Grace's grandmother, Kate Harding, and her daughter, Talia Kaufman, were laid to rest side by side.

Though petite, they had filled her world with love.

Her grief left her empty and lost.

Meanwhile, the world kept spinning, with the internet buzzing about her husband and his "first love" and their baby on the way.

On New Year's Eve, with celebrations in full swing, Grace took a desperate leap from the building.

Her hatred for Antonio Kaufman ran so deep that her final wish was, "Antonio, may our paths never cross again."

***

Clutching the urns of Kate and Talia, Grace started humming hollowly, "Twinkle, twinkle, little star..."

Kate used to sing this to her when she was little, and then Grace sang it to her daughter.

Now, both were gone, leaving Grace so numb with grief that tears wouldn't come.

When Antonio walked in, he found Grace kneeling on the ground, impatience clear in his eyes.

"Grace, acting up again? What now? Yesenia saved my life. Can't you stop being such a jealous wife?" he ranted.

His rant didn't get a reaction, and her eyes stayed blank.

Since Yesenia came back, Antonio had been like a different person—out all night, doting on her.

At first, Grace tried to fix things, but losing Kate and Talia drained her.

Loving him anymore felt like a betrayal to herself.

Grace's blank stare and silence made Antonio clench his jaw.

Angrier, he snapped, "Talia didn't turn out right with you. How can you even call yourself a mother?"

The mention of Talia's name jolted Grace out of her trance.

Her eyes reddened as she shot back, "Antonio, what kind of dad are you?

"You can hate me, yell at me, even hit me, but how could you leave Talia alone at the playground? She was only seven!

"When we found her, she was in pieces. She couldn't even rest in peace."

Grace couldn't bear the thought of her daughter's tragic end.

Unlike her usual meek self, her words were filled with hurt and anger.

"Enough!" Antonio cut her off, impatient. "Yesenia sent someone to pick up Talia. Just because I didn't take you to see your grandma, you come up with these crazy lies."

Grace felt a chill run through her, her eyes bloodshot. "No one picked her up. She ran into some creep—"

Antonio frowned, cutting her off again. "If you hadn't filled Talia's head with all that crap about Yesenia being a homewrecker, I wouldn't have had to punish her.

"And you wanted the car to see your grandma right when Yesenia needed to go to the hospital. You're wicked!"

His hurtful words and the sorrow they carried left Grace on the brink of collapse, unable to find her voice.

Thinking Grace had given in, Antonio coldly said, "Admit you're wrong and take Talia to apologize to Yesenia."

With that, he walked away without looking back.

The air was thick with the smell of Yesenia's lily perfume. Grace felt sick and crouched down, vomiting.

Apologize? She'd rather die.

Grace had been an orphan since she was a child, raised by Kate.

She remembered the day Kate's house collapsed, and she called Grace for help.

There were no taxis available in the Kaufman's villa area.

With tears streaming down her face, Grace knelt and begged Antonio to take her there.

But Antonio, cold as ice, refused because Yesenia had burned her hand making soup, and he had to be with her.

The next day, Grace came home with Kate's ashes, only to find the horrifying sight of Talia's body in pieces.

The criminal had cut her up so badly that there was no way to even piece her back together.

Grace froze, staring blankly.

But when she touched the tiny, stitched-up body, an agonizing cry escaped her lips.

Talia was so young, barely getting a glimpse of the world.

And Kate had been so excited to celebrate the New Year with them just days ago.

Now, those beautiful memories felt like knives slicing through Grace.

The morgue staff, out of pity, took her to the lounge.

The television was broadcasting news about Antonio splurging on a gemstone called "Éclat" for Yesenia.

Grace slid to the ground, her face ashen.

Holding Kate's urn, she waited for Talia's cremation.

Losing two loved ones in just two days completely broke her.

She felt like an empty husk, with nothing left to give.

On the screen, the host wrapped up, saying, "Mr. Kaufman is one in a million as a boyfriend."

Grace scoffed, "One in a million, huh?"

Antonio pushed open the door and found Grace on the floor, vomiting.

For once, he showed a bit of softness. "Hey, what's up? You okay?"

It felt like a formality, polite but not genuine.

If it were Yesenia, he'd be rushing her to the hospital in a heartbeat.

Grace struggled to her feet, looking as pale as a ghost.

