Love's Fleeting Splendor

Chapter 1 Lena Norwoord married her father’s much older friend, Micah Shaw, when she was 20.

He was eight years older than her and was known as a cold-hearted man in their circles. He was a ruthless businessman who never showed interest in women. However, he was impossibly gentle with her.

He would have millions of dollars worth of jewelry delivered to her the next day just because he had overheard her saying that a necklace looked nice.

He would drop billion-dollar deals to make her warm soup and spoon-feed her with patience and gentleness when her period cramps left her curled up in bed.

In moments of passion, he would grip her waist and murmur with a hoarse voice, calling her sweet and addictive.

Every one of his social media accounts had the same name—”To Alice.”

Lena always thought it was a tribute to the song she played on the piano the day they first met, until she found an old photo album in his study one day.

Every photo in the album was of the same girl, who looked strikingly like her, smiling beside a piano.

The words on the back of the photos read, “To Alice, my dearest Laris Halloway.”

…

Lena did only two things after discovering the truth.

She first went to the hospital to terminate her five-month pregnancy. The baby had already started kicking by then.

She gritted her teeth and didn’t cry on the operating table. It wasn’t until the nurse asked her if she wanted to see the baby that she broke down and shook her head.

The second thing she did was draft a divorce agreement.

Then, she called Micah.

He used to answer her calls in an instant and ask with a gentle voice, “Baby, what’s wrong?” However, this time, she had to call him 23 times before he finally picked up.

A burst of noise came through the phone, followed by the teasing voices of his friends.

“First love hits hard, huh? Micah just dumps his five-month pregnant girl at home as soon as Laris returns.”

“Well, she’s just a stand-in. You should’ve seen how much he loved Laris back then. He nearly drank himself to death when they broke up. He never got over her and even found himself a replacement.”

“That poor girl still has no idea and still clings to Micah every single day. I bumped into them kissing the other day, and the way she latched onto him just about turned my bones to jelly. I’d have long gotten over Laris if I had a sweet and soft girl like her back at home waiting for me.”

“Alas, Micah looks aloof, but he’s hopeless when it comes to love. He’ll only love Laris in this lifetime. Didn’t you see that just now? She casually complained that her heels hurt her feet, and he immediately carried her up and took her to buy flats.”

Lena held her phone as silent tears streamed down her face.

Suddenly, the other end of the call fell silent.

“Who answered my phone?” Micah’s voice cut in.

“What? I have no idea. Someone probably pressed it by accident…”

Footsteps echoed on the other end of the phone before the background noise quickly quieted down.

When Micah spoke again, Lena heard his gentle tone—which she could never resist—come through the phone. He said, “Baby, what’s wrong? Can’t sleep because of the thunder? I have a dinner meeting. I’ll go back in a bit to be with you and the baby, okay?”

Lena took a deep breath. “I called to talk about signing the divorce…”

A woman’s voice came through before she could finish her words, “Micah, my feet hurt…”

Micah momentarily fell silent before quickly saying to Lena, “Baby, go to sleep first. I’ll be home soon.”

With that, he hung up the phone.

Lena smiled faintly and wiped away her tears before lifting her gaze and looking at the table in front of her.

There were two gifts on it—both were for him. One was the divorce agreement, while the other was a box containing the remains of the child they lost. Anyone who betrayed a genuine heart deserved a thousand sleepless nights and a lifetime of regret.

Lena was young, but she wasn’t naive enough to endure this kind of betrayal. She wouldn’t keep anyone who deceived her. She knew how to love deeply and knew even better on how to let go.

She didn’t know how long she had sat there before she finally got up and placed the box with their late child into the fridge.

Suddenly, a noise came from the villa’s front door.

“Baby, why aren’t you in bed?” Micah removed his jacket and walked over with his tie hanging loose around his neck. “What are you looking for in the fridge? Are you hungry?”

Lena didn’t respond to him. She simply quietly looked at him.

Micah was a bit thrown off by her indifference. He then held up a beautifully packed box of food from behind him. His eyes were soft as he said, “I went all over the city to buy you this. You’ve been craving it lately, haven’t you?”

He laid out all the snacks Lena loved the most when morning sickness hit.

She would’ve thrown herself into his arms before this. But now, all she felt was irony.

“Why are you standing there and not saying anything? Is the baby making you uncomfortable again?” Micah said as he reached out to touch her lower abdomen.

