Mistress Over Mother

Martin grabbed me roughly by the collar. His eyes were bloodshot with rage.

"Stella, Mom has treated you better than her own flesh and blood all these years. If you keep spouting nonsense, I'll rip your mouth apart!"

Looking at Claire's belongings scattered across the living room, my heart filled with sorrow. Even now, Martin still had not realized she was dead.

I wanted to tell Martin that Claire died because of him. Yet, before I could speak, he violently snatched the locket from my hand and roared furiously.

"I'll teach you to run your mouth! You want a divorce? Fine, I'll give you one!"

With that, he slammed the antique locket onto the floor, smashing it to pieces. The shards from the shattered locket grazed my cheek and cut through my already broken heart.

I frantically dropped to my knees, carefully picking up the fragments from the floor.

Waverly hid behind him with a gloating expression, though her words came out in a pitiful tone. "Martin, this is all my fault. If only I hadn't come to you, none of this would have happened. Stella, please calm down. I'm not the kind of person who destroys families. Since you don't like me, I'll leave right now!"

With every word she spoke, Martin's gaze grew colder. "Leave? You didn't do anything wrong in the first place. She's the one at fault! Stella, I'm giving you one last chance. Apologize to Waverly!"

My palms were covered in blood from the fragments cutting into my skin. Red drops bloomed across my skin, but they were nothing compared to the pain in my chest.

"Me? Apologize? Why should I apologize? Isn't it true that Mom died because you insisted on taking care of Waverly instead..."

Before I could finish, Waverly bit her lip, putting on her innocent act. "Stella, I'll leave right now. You don't need to be so passive-aggressive."

Martin grabbed her wrist and bellowed, "Stella, don't force me to divorce you!"

At those words, I slapped Martin hard across the face. "You think you have the right to bring up divorce? I already sent you the papers. I'm the one divorcing you!"

Martin clutched his reddening cheek, his eyes watching me warily as he quietly positioned Waverly behind him for protection. "Stella, calm down! Waverly just recovered from a serious illness. If you scare her, I won't let you get away with it!"

I cut him off coldly. "She's got you, the hospital director who sacrifices his own family for the greater good. When someone has a man who'll defend her even when his own mother is dying, how would I dare provoke her?"

Martin realized I was talking about the interview that had gone viral, and he relaxed a bit. "Stella, if you're jealous, just say so. There's no need to make such a scene. I know I've been neglecting you lately, so let me..."

He knew perfectly well that what bothered me was not just his ambiguous relationship with Waverly, but also his dismissive attitude toward Claire. Yet, he was deliberately downplaying it.

He always did this, avoiding the real issues.

Before, I had held back for Claire's sake, not wanting to see her hurt. But now, Claire's dying wish was for me to be happy and not to stay trapped in this marriage.

With that thought, I shook my head and interrupted him. "You two can get married and have kids for all I care. It's got nothing to do with me anymore. But this room belonged to Mom, and if you dare touch it, I'll fight you both to the death!"

For the first time, Martin saw clear disgust in my eyes, and he backed down, lowering his stance. "Stella, you've worked hard taking care of Mom lately. Let's go visit her together."

My eyes immediately burned hot with tears.

Claire was right here in the living room. Where else did he think we would go?

"Mom is right..."

I shook my head and was about to reach for the urn when Waverly let out a sudden cry. "Martin, I forgot I have a shift at the hospital today! Can you drive me there?"

Martin instinctively pulled her into his arms, his tone intimate. "Oh my, I forgot too! Let's get going!"

His peripheral vision caught my ashen face, and Martin released his hold, his eyes darting away. "I know Mom's condition better than anyone. Once I finish with my other patients, I'll arrange for her bone marrow transplant."

Watching his retreating back, a bitter smile twisted my lips as tears streamed down my face. Claire's death certificate was sitting in his office, but with his eyes full of nothing but Waverly, how could he possibly notice it?

I mumbled, "Martin, you missed your last chance to say goodbye to her..."

In a daze, I seemed to see Claire's kind, gentle eyes again. It was as if she were still comforting me.

Knowing Martin only had eyes for Waverly, I had no choice but to arrange Claire's funeral myself. Once I finished this final task, I would carry out her dying wish and live my life well.

The next day, after I had purchased the funeral supplies, I came home to find the front door broken open. The baby shoes Claire had prepared were carelessly thrown on the floor, and her belongings had been torn apart and scattered everywhere.

Waverly stood in the living room directing construction workers to remove everything from Claire's room.

My blood ran cold with fury as I rushed forward. "Stop! What are you doing? Stop this right now!"

Waverly's eyes held an air of indifference, and she smiled with smug confidence. "Stella, Martin told me to decorate according to my own taste. He said I could do whatever I wanted."