She had no energy left to argue. "I'm fine," she said flatly.

Antonio nodded, looking relieved. "Yesenia's not feeling well, and she burned her hand making soup. How about you make it for her every day? She'll forgive you for talking smack."

Grace sneered, "Me making her soup after she caused Talia's death? I'd be happy to chop her up. I—"

A loud slap shut her up.

Antonio's disappointment was clear.

"Seriously? You call yourself a mom? How can you say stuff like that? Yesenia's dad saved us, and now she's on her own. Can't you just leave her alone?"

Yeah, Yesenia was "on her own" with Antonio's full support.

A wave of helplessness washed over Grace.

He knew Kate was her only family, but he took off without a care.

And he knew Talia was her world, but he left her behind at the playground. All for Yesenia.

Grace suddenly hated herself for all the screw-ups.

If she hadn't fallen for Antonio and thrown everything away to be with him, maybe Kate and Talia would still be around.

Antonio's phone rang again, summoning him away.

Since Yesenia came back, he'd been all about her, totally ignoring his wife and daughter.

One night, when Talia had a burning fever, Grace couldn't get through to him.

She ended up hauling Talia to the hospital herself, her feet blistering from the trek.

Maybe Grace should have given up on Antonio long ago.

Grace closed her eyes. This was the last tear she'd shed for him and their marriage.

Memories of Kate and Talia flickered before her, and she could almost hear their voices.

"Grace, my sweet girl, I can't wait to celebrate the New Year with you."

"Mommy, I miss Daddy. I want to watch fireworks with Daddy, Mommy, and Nana."

Grace smiled through her tears. "Alright, we'll celebrate together and be a happy family."

When she reached out to hug them, they vanished.

"No!" she cried out, collapsing to the ground, her body shaking.

"Grandma, Talia, please don't leave me. It's so cold and lonely here. I'm coming to find you," she screamed in her mind.

Antonio didn't come back until the afternoon.

He held out Talia's favorite Barbie doll.

"This is from Yesenia," he said, his tone almost patronizing. "She thinks Talia just needs to get to know her better. Can't you learn from Yesenia and be nice?"

Seeing Grace's icy expression, Antonio sighed and pulled out a bracelet.

"Alright, here. We're married. What's the fuss about?" he said.

Grace looked at the glittering bracelet and replied coolly, "This is just a side stone. Where's the main one?"

Antonio froze for a second before quickly pocketing the bracelet.

"Uh, I'm not really into jewelry. I'll get you something better next time."

Her lips twitched, fighting a smile.

Grace wasn't into jewelry either, but she recognized the main stone from the news—it was "Éclat."

Guilt held him back for a moment before he finally said, "Hey, New Year's coming up. Why don't we invite Kate for a family dinner?"

Grace's face lit up. She mumbled, "A family dinner, good idea. Just two weeks away..."

Antonio sighed in relief at her familiar smile.

If he had looked closer, he would have seen the deep sorrow hidden in her eyes.

The weight of everything broke Grace down, landing her in the hospital, unconscious for a long time.

When she woke up, there was no one to look after her.

The two nurses on duty whispered to each other. "Can you believe this? His wife passes out and ends up here, and he calls to say 'Tell her to stop acting.'"

Grace's surroundings were a blur, but the words pierced through.

The pain in her heart numbed everything else. Nothing mattered anymore.

Whatever she did or said, Antonio would never believe her.

"You gotta pick the right guy. Ms. Terry had a stomachache, and Mr. Kaufman rushed her to the hospital and stayed with her all night.

"He's young, loaded, caring, and handsome. He's just perfect. I hate to say this, but it's so unfair," the other nurse breathed.

Even though Grace had given up, it still stung.

Antonio chased her so hard when Yesenia went abroad, promising her everything.

Grace gave him Talia and took care of him so well.

Yet, all that seemed to vanish like smoke when Yesenia spoke.

Then Yesenia's voice cut through the moment, "Grace, what are you doing here?"

Antonio stood behind her, a familiar frown on his face.

He wanted to ask Grace what this was about, thinking it was jealousy because he had brought Yesenia to the hospital.

But when he saw Grace's face, he realized she was really sick.

Yesenia took a step closer, leaning on Antonio with tears in her eyes.