Lena blocked his hand and handed him a document. “Sign this.”

Micah was slightly stunned, but his phone rang just as he was about to take a look.

She glanced at the screen—it was Laris.

After hearing the voice on the other end of the line, Micah’s expression softly shifted. He hung up the phone and quickly signed the paper without glancing at it. Then, he grabbed the car keys and was about to turn to leave.

“Baby, I have an urgent matter to attend to. Get some rest.” He walked toward the door before adding with a gentle tone, “From now on, you can buy anything you want and don’t have to ask for my approval. We’re husband and wife. What’s mine is yours.”

Lena tightened her grip on the signed divorce agreement. Her lips curled into a faint smile. “Micah, we won’t be husband and wife anymore soon.”

Chapter 2 Lena had a very long dream that night.

In her dream, she relived the first time she met Micah. She was 18 years old that year and was accompanying her father to a banquet hosted by the Shaw family.

Micah stood by the piano in a sharp black suit and was holding a glass of champagne in his hand. His features were striking and refined.

It was love at first sight for Lena.

Later on, she worked up the courage to steal a kiss from him.

Micah was slightly stunned. Then, he let out a low chuckle. “Little girl, that’s not how you kiss.”

After that, he cupped the back of her head and showed her what a real kiss was. The kiss lasted so long that Lena could barely breathe.

It was a beautiful and surreal dream. When she woke up, her pillow was soaked in tears.

By then, the sun had risen.

Lena sat in silence for a while before finally picking up her phone and dialing her father’s number.

“Dad, I’m getting a divorce.” Her voice was hoarse. “I’ll go meet you guys once I get the divorce certificate.”

“Did Micah do something?” Her father raised his voice.

“No.” Lena looked out at the slowly brightening sky. “We just don’t love each other anymore.”

The truth was, Micah didn’t love her. Lena herself would never love him again either.

She didn’t say that aloud though. It would be like swallowing a shard of glass that would cut her up inside as it settled.

After hanging up the phone, Lena received a message from an unfamiliar number on WhatsApp. She opened it without thinking much.

Immediately, she saw the video that was sent.

Micah was dozing on a couch in the video. His brows were slightly furrowed as he murmured a name in his sleep, “Lissy…”

Then came a long string of text messages.

“I’m Laris, Micah’s first love. I never imagined that he still hadn’t gotten over me after all these years, even after getting married. Today, I even found out that he still has my nickname tattooed on the inner side of his wrist.

“He kept all our photos, even the diary entries he wrote back then. Look, he’s still calling my name in his sleep. He must be dreaming about our past. After all, that time in his life was unforgettable.”

Lena felt her chest tighten with a numb pain as she read the message. She replied with just one message, “What do you want?”

It took a long time before Laris responded, “Nothing. I’m just reclaiming what’s mine. He’s about to wake up. Do you want to bet that he’ll stay by my side for the next five days and won’t contact you even once if I say I had a nightmare?”

Lena didn’t reply.

Ten minutes later, Micah’s message came in.

“Baby, an urgent project just came up. I’ll be on a five-day business trip. My secretary’s available if you need anything. Take care of yourself and the baby.”

Lena stared at the screen and suddenly laughed. Tears splashed down onto her phone as she did.

…

Micah indeed disappeared over the next five days.

Meanwhile, Laris’s messages came nonstop. She sent photos of Micah walking along the beach with her, watching sunsets atop hills, driving her through the countryside…

Just then, she sent another message.

“These were our favourite places back when we were dating.”

Lena read every message and suddenly remembered that Micah had also taken her to all those same places in the photos.

She had thought that Micah was just being romantic back then. But now, she realized that he was simply revisiting old memories and seeing another woman’s shadow through her. …

Lena began packing on the fifth day after Micah left.

The jewelry, the bags, and the clothes he had bought her—everything that had anything to do with him—went into boxes and were thrown into the storage room.

When Micah wearily rushed home, he saw a half-empty closet. He was clearly stunned for a moment. “Baby, what are you doing?”

Lena didn’t even look up. “Nothing. I’m just throwing out some useless things.”

He didn’t think much of it and only handed her a gift. It was a limited edition illustrated book set. Lena had offhandedly mentioned wanting it last month. She didn’t expect him to remember.

