Chapter 1
To get revenge for his first love's daughter, my husband, Cyrus Gibson, locked our own daughter in the wolfdog kennel behind our villa.
"Didn't she always want me to take her to the zoo? Well, this time she can see all the wolfdogs she wants, right in their kennel." My husband hugged his first love and looked at me with disgust.
"I beg you! There are dozens of wolfdogs in there. They'll kill her! If you're angry, just lock me up instead!"
He replied coldly, "Punishing her will hurt you more. Remember, don't bother Julia and her daughter again."
Soon, a thick bloody smell filled the air.
I carried my daughter out of the kennel, her small body covered in bloody bite marks. While I waited for news of her condition, my husband's first love was posting cheerful photos of the three of them enjoying a day at the zoo.
Looking at my father-in-law, Mike Gibson, who had rushed to the hospital, I cried and said, "Our five-year marriage is over. It's time for me to go."
***
Seeing that Mike still wanted me to stay, I dropped to my knees.
"Mike, I know you care about Anna and me, but Cyrus doesn't love me or our daughter.
"For Anna's fourth birthday, Anna and I pleaded with Cyrus many times before he finally agreed to take Anna to the zoo.
"Anna wanted to take a family photo like the other kids in the kindergarten. We had just posed when Cyrus got a call from Julia, and he left."
Elise, Julia Wynn's daughter, got jealous the moment she saw Anna had stuck the photo on her Mickey Mouse backpack—and tried to tear it up.
I told Mike everything and begged him to let me leave.
"This time, they threw Anna into the wolfdog kennel behind the villa. What about next time? Will Julia's manipulation push her to the brink of death? Anna's just a kid—this could scar her for life!"
Mike's eyes were bloodshot.
"Don't worry. The day I brought you into our family, I took on the responsibility to protect you. As long as I'm still alive, I won't let Julia and Elise step all over you and Anna."
Seeing that Mike was still hesitant to let me go, I took out my phone and showed him Julia's post.
She had uploaded a nine-grid photo of Cyrus taking her and Elise to the zoo.
The caption was, "This man took hundreds of photos for us—why is this platform only let you post nine?"
I cried as I spoke, "That day, Cyrus got impatient after taking just one photo with me and Anna—and even that one turned out blurry. But Anna still treasures it..."
Mike was furious at Cyrus and immediately called him.
"I've told you countless times—Evelyn Simon is the only daughter-in-law I recognize! And here you are, acting pathetic, playing family with someone else's kid. Do you even know your own daughter is in the ER fighting for her life?"
Cyrus ignored Mike and took a jab at me over the phone instead. "Evelyn, we've been married five years—besides running to this old man for help, what else can you do? I had the wolfdog's teeth removed. So tell me, how exactly did Anna end up in the ER? Did she get licked too hard? Ridiculous."
With that, he hung up.
I wanted to ask where Anna got those bite wounds, but it got caught in my throat.
Just then, the doctor pushed open the ER doors, his expression grim. My heart clenched.
"I'm sorry. The patient had two deep puncture wounds on the artery in her neck. She lost too much blood. We did everything we could."
I couldn't believe it. I dropped to my knees, sobbing, begging the doctor to save my child.
"Please, doctor, I'm begging you. Help me think of something! She's my only daughter, I..."
Mike wiped his tears, pulled me up, and bowed deeply to the doctor.
When they wheeled out Anna's body, I broke down at the sight of her pale, lifeless face.
I held her close, my strength completely drained.
"Anna, please don't leave me, okay?
"Don't play hide and seek with me anymore. Open your eyes—I will take you home. Please, open your eyes... I'll take you to the zoo!"
When I saw the gaping wound on her neck, the grief hit me so hard that I passed out.
Chapter 2
When I opened my eyes again, Anna was lying quietly in my room.
I quickly got out of bed and held her. I froze for a moment when I felt how stiff her body was.
Mike and the nanny came in. The nanny helped me up.
Mike looked like he'd aged ten years overnight, his voice heavy with sorrow.
"Last night, the doctor suggested we send her to the crematorium. But I was worried you'd faint and want to see Anna one last time. I thought it'd be better to follow our family tradition and keep her in the house for three days. I'll go ask Father Eldridge to come and pray over Anna."
Seeing Mike's hunched figure walking away, I felt like these five years were a nightmare.
I had grown up in an orphanage, adopted by Father Eldridge.
One day, while delivering the bible to Father Eldridge, I ran into Mike. He thought I looked familiar and asked me to do a DNA test with his old friend, whose biological daughter had gone missing years ago.
The results came back—I was the biological daughter of the Wynn family.
Soon after, the Wynn family took me in, making up for all the years of suffering I'd endured, while neglecting Cyrus's childhood sweetheart and the fake daughter, Julia.
At that time, the Wynn family was facing financial difficulties. Mike said he'd help, but the condition was that I marry Cyrus for five years.
I knew Cyrus didn't love me, but he looked so much like the celebrity I'd had a crush on since middle school. Every time I looked at him, my heart fluttered.
He also showed me moments of tenderness, and I couldn't help but fall for him.
But you can't have it all. Since I already had him as my husband, my only wish after Anna was born was for her to grow up safe and sound.
After Father Eldridge arrived, he gave me a scripture, gently wiping away my tears and offering his condolences.
"I'll pray for her. It'd be best to call her father back. It's only right for him to send her off together, so there's no regret."
Mike quickly dialed Cyrus's number.
"You bastard, staying out all night for another woman! Anna's gone, and Father Eldridge is praying for her. You need to come back right now and see your daughter off!"
Cyrus sneered disdainfully, telling Mike to put the phone on speaker. He had something to say to me.
Just the thought of Cyrus made me seethe with anger. I couldn't bring myself to speak as I held the phone.
"Again with Father Eldridge and my dad. Are you trying to play that game from five years ago? Isn't it enough that you took Julia's identity back then? Now that I'm accompanying Julia and Elise to the zoo, you're going to kill yourself?"
I recalled how excited Anna was the day she went to the zoo with Cyrus.
She woke up early, asking me to style her hair into a princess braid. Then, she hesitated for a moment and asked, "If I wear my princess braid to the zoo this time, what should I wear next time when Dad takes me to Disneyland?
"Mom, this is so great! Finally, I got to go to the zoo with both my mom and dad!
"Mom, when we go to the zoo, can I have Dad carry me? He hardly does, and I want him to hold me, so we can take a picture together."
The memories of the past began to assault me. My heart trembling, voice shaking, choked, "Anna... She's really... gone..."
Cyrus impatiently cut off, "Enough! Stop lying to me about Anna being dead! And stop dragging Father Eldridge and my dad into this. You think you're clever, don't you?
"Didn't you see Julia's post? Elise got sick at the zoo, so you threw a fit because I cared for Elise, didn't you? Evelyn, let me tell you. If you hadn't stolen Julia's life five years ago, you wouldn't be my wife, and Anna would never have existed! You and your daughter should stop acting so shameless!"
My heart felt empty. I finally said the words I had been holding back, "Anna's gone.
"Cyrus, our daughter is dead."