I’d Rather Not Have a Fake Love

I had no idea how long I had been walking with Ella in my arms when Sophia suddenly appeared behind me.

I was caught off guard as she suddenly knocked the urn from my hands. The ashes scattered across the ground.

With a smug expression, she stomped on them over and over again. “You still want to take Ella’s ashes back? That’s what she gets for having a mother who fell for the same man as me!

“You never should have married William and trapped him with a child. It’s your fault for not knowing your place. All I had to do was make Noa pretend to be disabled, and I easily got all of his love.”

“Do you want to see photos of her knee joints being sliced open while she was still alive? Too bad you never got to hear her cry for her mother while begging through the pain.”

Overcome with rage, I lunged for her phone. Just before I could reach her, she suddenly dropped to her knees with a heavy thud.

A sharp slap struck my face. My face burned as a bright red mark surfaced on my skin.

William held Sophia in his arms and turned to me. He shouted in anger, “Nina! What are you doing?! Why are you hurting her?!”

Sophia lowered her gaze. Her face was full of pitiful innocence.

“I accidentally knocked over Ella’s ashes just now. I swear I didn’t mean to, but she started cursing at me and saying I was seducing you. She called me a loose woman and said Noa stole the spotlight at the funeral, which upset Ella. She forced me down to my knees and made me apologize to Ella.”

“I did not want Noa to steal the spotlight either. But she’s naturally outstanding. What am I supposed to do? Boohoo…”

His expression darkened in an instant. His eyes blazed with fury as he glared at me. “Noa was always ten times better than Ella. Why are you so petty?

“How dare you force her to kneel and apologize. Why don’t you apologize for scaring her instead? You’re so shameless!

“Who cares if Ella’s ashes were scattered? The dead are nothing but dirt. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?”

I let out a cold laugh. “Scattered just like that? Easy for you to say. William, you don’t even deserve to say my daughter’s name.

“Who killed my daughter? Who ordered the doctor and that madman to do this to her!”

William froze for a moment, then frowned. “What are you talking about? Everyone saw that it was a madman who rushed in and killed Ella. You fainted and didn’t see her die on the spot.

“And now you go crazy and blame Sophia. You hurt her knee in some so-called revenge for Ella. You’re being completely unreasonable!”

Sophia put on a gracious act. “We’re both mothers. I understand the pain of losing a daughter, so let’s not hold it against her. But my knee really hurts, William. What if it’s broken? I’m so scared.”

William crouched down and carefully examined her knee, even though there was not a single scratch on it. His cold gaze locked onto me. “Nina, apologize to her.”

“No!”

William grabbed my shoulders and forced me down. He pressed hard until I knelt before her.

“If you won’t kneel, I’ll make you.”

Sophia’s face showed long-lost triumph as her lips curled into a smug, taunting smile.

I gritted my teeth and watched them walk away. Slowly, I gathered Ella’s ashes.

‘Come on, Ella,’ I thought. ‘It’s time for us to go.’

I was printing the divorce papers when William called again.

“Nina, I’m sorry. Is your knee okay? I only made you apologize so Sophia wouldn’t hate you. I’m saying sorry on her behalf.

“And you should hold onto Ella’s ashes for now. A psychic said spreading them on a road would bring prosperity to the family. It’s also eco-friendly.

“Nina, I’ll make it up to you when I get back. I’ll buy your favorite cake.”

I kept a blank face and said, “Okay.”

“Thanks for forgiving Sophia. You’re such a good girl, just like Ella. So obedient. I’ll bring back the dessert you like.”

I did not reply. I simply stopped the bleeding on my knee and packed up my things.

I scheduled the divorce agreement and the recording to be sent to William.

Even at the airport lounge, I saw news about them.

Because Sophia claimed her knee was injured, William invited one of the world’s most renowned orthopedic doctors to examine it.

To cheer her up, he gifted her a top-grade gemstone.

Without hesitation, I held Ella close and boarded the plane.

Meanwhile, William held Sophia in his arms. He was kissing her while rubbing her knee. Sophia gasped and moaned.

The doctor ran up to him in a panic and whispered, “Bad news! Madam is gone! She left a paternity test proving Noa isn’t your child. And her knee was never even injured!”