“Baby.” Micah pulled her into his arms and rested his hands on her lower abdomen. “Is your morning sickness still bad? Your prenatal checkup’s tomorrow. I’ll go with you.”

“You don’t have to.” Lena pulled away from him. “You don’t have to anymore.”

Only then did he sense that something was amiss. “What do you mean? Have you not been feeling well lately?”

A household staff then chimed in from the side, “Mrs. Shaw hasn’t had much of an appetite these days. She’s barely eaten.”

Micah immediately loosened his tie. “I’ll go get groceries and cook your favourite dishes for you. Be good and just eat a little, alright?”

He then turned around and called back over his shoulder, “Take good care of Mrs. Shaw. Don’t let her bump into anything.”

The household staff whispered among themselves with admiration, “Mr. Shaw is so good to Mrs. Shaw…”

“You should find someone older who knows how to truly care for you if you’re looking for a husband…”

Lena quietly listened to their chatter as a flicker of bitter amusement crossed her eyes.

She used to think that she had found the most wonderful love in the world. Only now did she realize that it had been a carefully staged performance, and she was a stand-in for someone else.

Chapter 3 No sooner had Micah left than the doorbell rang.

Lena opened the door to find a woman standing outside, holding a delicate snack box. “Hi, I’m Laris. I’m the one who messaged you.”

Laris smiled with a mix of sweetness and provocation. “Micah’s been taking such good care of me lately, so I made snacks to thank him. Since I’m already here, I’m a guest. I’m sure you won’t turn me away, would you?”

She walked in before Lena could respond and casually surveyed the house like a hostess.

Laris stopped in her tracks when she passed by the garden. “These kinds of roses are all my favourites. I can’t believe Micah still grows them.”

Lena’s fingertips trembled. She remembered how he tended to those roses every morning without fail and never let anyone else touch them. She used to think it was a charming habit of his.

A few tortoises basked lazily in the sun near the pond.

“Ah! They’re still alive!” Laris exclaimed with delight. “I raised them when I was little and stopped looking after them after I left the country. I thought they had died long ago.”

Lena’s chest tightened when she recalled how diligently Micah fed those tortoises every single day.

Laris’s eyes then swept over the display cabinet filled with figurines in the living room. “These were always my favourite collectibles.” She then glanced around the house and said, “The furniture follows the Scandinavian minimalism style. That’s also my favourite.”

Lena followed Laris around. She felt as if she was walking barefoot on blades.

The room she had lived in for two years suddenly felt unfamiliar.

Laris ran her fingers over the suits and ties in the wardrobe in the bedroom. “These were gifts I gave him. I can’t believe he kept them in such good condition.”

Lena recalled the scenes of herself carefully ironing those clothes each day and felt a tight lump rise in her throat.

Micah never let her touch them. But it turned out that it was not because of some obsessive habit of his, rather because they were remnants of Laris.

Laris eventually stopped in front of their wedding photo.

“What a coincidence.” She tilted her head and smiled. “Micah and I once talked about doing a shoot with three themes—the desert, ocean, and forest. I didn’t expect you two to choose the exact same ones.”

All color drained from Lena’s face.

Micah had insisted on those exact themes when they were planning their photoshoot. She had thought that he was simply a romantic with a love for nature.

“What are you doing here?” Micah’s voice came from the doorway. He quickly walked over. His face was clouded with displeasure.

Laris immediately put on a sweet smile. “I made some snacks and bought some for you. Your lovely wife invited me in and insisted I stay for dinner.”

Micah’s brows eased slightly before he turned to Lena. “This is Laris. She’s my neighbour. We grew up like siblings. She went abroad for a while and just recently returned. That’s why you’d never met her before.”

Lena quietly looked at him.

Neighbor? Siblings? He had hidden this relationship so well.

Laris played along effortlessly. “Yes. Micah has always looked after me ever since we were kids. I was a picky eater when I was a kid, so he learned to cook for me. His honey-glazed ribs, fish and chips, and marinara meatballs were my favourites.”

Lena clenched her hands into tight fists. Those were the dishes Micah cooked most often. She had once believed that he made them because she liked them.

She found it difficult to smile at this point. So, she excused herself and went upstairs, claiming she felt unwell. But not long after, Laris knocked on her door and entered with a bowl of soup.

