The Sin That Can't Be Forgiven

I squeezed my eyes shut, letting the pain swallow me whole until I lost consciousness. When I opened them again, the first thing I saw was Leo's worried face as he gently cupped my cheek. "Evelyn! Thank God, you're finally awake! It's all my fault. I couldn't protect you and our daughter. I already lost Josephine, I can't lose you too." I glanced down at my bandaged chest, the fresh dressing already stained with blood. Leo abruptly pulled me into a tight embrace, his hand covering my eyes. "Evelyn, sweetie ... don't look … " "What happened to me?" I asked, feigning ignorance. Leo struggled to speak, but the words wouldn't come. The doctor finally explained, "Mrs. Laughlin, when you fell from the rooftop, you landed on your chest. The tissue was completely destroyed. So, to save your life, we had no choice but to remove everything." I turned pale. Leo immediately tried to comfort me. "Evelyn, don't be scared. Medical technology is so advanced now. I swear, I'll make sure you recover completely." I stared at him blankly. "Where's Josephine? I just want to see her … one last time." Leo hesitated before saying, "You were unconscious for too long and Josephine has already been buried. I'm sorry, Evelyn. This is all my fault. I wasn't strong enough. I gave those criminals a chance to strike, but don't worry, we caught the mastermind behind it. They were just desperate criminals after money, but Josephine struggled too hard ... so they didn't hold back. The police said they'll get at least a life sentence." I bit down on my lip hard. Ten years of marriage and I never realized how easily Leo could lie. I locked eyes with him and he quickly looked away. He reached for a takeout box from the bedside table and handed it to me. "Evelyn, I went out of my way to get you some crab roe soup. You should eat." I looked at the now-cold soup, a wave of irony washing over me. "No, thank you. I can't eat anything greasy after surgery." Crab roe soup was Evangeline's favorite. Even though she married someone else, Leo still remembered. After all these years of marriage, he'd gotten used to buying them for me, even convinced himself they were my favorite. Leo paused, then gave a bitter chuckle and rubbed his forehead. "Right, my mistake. I'll go get some food!" He rushed out of the room. My phone vibrated with a new notification, another anonymous email. This time, it wasn't just an audio clip. It was a video of Leo and Evangeline in bed together. Even with the pixelation, I could easily recognize them. Leo buried his face in Evangeline's chest, his voice thick with desire. "Evangeline, you're so beautiful!" "Thanks to your wife," Evangeline purred. "Who knew the stupid woman had such a great body..." "She's ruined now, so she definitely won't have the face to pester me for intimacy anymore. Evie, from now on, I will remain chaste for you." My chest tightened. I slammed my phone screen off. Our daughter had just died and he was already in bed with Evangeline. He didn't deserve to be a father. When we first got married, I had trouble conceiving. It was only after a long struggle that we had Josephine. I used to think it was fate, but after hearing that audio clip, I knew the truth. He already had a son with Evangeline. He'd secretly replaced my folic acid with birth control pills, making me infertile for years. I'd felt so guilty towards him. Five years ago, Henry Laughlin was diagnosed with acute leukemia. He needed a bone marrow transplant, but there were no suitable matches. That's when Leo allowed me to have Josephine. Three months ago, Henry got into a fight and injured his eyes. That's why Leo orchestrated a kidnapping, stealing Josephine's corneas and killing her. The precious child I cherished was nothing more than a source of organs for Henry in Leo's eyes.