"Grace, I've been feeling unwell, so Antonio has to take care of me.

"I heard you sent your girl to boarding school. Don't let jealousy get in the way of being there for her," she commented.

Grace sat up, a cold smile on her face.

"Yesenia, think you can keep pretending?

"Look me in the eye and tell me—did you send someone to get Talia that day or not?

"When you saw her body, did you feel any shame at all?" she shot back.

Yesenia's tears fell instantly. "Grace, you've got it all wrong, I swear I didn't."

Antonio's face darkened. "Grace, are you out of your mind, saying that about your daughter?

"With a heart as cruel as yours, no wonder your parents are gone."

Those words hit Grace like a ton of bricks, leaving her unable to hold on.

She felt like she had brought this all on herself.

When her parents died in an accident, she was just seven, leaning heavily on Kate.

She endured so much ridicule and mockery growing up.

Marrying Antonio felt like the end of her troubles.

But it turned out she had just fallen into a deeper hole, breaking her apart.

Antonio gave her one last cold look. "Think about it." Then he turned to Yesenia, "Come on, let's get you back."

Grace felt her last bit of strength slip away as Antonio led Yesenia off.

She collapsed onto the hospital bed, tears silently falling while she stared at the photo of Kate and Talia.

Grace missed them so much.

The funeral was simple, held on Talia's favorite Soulwell Hill. With Kate by her side, Grace found a bit of peace.

With Kate by Talia's side, she found a bit of peace.

The graves were adorned with flowers, each bloom spreading its petals, yet destined to wither.

Grace sat by the graves, tears mixing with laughter.

She remembered a spring outing with Talia, the child's innocent words filled with love.

"Mommy, I'll find the most beautiful flowers in the world for you and Nana." Talia's voice turned a bit sad as she added, "Oh, and for Daddy too, but he's always so busy."

Kate patted Talia's braid. "Your Daddy's working hard so you can have a great life. When we find the flowers, we'll take them to him, okay?"

Talia giggled, spinning around them happily.

Grace smiled, staring at the same smiling faces in the photo on the graves.

But then, more tears followed as she thought of never feeling Kate's gentle touch again and only seeing Talia's sweet smile in dreams.

With Kate and Talia laid to rest, Grace found a glimmer of closure.

But when she got home and saw workers taking down framed pictures in the living room—Talia's drawings, the last things she had left—her anger flared.

She stormed forward, eyes blazing. "What are you doing? Who told you to do this?"

Yesenia came downstairs in her pajamas, rubbing her sleepy eyes. "Grace, I want to hang my paintings in the living room. Antonio already agreed."

The noise brought Antonio down. "Grace, Yesenia's a pro. She says these drawings are too amateurish. Let's not keep them. When Talia comes back, Yesenia will teach her."

Grace's chest heaved with anger. "You think you can just toss them? These are my Talia's last keepsakes! She's never coming back!"

"Time and again, you test my patience. Burn every last one. Yesenia will teach Talia herself so she doesn't pick up your bad habits," he shouted, flaring up.

Grace broke down completely. She lunged for the drawings, but the bodyguards held her back.

The workers smashed the frames and threw Talia's drawings into the roaring fireplace.

"No!" Grace screamed in desperation, but it was all in vain.

Yesenia smirked, patting Antonio's back. "Cool down. I'll teach Talia properly."

As the flames licked the edges of the drawings, Grace finally broke free.

Ignoring the fire, she reached in and snatched a half-burned drawing.

Antonio's face showed panic. "Stop her!" he yelled, but no one could hold back a mother driven by desperation.

Grace's eyes were fixed on the drawing. Though the image was barely visible, she could make out Talia smiling, holding three flowers.

Talia's voice echoed in Grace's mind, "One for Nana, one for Mom, and one for Dad."

Antonio's figure in the drawing was reduced to ashes.

"My sweet, innocent angel, she loved her family so much. What did she do wrong? Why did they take her from me?" Grace thought.

Then she couldn't take it anymore and collapsed.

In her dreams, Grace vaguely heard Yesenia's voice. "Antonio, I should leave. Grace is making a scene, and I'm not feeling well. I don't want to make this harder for you."

Antonio's voice was cold. "I'll handle her. She needs to know my limit. You've got nowhere else to go. Stay here."