“Micah made this prenatal tonic. He asked me to bring it up to you.” She smiled innocently. “Drink it while it’s warm.”

The smell stung Lena’s nose as she accepted the bowl.

“Oh, by the way…” Laris suddenly asked, “You didn’t happen to name your baby Lucas Shaw if it’s a boy, or Emery Shaw if it’s a girl, did you? Those were the names Micah and I came up with years ago.”

Lena’s hands trembled. She nearly spilled the soup. Those two names were the ones Micah had chosen when she found out she was pregnant.

So, even their child was meant to carry his memories of Laris?

Lena felt a sudden sharp pain in her chest.

But before she could react Laris exclaimed, “Oh no!” She’d accidentally knocked over the bowl. The hot soup splashed across Lena’s arm, and her skin immediately blistered and reddened.

Lena hissed in pain. She ignored Laris’ apologies and was about to head downstairs to get some ointments.

Suddenly, someone shoved her from behind just as she reached the top of the staircase.

“Ah!” Lena tumbled down and landed heavily on the first floor. A pool of blood spread rapidly beneath her and soaked the beige carpet.

Laris came tumbling down after her a second later.

Micah had just been reaching into the fridge in the kitchen when he heard the crash.

He rushed out immediately, and his eyes widened at the scene.

“Lissy!” Panicking, he darted forward to catch the staggering Laris to check on her ankle. “Are you okay?”

“I… I’m fine,” she weakly said. “Quick, check on Lena…”

Only then did Micah look over at Lena, who was bleeding.

Suddenly, Laris fainted in his arms.

“Lissy!” Micah yelled. His usually composed voice was now filled with panic. He scooped Laris up and strode out the door without sparing Lena another glance.

Lena’s vision dimmed as she watched their retreating figures. She thought she saw the fridge door slightly ajar in her final moment before everything went dark. It revealed the corner of a box with their late baby inside.

…

A blinding white light made Lena squint when she woke again.

The doctor was examining her as Micah stood at the side with a grim expression. “How’s the baby?” he asked the doctor.

The doctor looked up in shock. “The baby? Ms. Norwood’s pregnancy had already been terminated long ago, hadn’t it?”

Chapter 4 Lena hurriedly knocked over the glass of water on her bedside table.

The sound of shattering glass instantly caught Micah’s attention. He rushed to her side without sparing another glance at the doctor, concern and distress written all over his face. “Baby, are you awake? Are you in pain?”

She gently shook her head. Her gaze drifted past him to the doctor, who seemed hesitant to speak.

Only then did Micah breathe a sigh of relief. He then turned to the doctor and said, “Doctor, what did you say just now? I didn’t catch it.” He couldn’t shake the feeling that he had missed something important.

Lena subtly shook her head just as the doctor was about to speak. The doctor caught on and sighed before saying, “The patient needs to rest.”

With that, he left the ward.

Only Lena and Micah were left in the VIP ward now.

Micah’s eyes were filled with distress. He extended his hand and tried to caress Lena’s face, but she turned her head away and avoided his touch.

He seemed to realize something and immediately apologized in a coaxing tone, “I’m sorry, Lena. It was all my fault. I didn’t notice that you also fell down the stairs. I thought…

“Thank goodness you and the baby are okay. I would never forgive myself otherwise. I promise this won’t ever happen again. Please don’t be mad at me, okay?”

Lena looked at Micah’s eyes. The look in his eyes was one of genuine fear and regret.

In that moment, she suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of irony.

Every word he said sounded so sincere. However, which part was true, and which part was a lie?

“I’m tired.” She pulled her hand away and closed her eyes. She was unwilling to play along with his performance any longer.

Micah never left her side during her stay at the hospital.

He even personally made soup for her and spoonfed her. He accompanied her through every medical examination and memorized every instruction from the doctor. He would wake up from her slightest movement at night and immediately ask if she needed anything too.

Even the nurses said they had never seen such a devoted husband.

However, Lena remained quiet and distant. She often stared blankly out the window.

Micah assumed it was the hormonal swings of pregnancy and became more attentive in caring for her.

On the day of her discharge, he prepared an elaborate surprise. He took her to the most luxurious restaurant and booked the entire top floor so she could dine peacefully.

After dinner, he accompanied her through every luxury boutique. He would buy anything she glanced at for more than a moment without hesitation.