Evangeline stole my husband, caused my daughter's death and even took my breasts. Now, she dared to send me an email just to show off. Fine! If that's how she wanted to play, I'd make sure she and Leo pay for what they've done. The day I was discharged from the hospital, Leo lifted me out of the wheelchair and carried me from the ward to the hospital entrance. The envious glances and praises of "what a good husband" along the way brought a slight smile to his lips. I used to be grateful to have married such a gentle and caring man. But now I know it was all a facade he put on for others. Just as we were about to reach the car, a sweet, delicate voice called out to Leo. The moment he heard it, his whole body went stiff. "What a coincidence, Leo!" Evangeline approached us with a bright smile. Leo immediately let go of me so fast that I lost my balance and crashed into the car door. A sharp pain shot through my chest and my wounds were still healing. I swallowed back my tears. "Leo, after all these years, you're still so clumsy. Poor Evelyn, you must've hurt her," Evangeline joked proudly and Leo seemed to find that his reaction was too suspicious. He quickly supported me, lowering his head to show concern. I looked at Evangeline. She was dressed in an elegant fitted skirt, her figure curvy and refined. Around her neck was a dazzling blue sapphire necklace, the gemstone so large it practically glowed against her pale skin. I recognized it instantly. It was the highlight of an auction six months ago, a rare piece that sold for three hundred million dollars. I remembered how Leo had insisted on attending the auction that night despite having a high fever. He said he wanted to win that necklace as a birthday gift for me. But when he returned home, he looked disappointed and told me that a mysterious buyer had outbid him. Now I see the truth. There was no mysterious buyer. He had spent all that money just to make Evangeline happy. If this had been in the past, I would've pestered him for an explanation. But now? I just smiled and said calmly, "The necklace is beautiful." Leo's brows furrowed slightly before he quickly changed the subject. "Evie, what brings you here? Why are you at the hospital?" Evangeline's smile deepened as she pulled out an invitation and handed it to Leo. "Tomorrow is Henry's tenth birthday. I went by your house to invite you both, but the butler told me Evelyn was in the hospital. Leo, you'll come, right? Henry has been looking forward to it." My heart sank. Tomorrow was the seventh day after Josephine's death. Evangeline was deliberately stabbing my heart. I looked up at Leo, waiting for his answer. After a moment's hesitation, Leo accepted the invitation. "A tenth birthday is a big deal. I'll definitely be there!" After saying that, he avoided my eyes, quickly saying goodbye to Evangeline and helping me into the car. Behind us, Evangeline's eyes darted and she suddenly clutched her chest, staggering a few steps. Leo immediately dropped me and rushed to support her, his face filled with worry. Then, he apologized to me. "Evie's old problem flared up again. I'll take her to see a doctor. Evelyn, I'll have the driver take you home first!" Without another word, he scooped Evangeline up. He carried her back into the hospital, not even sparing me a second glance. I let out a bitter chuckle. He called her "Evie" so affectionately but referred to me by my full name, showing clearly where his loyalty lay. When we first got married, I asked him to call me "Evie," but he always said it was too mushy and he wasn't used to it. Now, it was clear he never really cared for me. When I got home, everything that belonged to Josephine had been cleared out. Leo said it was because he didn't want me to be upset by the memories. I knew it was because he had a guilty conscience and was in a hurry to erase any trace of his wrongdoing. Leo always found excuses to miss Josephine's birthdays. Now, I realized he must have been spending them with Evangeline and her son.

Josephine's birthday was also the day I was reborn. My poor Josephine. Every year, she'd sit in front of her birthday cake, waiting. Even when the candles burned out, her dad never showed up. Every time I thought of her big, bright eyes, looking at me with pure innocence, asking, "Mommy, when will Daddy come home to celebrate my birthday?"—my heart shattered into pieces. That night, I went to the study to write up the divorce papers. That's when I saw a locked box inside the desk drawer. On a whim, I opened it. The password was Evangeline's birthday. Inside was a thick stack of photos. Every single one showed Leo looking tenderly at Evangeline and Henry in his arms. Their happiness was blinding. At the bottom of the box, I found a sealed document. It was Leo's will. A few bolded lines stood out: upon his death, all his assets would be unconditionally bequeathed to Henry Laughlin. I went out to the yard, to the big tree and dug up the little treasures Josephine used to bury when she played. Her favorite toy dog, the strawberry gummies she loved. She said if she buried her favorite things in the ground, lots and lots of treasures would grow. As I dug, her sweet little face filled my mind. When I unearthed a painting, I couldn't hold back anymore and I burst into tears. It was a family portrait she drew for her fifth birthday. In it, Leo and I were with her, blowing out the candles and she was smiling so innocently. Sadly, she never got to celebrate her birthday with her father before she died. Utterly heartbroken, I pulled out my phone. Relying on muscle memory, I dialed a familiar number. "Noah, I'm requesting to return to the team. Also, I want Leo Laughlin dead!" I said nothing, silently going along with his plans. A little while later, the roar of a sports car echoed from the driveway. It was the new car Leo had bought just last month. He had spent 30 million on it, all because Henry had said he liked it. I watched as that striking red car sped off towards the west, in the same direction as the hotel where Henry's birthday party was being held. I let out a cold laugh. Then, I grabbed my black coat and headed for the cemetery. He could toss aside Josephine's memorial for Henry's birthday. Still, as her mother, I couldn't bear the thought of her suffering alone in the afterlife. But after searching the entire cemetery, I couldn't find Josephine's grave and a sense of unease washed over me. I pulled over a cemetery worker to ask. "Oh, you mean that little girl, Josephine Laughlin?" he said casually. "Her dad brought in a witch doctor to check her fortune. Said she died a violent death and her spirit was too restless. It would bring bad luck to the family. So, they didn't bury her in the main cemetery. They moved her to the mass grave site in the south instead. Maybe to save face, they set up an empty, nameless tombstone here." A mass grave? My mind went blank. Was Leo Laughlin this heartless? Even in death, he wouldn't let Josephine rest in peace. I quickly wiped away my tears and drove to the mass grave. After a long search, I finally found the small mound with Josephine's name. A lone urn was carelessly placed to the side and in the small photo, Josephine was smiling sweetly. My heart ached. I picked up the urn and sped away. I kicked open the doors to Henry's birthday party. The loud bang turned everyone's attention to me. I immediately saw Leo in the center of the crowd, holding Henry on the stage. He clearly hadn't expected me and his smile froze on his face. Henry was the first to react. With his hair slicked back and wearing a custom-tailored tuxedo, Henry walked cockily towards me. He looked me up and down with disdain.