"Antonio, you've always been the best to me," she cooed.

Grace struggled in her dreams, but it was hopeless. She fell into endless darkness.

When she woke up, it was the next day. She had over 30 missed calls from the funeral services company handling Kate and Talia's arrangements.

Grace got a bad feeling.

She answered the call, and Mack Younger, the manager, sounded anxious. "Mrs. Kaufman, you finally picked up. Mr. Kaufman wants to level Soulwell Hill to plant lilies for Ms. Terry."

Grace was stunned and jumped to her feet, racing over.

She kept praying on the way, "No, no, no! Their photos are still on the tombstones!"

When she got there, bulldozers were ready to start.

Grace ran up, her eyes red. "Kate and Talia's ashes are here! If you want to level this hill, you'll have to go through me!"

Antonio saw her and his face darkened.

"Stop causing drama. Yesenia said you've been sending Talia to boarding school. Go get her back. When the flowers bloom, bring Talia here to draw. And bring your grandma too. Will that make you happy?"

Grace's lips trembled, and her mind spun. "They're dead. How many times do I have to say it? They're dead!"

But her desperate cries didn't faze her cold-hearted husband.

Yesenia stepped up, pretending to catch her. "Grace, don't stress. I'll look after Talia."

Her pretty face was twisted with a nasty smirk, like she was saying, "Look, you lost Kate and Talia, but your husband is always with me."

Grace, furious, shoved her away. "Fuck off, bitch!"

Yesenia stumbled and put on a show of falling to the ground. "Grace, I was just trying to be nice. Why?" she sobbed, tears streaming down her face.

Antonio lost it, glaring at Grace.

He waved for the bodyguards to act. "Hold her back, don't let her mess with our work."

"Please, stop!" Grace cried out.

With no options left, she dropped to her knees while the bodyguards held her back.

The sharp stones cut her knees, but she kept begging, "I was wrong, really. Let's get divorced. Then you can marry Yesenia. I won't fight for anything, just let me keep Kate and Talia here. Please, I'm begging you."

Grace's desperate plea finally moved Antonio.

He thought, "So it's all jealousy over Yesenia. Grace used to be so understanding and now she's just being petty."

Finally, he noticed Grace's knees covered in blood.

He moved to check, but Yesenia's cry stopped him. "Antonio, my ankle hurts. I think I twisted it."

Antonio turned and squatted down to check her ankle. It was swollen and red.

Any sympathy he had for Grace disappeared.

"Grace's gone too far. Yesenia saved my life, and she's so kind-hearted. Why can't Grace just leave her alone?" he thought.

Then Antonio decided to go ahead with the lily project and make it a lesson for Grace. After all, Yesenia had dreamed of having her lily field for years.

The bulldozers roared, and Grace struggled but got pinned down again.

"Why?" she yelled, her last bit of hope gone.

She only wanted to fulfill Kate and Talia's dream of celebrating New Year together.

Grace planned to join them. But why did Antonio want to erase all their traces?

The beautiful hillside quickly turned into flat ground.

Kate and Talia's final resting place was gone. Soon, lilies would cover this place.

Thanks to Antonio, Kate and Talia would be erased from the world forever.

The bodyguards let go, and Grace stayed upright, supporting herself with both hands on the ground.

She had never felt such intense hatred, never wanted to hurt someone so badly.

She despised Antonio's coldness, Yesenia's scheming, but most of all, her own weakness.

When everything fell apart, she couldn't do anything to stop it at all.

She grabbed a knife from her bag and lunged at Antonio.

The bodyguards immediately disarmed her.

Grace kept fighting, her eyes burning with a hatred that could drown anyone.

Antonio looked at her in shock.

He knew she meant it with the knife.

The woman in front of him looked unhinged, in a thin, tattered hospital gown, with red eyes.

But he remembered Grace as gentle and kind, with eyes full of genuine love.

"When did she change?" Antonio wondered.

He felt a pang of unease like he was losing her. He shook his head, trying to shake off the thoughts.

"No, she only has Kate and Talia. Where can she go without me?" he said to himself.

Grace was brought home, and Antonio told the servants to keep an eye on her.

She just clung to the half-burned drawing, silent and still, a lifeless doll.

Outside the door, Antonio waved a maid to stop, something he rarely did. "How's Mrs. Kaufman treating Talia? What does she usually get up to?"

