flicker of hope.
“The funeral… won’t it be held at the Pei family estate?”
I had spent the entire night killing one thousand two hundred and sixty zombies. That was how many days Leo had lived in this world.
“I’ve chosen a good place for Leo. He will leave with me.”
Grandpa Arthur reluctantly handed me the urn.
He tried to make me stay, but I refused.
That place had mountains and water, where one could see the sun and moon exchange places. It was better than this cutthroat, unforgiving place called the Pei family estate.
I didn’t want Julian and Leo to have any more connection.
But I knew Grandpa Arthur truly loved his grandson, so I left Leo’s favorite rattle with him.
Heading home to pack my tools, I stumbled upon Julian and Serena lying naked in bed.
Serena wriggled her hips, scratching his face with a lecherous grin.
Her voice was sickly sweet as she traced circles on his chest. “Oh, Julian, they’re just so mean. I just wanted to save that poor little dog, and that child just had to come over. Now he’s dead, and they blame me.”
Julian listened, his heart aching for her. He hugged her tighter, his hand sliding stickily along her waist.
“I know you’re kind, honey. Look, I specially brought you three puppies. Do you like them?”
Serena playfully pushed him. “Oh, you’re so naughty, Julian…”
“Naughty? Here?”
Their flirting only brought back the image of Leo’s face, contorted in agony, right before he died.
I kicked the door open. They were even more brazen now.
Julian scoffed, seeing my weapons neatly packed in my hand.
“What, going off to some place to stay for a couple of days to put on a show for Grandpa Arthur again?”
“Can’t you be more genuine, woman? You’re neither hot nor cold, full of lies, utterly detestable! Your knack for fooling Grandpa Arthur won’t work on me.”
“If you’re leaving, just leave for good and don’t come back. It’ll be perfect; I can just let Serena be Leo’s mom.”
His arrogant, unreasonable face ignited a raging fire within me.
Leo’s dying agony kept replaying in my mind.
Even though his face was convulsing with pain, his consciousness fading, he had still managed a weak smile and asked me:
“Mommy, is Daddy hanging me here to train me? Look how strong I am, I’m not crying at all.”
“Daddy, Leo is useful, Leo is brave. Daddy, don’t be angry, don’t hate Mommy.”
A four-year-old child, whose only thought was how to make his father happy.
But thinking of everything Julian had done to him, my heart ached until I felt utterly drained.
Seeing my lack of reaction, Julian told Serena to take the puppies out.
He grabbed me, pinning me tightly against the bed, and cursed:
“You lying woman, do you even deserve to be called a mother? Let me tell you, my wife, the future mistress of the Pei family, can only be Serena!”
“If you hadn’t played your tricks and ruined Serena’s chances of having children, why would I have ever married you? Leo should have been Serena’s son! You, you fraud, you stole him!”
I stared at him, my face blank and cold, which only seemed to excite him more.
“You’ve got guts, daring to get angry with me?”
He pressed me into the bedding, tearing open my collar, letting out a guttural roar.
“Didn’t realize you liked kids so much, huh? I’ll just give you another one then!”
“Ava, Leo is what you owe Serena. You’d better bring him to Serena today, return him to her. Maybe if I’m in a good mood, I’ll even let you see him again.”
The bedding reeked of their recent pleasure, making me gag.
Julian’s shamelessness completely severed the last thread of affection I had for him.
I slapped him hard, yelling, my voice raw:
“Leo is dead!”
“If you want to find him, if you want Serena to be his mother, then go to hell!”