A Heart for a Heart

James shook his head. "I'm sorry… I know you'd be devastated if you saw his body, so I had him cremated."

But he wasn't.

He was just worried that I'd see our son's hollowed chest, missing a heart.

I fought back my hatred as I stared at the lopsided bracelet on James' wrist.

It was Stan's gift to him.

James had often suffered from insomnia back then, so Stan learned how to make one of those Kabbalah bracelets and gave it to him.

James was slack-jawed when he wore the unattractive bracelet, unable to say a word until Stan said, "Daddy?"

He then finally took the bracelet from Stan, carefully putting it on his wrist before giving Stan a hug. "Thanks, son. I really like it."

Come to think of it, James must have been losing sleep when he planned our accident.

James followed my gaze just then, and seeing that I was looking at the bracelet, there was a troubled look in his eyes as he pulled up his sleeve to hide it.

"I promise you, dear, that I'll remember our son just like you, and for the rest of our lives."

I lowered my gaze in silence—the only thing I could be pleased about was that Stan died believing his father loved him.

But that didn't mean I could forgive what James did.

I would avenge my son and rid myself of this two-faced murderer who hurt us.

James took me home the next day because he hated the smell of the hospital, and he definitely still looked like a good husband if I hadn't seen through his demonic true nature.

He would cook for me, remembering all the things I shouldn't eat, and massage my body to help with the stress after the accident.

It was the third day after we got home that he finally excused himself, saying there was trouble at work.

However, I saw the text Sue Jenkins sent him when the screen of his phone lit up.

[Nathan's asking for his daddy. I can't sweet talk him anymore.]

He left just because Sue's child asked, while my son died on our way to see him.

I watched quietly as James left, going up to the third floor and standing behind his desk.

We had been married for five years, but the room was secured with a password lock as James reasoned that any spouse would need personal space after marriage.

I tried Sue and Nathan's birthday, and it really unlocked the door.

There were photos of James, Sue, and Nathan all over the wall—he had recorded everything, from Sue's pregnancy to delivery, and Nathan's first months, first tooth, and first steps.

As for my son, the photos of him in the four years of his life couldn't even fill a tiny album.

I reached for James' diary.

[20th May. Sue told me she's going to surprise me. I knew she's pregnant, but I still couldn't stop my tears when she showed me her positive pregnancy test.]

[23rd January. I'm a father now, and my son's name is Nathan.]

[He's just such a tiny thing… But holding him in my arms, I thought for a split second I should do everything for him and Sue.]

[But that was the moment the doctor told me about his congenital heart defect.]

[30th September. I'm marrying for Nathan's sake, but I'm not marrying Sue.]

[But I'm going to be a good husband to Sue and a good father to Nathan.]

The pen was pushed so hard on the paper for that last line that it almost tore through it.

I couldn't help smiling wryly.