As night fell, dazzling fireworks suddenly lit the sky over the river, forming the words “I love you.”

“Do you like it?” Micah wrapped his arms around Lena from behind and rested his chin on her head. “I specially planned it for you.”

Lena stared at the brilliant fireworks and was momentarily transported back to when he’d used to do these things to make her smile and believe she was the happiest woman in the world.

However, the illusion shattered when she unconsciously rested her hand on her lower abdomen.

“What’s wrong?” Micah noticed her stiffness and gently turned her around to face him. “You haven’t seemed happy lately. I’m really worried.”

He held her face and gently brushed her cheeks with his thumbs. “Do you want to see a therapist? Prenatal depression is very common. You don’t have to go through this alone. Talk to me if something’s bothering you, okay?”

Lena looked into his sincere eyes and suddenly asked, “Can you promise to be just as honest with me if I’m willing to be completely honest with you?”

Micah was slightly stunned. Then, he smiled. “Of course, Baby. We’re husband and wife. Honesty is a given.”

Lena took a deep breath. “Then let me ask you this. I heard you had a first love you were deeply attached to—someone you never truly got over, even after breaking up after all these years.” She looked him straight in the eyes. “Have you let her go now?”

Micah’s expression instantly turned to stone.

Chapter 5 Micah’s fingers tightened, and his knuckles turned pale. However, he regained his composure and gave her a gentle smile at the next moment. “I’ve moved on. We cut all contact after the breakup, and we’ll never see each other again.”

Lena felt a sense of bitterness rise in her mouth. He lied so smoothly. There wasn’t even the slightest twitch of his brows.

Micah extended his hands to touch her face again, but Lena instinctively turned away. Her reaction made him frown slightly. He had lost count of how many times she had avoided his touch now.

“Who told you that?” His tone turned serious. “Is this why you’ve been upset lately?”

Lena was about to speak when a shrill ringtone cut through the silence.

Micah glanced at the incoming call on the screen. He hesitated for a few seconds before he eventually picked it up.

Laris’ voice came through the moment the line connected. She said, “Micah! There are some thugs following me. I’m scared…”

His expression shifted instantly. “Send me your location.” He grabbed his coat without even glancing at Lena and was about to leave. “Baby, something urgent came up at work. You take a cab home later, okay?”

But Lena didn’t go home. Instead, she flagged down a cab as if possessed and followed him.

She saw him shielding Laris with his body as he faced off against four or five thugs armed with clubs in a dim alley.

He was like a different person. His strikes were ruthless. It was nothing like the calm and restrained man he usually was.

One of the thugs, who had gotten beaten to the point where blood was streaming from his head, suddenly pulled out a blade and lunged at Laris.

“Lissy!” Micah threw himself in front of her without hesitation and shielded her with his.

The blade plunged into his chest, and blood soaked through his shirt in an instant.

“Micah!” Laris held him as he collapsed, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Don’t be afraid…” He collapsed in her arms. His voice was weak but tender. “I promised… I’d protect you forever… I intend to keep the promise…”

Lena stood at the mouth of the alley, feeling as if someone had ripped a piece straight out of her heart.

…

Outside the operating room, Laris wept like a flower being battered by rain. “He’s always been like this… He nearly died racing someone for me once… He gave me so much blood that he passed out when I was in a car accident…”

Lena leaned against the wall and listened quietly.

It turned out that someone as calm and composed as Micah could love so recklessly and desperately. However, that love had never been for her.

“The blade missed his heart by just 0.039 inches.” A nurse pushed the door and walked out. “Is Ms. Laris here? We need a family member’s signature for the surgery.”

Laris cried as she shook her head. “I’m not his family… His wife is over there.”

The nurse looked at Lena in surprise. “But the patient kept calling for Lissy. He said he wanted to leave everything to Ms. Laris when he made his will just now…”

She realized that she had said too much and awkwardly fell silent.

Lena laughed. Then, she signed the consent under the nurse’s sympathetic gaze before turning around to leave.

“Wait!” Laris called out. “Didn’t you say you loved him the most? He’s still in a risky situation. Aren’t you going to stay and take care of him?”

Lena stopped in her tracks without turning around. “I had indeed loved him the most.” Her voice was eerily calm. “But not anymore. Since he clearly never got over you, I’ll step aside and let you have him.”

