Chapter 4

John's POV

Tears spilled from my eyes, and a laugh nearly escaped me.

The face of the woman in front of me, looking ever so menacing, could no longer overlap with the Lisseth Gabler I once knew.

A flicker of resignation flashed through her eyes, as if she had suddenly remembered how hard I had cried the day I lost Mom.

"As long as you clear things up, I'll divorce Donny and marry you."

But that was never what I cared about, Lisseth.

I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling utterly despairing. Stumbling, I pushed her away and faced the cameras.

"Emma, Donny's mother, wasn't a homewrecker. My mother had mental issues and falsely accused them. I'm sorry…"

Almost instantly, the internet exploded.

Mom and I were pinned to a pillar of shame, and she was branded as the "crazy lady" on the very day of her death anniversary.

Lisseth remained indifferent, while Dad, who had his arm wrapped around Emma, finally let out a sigh of relief.

All of a sudden, Donny cried out in shock as he waved the phone in his hand. "John, how can you have people throw feces and garbage all over my mother's new house?"

In the video, the once magnificent house that was slated to be Dad and Emma's newlywed home had been completely destroyed.

I'd barely taken a good look when a sudden slap landed hard across my face.

Lisseth's eyes were bloodshot. "John! Do you know I was about to marry you? And yet you just had to take things this far just because of one clarification? If that's the case…"

She turned to look at Dad. After seeing his expression, her resolve instantly hardened. "…then there's no need to keep that family home!"

The disgust in her eyes deepened as she called the auction house. "Auction it off for 100 dollars! First come, first served!"

"No!" I screamed hysterically, while she ordered people to hold me down. "I won't marry you anymore, Lisseth! Just give the family home back to me!"

Disbelief colored her face as she froze momentarily. "Our relationship is worth that little to you? Can you stop threatening me with your childish tantrums?"

"Think whatever you want!" I yelled.

With bloodshot eyes, I grabbed a set of car keys and bolted out the door without looking back.

Lisseth stared intently at my retreating figure, only snapping out of it when she heard Donny gently calling her name.

…

By the time I arrived at the family home, Mom's memorial display had been trashed. Flowers, candles, and keepsakes were scattered across the floor, while her framed portrait had been splashed with red paint and covered with hateful insults.

"Stop! All of you—"

But before I could finish, Mom's porcelain urn crashed to the ground and shattered into pieces.

"Mr. Donny Kaufman specifically ordered us to make sure you and your mother truly become one!"

With that, the thugs swarmed me, pinned me to the ground, and forced the ashes into my mouth.

"Let go of me!" I sputtered.

My desperate struggles were entirely futile. Tears streamed down my face and the ashes filled my throat, choking me.

After they left, I coughed violently and spat out a mouthful of blood. Something inside me died right then.

Numbly, I lit a match and threw it onto the pile of firewood, watching silently as the fire roared upward toward the sky.

"May we never meet again, Lisseth Gabler," I murmured.

…

Three hours later, when Lisseth and Dad arrived at the family home carrying flowers to pay their respects to Mom, a neighbour rushed out in a panic.

"The old house suddenly caught fire," they screamed. "I think someone burned to death inside!"