Chapter 3

Upon hearing Terrance's words, Lynda wiped away her tears.

Even if there was only the slightest hope, she was determined to seek justice for her mother.

After hanging up, she scanned the signed divorce agreement and sent it to Terrance.

After the one-month waiting period, she and Charles would definitively sever all ties.

Having gone three days without sleep, Lynda was plagued by a severe headache. She had just lain down to rest when the chatter from the garden disturbed her.

The servants were gathered, gossiping about her.

In the Watson family, Charles didn't love her, and the servants followed suit, treating her with disdain. They often gathered to say she was undesired by Charles, that she shamelessly seduced Charles. Over the span of eight years, Lynda had heard it all before.

She had once tearfully complained to Charles, but he never took it seriously, dismissing her concerns entirely. Seeing his indifference, the servants became even more brazen, daring to mock her right to her face.

Annoyed, Lynda got up to close the window, but what she heard next stopped her in her tracks.

"Poor Mrs. Watson! Miss Eleanor Watson killed her mother, yet Mr. Watson still sides with Miss Eleanor Watson."

An elderly servant remarked nonchalantly, "Mr. Watson has favored Miss Eleanor Watson for quite some time. Even back in his student days, he was utterly enamored with her."

"Then why did he marry Mrs. Watson?"

Upstairs, Lynda held her breath, her heart racing. She was eager to know the answer too.

With a sigh, the servant said, "Mr. Watson married Mrs. Watson just to put on a facade. After all, he and Miss Eleanor Watson are relatives, so they can only maintain a secret affair. Honestly, Mrs. Watson is so naive. Every time Mr. Watson went on a business trip, she'd wait foolishly in the living room, unaware that he was actually abroad with Miss Eleanor Watson..."

Lynda nearly lost her balance, almost falling out the window.

Each year, Charles was away from home for most of the year, all to see Eleanor.

She suddenly recalled seeing lipstick stains on his collar a few times. She had cried and asked him directly, "Did you have an affair?"

Charles had ignored her, and later, she convinced herself to trust him, not to cause a fuss and upset him.

But it turned out her instincts were right!

Even worse, she realized she was merely a cover for Charles and Eleanor's illicit affair.

The love she thought she had was nothing but deception and exploitation from the very start.

How could Charles do this to her!

Lynda leaned against the wall, sobbing uncontrollably.

Time passed quickly, and soon it was her mother's funeral. Lynda personally arranged everything, filling the Funeral Home with her mother's favorite lilies.

All the guests had arrived, and Charles showed up late, accompanied by Eleanor.

She wore a fiery red outfit, radiating arrogance with every step.

Charles didn't even acknowledge Lynda, instead, he led Eleanor to pay respects.

Lynda rushed forward and pushed Eleanor away. "Get out of here!"

Eleanor was taken aback, making her scream as she fell into Charles's arms.

"Charles, Lynda bullied me." After speaking, she burst into tears.

Charles looked at the tear-streaked Eleanor, glaring at Lynda with anger. "Eleanor came here specifically to pay her respects to your mother, and you hurt her. Lynda, apologize to Eleanor immediately!"

Lynda stared at him in disbelief, questioning if she had misheard.

Charles was asking her to apologize at her mother's funeral to the murderer who killed her mother.

But considering everything Charles had done for Eleanor, it seemed unsurprising.

So this was how he loved someone-unconditionally.

"Fine, I'll apologize." Lynda said.

Charles was taken aback, not expecting her to agree so readily.

Ignoring him, Lynda walked straight to Eleanor, who had a gleam of triumph in her eyes.

But in the next moment, Lynda kicked Eleanor's knee, making her collapse with a thud, kneeling directly toward the funeral portrait.

"Eleanor! You should be the one apologizing to my mother!"

Lynda tried to force her to bow, but Charles pulled her away.

Eleanor's originally aggrieved expression suddenly changed. "Just an old hag, passing away sooner means finding peace sooner. You should thank me! If it weren't for Charles asking me to come, do you think I'd want to be here?"

Then, in a frenzy, she started to destroy the Funeral Home.

Charles observed with cold detachment.

Lynda was held tightly by him, unable to stop Eleanor.

When Eleanor raised the urn containing her mother's ashes, Lynda's heart nearly leapt from her chest.

"No!" She pleaded desperately with Charles, "Please, stop her, I'm begging you..."

Eleanor smiled cruelly and scattered the ashes.

Dust filled the air, and Lynda cried out in despair, glaring at the indifferent Charles. "Charles..."

Before she could finish, Eleanor raised the urn to strike her head. "You bitch, if you hadn't married Charles, your mother wouldn't have died!"

Pain surged through Lynda's head, warm blood flowing down her forehead.

Then came another blow, harsher than before.

"Your mother's dead, you should die too!" Eleanor shouted.

As Lynda collapsed, Charles finally let go.

In her blurred consciousness, she saw him tenderly holding Eleanor's hand, checking repeatedly to see if she was hurt by a splinter.

He never once glanced at Lynda.