Chapter 6 Lena methodically began sorting through financial documents after she returned home.

Micah’s supplementary card, jewelry, and property deeds were all laid out on the table. It was as if she were tallying up the remnants of a ridiculous dream.

Micah was discharged from the hospital three days later.

He appeared at the door in a crisp suit. His tie was meticulously knotted. He was not at all like someone who had narrowly escaped death.

“Baby, things have been crazy at work lately. I haven’t had time to be with you.” He had kept his hospitalization a secret. A faint scent of disinfectant still lingered on him as he walked over and tried to hold her.

Lena knew he had rushed out of the hospital because he was afraid she would be suspicious and start asking questions that he wouldn’t know how to answer.

However, what he didn’t know was that she had seen everything. She had witnessed how he had risked his life for another woman.

“How’s the baby?” Micah suddenly asked as his gaze shifted to her lower abdomen. “Have you been taking the prenatal tonic? Why does your belly still look so small?”

He extended his hand and intended to touch her belly, but Lena instinctively stepped back. “I’m not feeling well. Please don’t touch me.” Her voice was indifferent.

Micah frowned and immediately called out to one of the household staff to ask about Lena’s recent condition.

His face darkened when he found out she hadn’t been taking the prenatal tonic. Then, he went to the kitchen to prepare the tonic himself.

“Baby, come on.” He held a bowl, speaking to Lena in a voice soft enough to melt the coldest heart. “Drink this for your health. It’ll make giving birth easier.”

Lena looked at the black-brown liquid in the bowl. She was just about to come up with an excuse when the doorbell rang.

A few of Micah’s close friends had come by. Their expressions were tense.

When Micah saw them, he told her to get some rest before bringing them to the study. Lena immediately dumped the tonic into the sink once their footsteps faded completely. She was about to head back to the bedroom when she heard loud voices coming from the study.

“Micah, Laris is now being forced into an arranged marriage. She refused, so her parents locked her up. They’re planning to go ahead with the wedding the day after tomorrow and getting it over with before she can resist.”

A loud clatter came from the room like a teacup shattering. It took a long moment before Micah’s cold and indifferent voice sounded, “I see.”

“What does that mean?” one of his friends asked.

“It means,” Micah slowly replied, “I won’t let her marry someone she doesn’t love.”

The study instantly erupted into chaos.

“What do you mean? Are you going to crash the wedding?”

“Micah, calm down. You have a family now, and your child is due in just a few months!”

“Have you thought about what people will say about Lena if you do this?”

“How is your child supposed to face all of this?”

“Aren’t you afraid she’ll divorce you?”

Micah’s voice cut through with unwavering resolve amid the flood of objections, “I’ll handle it. Lena won’t find out about any of this.”

“What if she does?”

There was a brief silence before his voice sounded again, “So what if she does? I’ll sweet-talk her. The little girl loves me too much. She can’t live without me.”

Lena stood outside the door. Her face was as pale as a sheet. She unconsciously pressed against her chest with her fingers.

It still felt heavy within, but it was not the soul-wrenching pain she had used to feel.

She suddenly realized that she was slowly letting go.

She truly didn’t love him anymore.

Micah had been unusually busy for the past few days.

Lena coldly watched as he left the house early and returned late with his phone never leaving his side. The light in the study often stayed on until the early hours of the morning too.

She knew that he was meticulously planning the secret grand wedding.

The divorce cooling-off period ended that morning. Lena left home early and picked up her divorce certificate from the lawyer.

The property division had already been settled. She took nothing else aside from her personal belongings.

Micah was standing in front of the mirror adjusting his tie when she returned.

He wore a brand-new dark blue suit. The cufflinks coldly gleamed in the morning light.

It was a style she had never seen before. He must have specially bought it for today.

“Back from your walk?” Micah caught her reflection in the mirror. The corners of his lips curled into a gentle smile. “Baby, I have something important to attend to today. Stay home and get some rest, and don’t forget to take your medicine.”

He then turned around and lightly brushed over her lower abdomen. He playfully warned in a low tone, “Be good to Mommy today. Daddy will be mad if you make her feel sick.”

Lena looked at the tenderness in Micah’s eyes and suddenly felt a wave of irony.

He could risk his life for Laris, but he couldn’t even realize that their child was already gone.

She clenched the divorce certificate in her hand. “I need to talk to you.”