After a glance at his face, the maid carefully replied, "Mrs. Kaufman's often losing it because of Ms. Terry and doesn't really look after Talia.

"She mostly goes out shopping for fancy things or stays in her room cursing Ms. Terry."

The maid swallowed the rest of the words, finding them hard to say.

He looked relieved, regretting having doubted Yesenia.

"But Grace is getting worse—shallow, cruel, and can't even take care of Talia. I can't let her fool me," he thought.

Antonio nodded at the maid. "Keep an eye on her. We can't have her losing it again. The New Year's just a week away, so no going out, and keep her away from Yesenia."

She nodded, looking all sincere.

As soon as Antonio walked away, a smug grin spread across her face.

Thanks to the 30,000 dollars Yesenia had just given her, her family was in for a fantastic New Year celebration.

The room was cloaked in heavy curtains, drowning everything in darkness as Grace curled into a tight ball.

Fragments of memories flickered in her mind, scattered and unreachable.

"Clang."

The maid carelessly tossed the tray onto the floor, spilling soup everywhere.

"Eat."

She ordered, her tone dripping with arrogance, clearly relishing the chance to humiliate Grace.

Grace didn't lift her head, her face dull and lifeless.

The maid shot her a disdainful look.

"Still acting like you're the lady of the house? Miss Yesenia has moved in. You'll be kicked out soon enough."

"Don't eat then. No one cares."

Grace looked at the maid who had been respectful to her before. Now, seeing her true colors was both laughable and pitiful.

Antonio hadn't even left her a shred of dignity.

She wondered, had she been too greedy?

All she'd wanted was to fulfill her grandmother and Talia's last wishes. But her efforts had backfired. She couldn't even protect their ashes.

The sharp click of high heels echoed closer and closer until Yesenia appeared in the doorway.

She wore a flowing red dress, every curve accentuated to perfection.

"Grace, look at my dress. Should I give you one too?"

Before Grace could respond, Yesenia covered her mouth in feigned surprise.

"Oh dear, I forgot. Your family just passed away."

"What a tragedy."

"Your families died in such a gruesome way. Where was Antonio then?"

She tapped her chin as if pondering.

"Ah, that's right. He was warming my bed."

The words stabbed into Grace's heart like a dull knife.

She thought she'd run out of tears, out of pain. But each word flayed her soul anew.

Her eyes burned red as she finally looked up, her voice raw and broken.

"Yesenia, don't you fear karma?"

"You wanted Antonio? Fine, he's yours. But why did you have to hurt Talia?"

A cold gleam flickered in Yesenia's eyes, dark and unyielding.

"What a joke. You gave him to me?"

"All I have to do is crook my finger, and Antonio will tear his heart out for me."

"And as for your daughter..."

She idly examined her perfectly manicured nails.

"She was just a bastard. She was an eyesore, that's all."

Eyesore?

A long-buried rage surged, flooding her veins with newfound strength.

In a flash, she lunged at Yesenia, her hands tightening mercilessly around her throat.

"Bitch! Go to hell and pay for it!"

"Grace, have you lost your mind? Let go of Yesenia!"

A pair of strong arms pried Grace's fingers away with brutal force, throwing her to the ground.

It was Antonio's bodyguard.

Antonio rushed to Yesenia, his face etched with worry as he inspected the red marks on her neck.

Yesenia coughed softly, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Antonio, I was just worried Grace would get sick from being cooped up alone. I wanted to keep her company."

"But she—"

She left the rest unsaid, the silence heavy with implication.

Antonio's dark eyes burned with fury as he turned to Grace.

"Grace, you have everything you could want. Why are you making Yesenia's life difficult?"

"Why can't you just behave for a few days?"

His accusations echoed in the room, but Grace only lay there, her laughter sharp and bitter.

"Everything?"

"Do you mean the empty house? The husband who loves someone else and is never home?"

"Or maybe the ashes of the two people who loved me more than anything in this world?"

Her raw, piercing words made Antonio falter.

He rubbed his temples, steadying himself before his voice softened slightly.

"Grace, I've told you a thousand times that Yesenia saved my life. I owe her."

"And as for your grandmother and Talia, stop lying to me. Yesenia has made sure they're being taken care of."

"She's done more for them than you ever did."

