When Love Turns to Ash

My mom lay on the hospital bed, delirious, muttering Kate's name.

Tears streamed down my face as I called my wife.

When she picked up, Kate impatiently said she was busy in a meeting and would call back later.

I could hear the laughter of a man in the background.

As the call ended, the heart monitor flatlined.

My mom closed her eyes and took her last breath.

While I was in the depths of grief, Kate's childhood friend Peter posted a new update on social media, tagging a location at a five-star hotel.

The photo showed them holding hands, the matching couple bracelets on their wrists shining brightly.

"If love lasts, why do we need to be together every day and night?"

At that moment, my heart completely died.

Wiping away my tears, I liked and commented on the post.

"Since the atmosphere is so perfect, why not get married? Then you can be together every day and night, fulfilling your wishes."

——

After handling my mom's funeral alone, I returned home and sat silently on the sofa for an entire day and night, thinking about many things.

At eleven o'clock at night, Kate Walsh finally came home.

Seeing that I was still awake, she looked surprised.

"Tobias, it's so late, why aren't you asleep?"

I replied emotionlessly, "Couldn't sleep."

"Is it because I'm not here?"

Kate sat next to me, her long legs wrapped in black silk crossed, creating a perfect and enticing curve.

She reached out to hug my shoulder.

"We've been married for so many years, and you still like to cling to your wife while sleeping. Aren't you embarrassed?"

She reeked of alcohol, and I could even smell tobacco in her hair.

I frowned and pushed her away.

Kate was taken aback. "Tobias, what's wrong?"

I coldly asked, "Where have you been these past few days?"

"On a business trip, negotiating a big deal in Osciena. I rushed back to the office for a meeting right after landing. It's been exhausting."

To prove she wasn't lying, Kate took out two gift boxes from her bag.

"Look, these are gifts I bought for you and Mrs. George in Osciena."

Even after all these years of marriage, she still called my mom "Mrs. George."

One gift box contained men's cologne, a familiar scent that Peter liked.

The other box had a jade bracelet.

I threw both boxes into the trash.

Kate's eyebrows furrowed in anger. "Honey, what are you doing?"

I looked into her eyes. "The cologne is a gift for Peter, right? You forgot to give it to him."

"Don't talk nonsense. The cologne is for you."

"Ha, in all these years of marriage, when have you ever seen me use cologne?" I sneered. "Kate, let me ask you, where was your meeting tonight?"

Kate's eyes flickered. "Of course, at the office!"

"The office? I think it was at a hotel. Your body reeks of alcohol and Peter's smoke. No amount of cologne can cover it."

I stood up, speaking clearly and firmly. "Kate, let's get a divorce."

These words hit Kate like a bolt from the blue.

"Tobias, what are you saying?"

"You want a divorce from me?"

I calmly replied, "Since your heart is no longer with me, the sooner the better. Peter and you are a perfect match. I wish you both happiness."

"Tobias, I've told you so many times, Peter grew up in the same neighborhood as me. I've treated him like my own little brother since we were kids!"

Kate raised her voice.

"Yes, I admit I lied to you. There was no meeting tonight. I went out to dinner with Peter to celebrate his promotion. What's the big deal?"

"And the bracelet?"

"Peter gave it to me. I'm his sister. Can't I accept a gift?"

"Ha, it looks like couple bracelets between siblings. That's something new."

Kate was stunned. "How... how did you know it was a couple's bracelet?"

As soon as she said this, I understood.

Peter Watson's previous post on his social media was most likely hidden from Kate.

He had intentionally made sure I saw it.

"How I found out doesn't matter anymore."

I stood up and went back to the bedroom, slamming the door, leaving Kate alone in the living room.

...

Kate and I first met on a rainy night.

After working late, I walked through a dark alley and heard a faint woman's cry.

My kind nature ultimately triumphed over fear, and when I rushed in, I found Kate being assaulted by two thugs, her white legs exposed to the rain.

The thugs warned me not to interfere, while Kate looked at me with pleading eyes.

Fresh out of school, in a moment of rashness, I picked up a brick and charged at them.

In the end, the two thugs ran away, but not before I got stabbed in the waist, blood flowing everywhere.

Fortunately, the ambulance arrived in time, or else my life would have ended there.

During my recovery in the hospital, Kate visited me every day.

Over time, we developed feelings for each other.

However, after we became a couple, Master Walsh appeared to obstruct us.

Only then did I learn that Kate's background was far from ordinary.

She was the heiress of the Walsh family and the Walsh Group, with assets worth billions.

I, an ordinary worker, was worlds apart from her.

I had planned to give up, but to my surprise, my mother knew Master Walsh. After some mediation and Kate's threat to end her life, Master Walsh finally relented.

After our marriage, no one in the Walsh family, including the lowest servants, respected me.

Despite living humbly, I devoted myself entirely to Kate, focusing all my thoughts and efforts on her.

As the eldest daughter of the Walsh family, she had many quirks.

She was domineering, capricious, petty, and controlling...

I tolerated everything, catering to her every whim, taking meticulous care of her daily life.

Many said I was more of a sycophant than a man.

But I didn't care; I believed it was my duty.

I only thought of pampering her, loving her, taking care of her, and spending a happy life together.

However, everything changed silently when Peter returned to the country.

They were childhood friends, even engaged as toddlers.

The engagement was called off when Peter's family emigrated abroad.

From what I knew, they had kept in touch, and their feelings had never faded.

Peter's return was his own suggestion.

When we picked him up from the airport, Kate brought me along.

As soon as they met, they hugged tightly, completely ignoring my presence.

I didn't think much of it, assuming it was normal for siblings to be close.

When Kate introduced me, Peter's gaze was intriguing, but he still shook my hand amicably.

In retrospect, his eyes must have been filled with jealousy and hostility.