I left the hospital, holding Jennifer's diary, and headed to my husband's house in the neighboring city.
He had bought this house for the convenience of his work. I knew that, but I had never been here before.
The moment I opened the door, I was greeted by a scene that left me breathless.
Inside, there were three people: my husband, his business partner, and her son.
The house was decorated warmly, with a large "Happy Birthday" sign on the wall. The little boy was dressed like a prince, wearing a birthday hat. Until I walked in, they had been singing the birthday song.
The woman sat next to my husband, their hands intertwined, a clear indication that their relationship transcended the boundaries of mere business partners..
Their relationship looked more like a family.
My husband, who had told Jennifer just yesterday that he couldn't come back for her birthday, was here celebrating the birthday of another woman's son!
"Matt, is this the ' work' you said you were busy with? Is this why you couldn't be with Jennifer for her birthday?!"
Grief over losing my daughter stripped away all my rationality.
I was nearly hysterical.
"It's just a birthday! She has one every year—what's the big deal? There's always next year, isn't there? Was it really necessary for you to come all this way to scream at me?"
Next year? Where is next year?!
I screamed in anguish, "Jennifer is dead! She's dead! She doesn't have a next year!"
Hearing my words, Matt furrowed his brows deeply.
There was no sadness in his eyes, only impatience.
"Kate, have you really become so cruel that you'd even curse your own daughter?"
Beside him, his business partner, Emily, let out a mocking laugh.
"That's right, you're being way too much. I know you want to take Matt back with you, but making jokes about your daughter's life? That's just going too far."
Then, with a calm and condescending tone, she turned to Matt.
"She's still your wife, after all, and we're just outsiders. Let's go, Jimmy. We'll leave now."
Matt grabbed Emily's arm, not even sparing me a glance.
"She's just a naive woman. Her idea of winning me back is using our daughter's life as a bargaining chip —She doesn't even come close to you, not even in the same league as you."
"Don't leave. The one who should be leaving is her."
I rushed forward and slapped him across the face with the diary Jennifer had left behind.
"Matt, you're nothing but a beast!"
Angered by my strike, he grabbed my arm and threw me towards the door.
"I've still given you some dignity, but don't push me, or I'll divorce you!"
I let out a cold laugh.
At that moment, I must have looked like a madwoman—my hair disheveled, my clothes covered in dirt. Anyone who saw me would think I'd lost my mind.
And maybe I had.
I had lost my daughter and, with her, any reason to keep humbling myself.
"Then let's divorce."
Matt clearly hadn't expected me to say that. He hesitated for just a moment before sneering.
"Ugh, Kate, every time with the same line. Can't you come up with something new?" He pointed a finger up and down at me. "Look at you—are you sure someone's going to want you after we divorce? Get real. You're not in your twenties anymore."
Emily let out a mocking laugh beside him, full of derision.
"Sister-in-law, you're not young anymore. Don't act like a little girl throwing a tantrum about divorce. There's really nothing going on between Matt and me. We just signed a contract and helped celebrate my son's birthday, that's all."
I didn't care anymore.
I had long known that this woman's relationship with Matt wasn't simple. In other words, I had known for a while that Matt's relationships with other women weren't simple.
But I always turned a blind eye.
As they said, I wasn't young anymore. I didn't have the luxury to throw tantrums about divorce.
But now, Jennifer was dead.
My precious daughter was dead! She died on her eighteenth birthday, all because she wanted to celebrate it with her father!
What meaning did Matt's existence hold for me now?
"Matt, it's over. We have nothing left between us."