A wave of exhaustion washed over Grace, seeping into her bones.

What was she even fighting for anymore?

Antonio could uncover the truth of her grandmother and Talia's deaths with the slightest effort.

The house was filled with cameras. He could easily see how Yesenia had provoked her and framed her.

But he did nothing. He would always believe and protect Yesenia without question.

It was her mistake.

Her love, her very existence, had never mattered to Antonio at all.

Grace stared at the red heart Talia had drawn on the calendar.

Her girl had been full of excitement, saying today they'd see Grandma and Daddy, carefully marking the day with a heart.

A servant arrived with news from Antonio.

"Sir says tonight's dinner will be at Nocturne. He wants you to take Miss Talia and Kate there, he'll meet you there."

Grace nodded slightly, a faint hint of color returning to her pale face.

She ran her fingers over the half-finished drawing pressed to her chest, feeling a strange lightness as if she were on the brink of release.

The privacy at Nocturne was impeccable. Grace sat alone in the pre-arranged hall.

The distant sea view and the city lights intertwined, creating a breathtaking scene.

She waited for a long time, but Antonio still didn't come.

With just ten minutes until midnight, Grace checked her phone—still nothing.

Until...

A trending headline caught her attention.

"Mr. Kaufman's New Love: Rising Artist Yesenia Is Pregnant."

The word "pregnant" pierced Grace's heart like a dagger.

She let out a bitter laugh and called Antonio.

His voice came through, slightly rushed.

"Grace, something urgent came up here. You, Grandma, and Talia go ahead with your dinner. I'll make it up to you tomorrow."

Grace's voice was as thin as mist.

"But we've been waiting for this dinner for so, so long."

Antonio's voice, unusually, held a trace of guilt.

"Grace, we have plenty more family dinners ahead of us."

"Tell Talia and Grandma to pick out whatever gifts they want. I'll bring them tomorrow."

Plenty more?

Grace looked at Talia and Grandma, then at the empty table before her, her strength to argue completely drained.

Her voice was so light it nearly vanished.

"Alright. You go ahead."

Antonio was like sand slipping through her fingers. Whether she gripped tightly or let go, he was always going to slip away.

But only today did Grace finally understand that.

She pushed open the floor-to-ceiling windows. In the distance, the lighthouse began the New Year countdown.

The night wind tangled in Grace's long hair as she slipped off her wedding ring.

"5..."

She heard Antonio's wedding vow, "I will love you forever and always."

"4..."

She saw her newborn daughter's sweet smile and Grandma's loving face.

"3..."

Antonio's face began to twist in her mind—indifference, disdain—because his love now belonged to someone else.

"2..."

She heard her grandmother's pained gasps and Talia's desperate cries for help.

"1..."

Her grandmother and Talia were smiling, waving at her from a distance.

"Happy New Year."

Grace clutched the drawing tightly, a bittersweet smile on her lips, and leaped.

At the hospital, Antonio felt a sudden, piercing pain in his chest.

He dropped to his knees as if a gaping void had opened inside him.

"Antonio, what's wrong?"

Yesenia clutched his sleeve, her delicate face streaked with tears.

Antonio frowned, trying to shake off the growing unease.

"I'm fine. Get enough rest for the baby."

"Grace is probably still waiting for me. I should go check on her."

A flicker of panic crossed Yesenia's eyes, but she quickly let large tears roll down her cheeks.

"Antonio, I understand. You have a family, a child."

"I know my baby is a mistake. I won't interfere with your life. I'll raise him alone."

"I..."

Yesenia covered her face, sobbing, while Antonio's expression softened with undeniable tenderness.

"Yesenia, this isn't all your fault. I had too much to drink that night."

He hesitated for a moment.

"Tonight, I'll stay with you and the baby."

"But Mrs. Kaufman will always be Grace."

Yesenia threw herself into his arms, tears glistening.

"Antonio, I truly love you. I don't care about the title."

But when Antonio wasn't looking, Yesenia's eyes darkened with malice.

If it weren't for becoming the rightful Mrs. Kaufman, she would've never risked keeping this baby.

The next morning, Antonio's eyes were heavy with exhaustion.

Last night, Yesenia had woken up repeatedly. Her eyes were filled with fear that he might abandon her.

He couldn't help but sigh.