The little boy, barely ten years old, exuded an air of obnoxious arrogance. "Are you the bad woman who stole my Uncle Leo? What do you want?" He curled his lip at me disdainfully, his eyes lighting up when he spotted the urn in my arms. "Is this my birthday present?" Before I could respond, he reached out to snatch it. The moment I saw his bright, watery eyes, the same eyes that once belonged to Josephine, my anger flared up. I dodged to the side and Henry, completely unprepared, fell to the ground with a loud thud. He immediately burst into tears. "Uncle Leo! Mom! This bad woman is bullying me!" Seeing Henry crying so miserably, Leo's heart ached. He quickly scooped the boy into his arms, comforting him while glaring at me. "Evelyn! Today is Henry's birthday. What the hell are you doing? Apologize to him. Now!" Did he ask me to apologize to the very person responsible for Josephine's death? Leo Laughlin, you truly have no heart! I was about to argue with him when Evangeline, in her high heels, stepped between us. "It's okay, Leo. He's just a kid throwing a tantrum. You can't expect Evelyn to apologize." She put on a kind and understanding act, pulling me aside. But the moment we were out of earshot, her face twisted into something cruel. "Evelyn, your daughter is dead and you're nothing but a broken freak now. If I were you, I'd just stay home and never show my face again. You saw how passionate Leo is when he's with me, right? He was never like that with you. He told me that being with you was just a chore, a duty to fulfill. Only I can truly excite him." "Come to think of it, I should really thank you and your daughter. One donated her corneas to my son and the other gave me a pair of new breasts. Did you know? When your daughter died, her body was so mangled, it was nightmare-inducing just to look at her." My chest heaved violently. I couldn't take it anymore. I slapped Evangeline across the face. Leo stormed forward, grabbing my wrist and shoving me to the ground. "Evelyn! You crazy bitch! Who said you could lay a hand on Evie?" I ignored his shouting, my eyes locked onto the urn that had fallen to the floor. My heart shattered into a million pieces. I lifted my head, my eyes bloodshot and grabbed Leo by the collar, my voice trembling with rage. "Leo! Do you even know what's in this box?" Leo glanced at the scattered ashes, confused. "Whatever it is, apologize to Evie first!" I gave a cold laugh. "Do you even remember what day it is? It's our daughter's seventh-day memorial! And you're here celebrating someone else's child's birthday? What kind of father are you?" Leo looked slightly guilty. "Evelyn, I know you're grieving for Josephine, but life goes on. I've been to her grave, prayed for her and brought her favorite snacks. You can't just wallow in your grief and expect everyone else to be miserable with you." I couldn't bear to look at his hypocritical face any longer. "My daughter is dead and you murderers are celebrating! Do you have any conscience at all?" Leo's expression darkened. "What nonsense are you talking about? Who are you calling murderers? The kidnappers have been punished by law. What more do you want?" I pointed at the ashes scattered across the floor and let out a bitter laugh. "Leo, then why don't you say it to Josephine's ashes? Tell her why she was kidnapped. Why did she suddenly go blind? Tell me, was my breast really removed because of medical complications?" Leo's brows furrowed even tighter as her lips trembled in disbelief. "Are you saying what's inside this box is Josephine? Evelyn! Are you insane? How come you dug up our daughter's grave?" Standing nearby, Evangeline covered her face as if something had suddenly clicked in her mind. She immediately stepped forward, pulling Leo aside to calm her down. "All right, Leo, Evelyn is just overwhelmed with grief. I can understand her. Let's talk about this later. Come on, Henry still hasn't blown out his birthday candles!" Leo snorted coldly and followed Evangeline out of the room. I crouched down, carefully gathering up Josephine's ashes, tears streaming down uncontrollably. After leaving the hotel, I drove straight to the harbor and boarded a cruise ship heading toward international waters. Leo, the next time we meet will be the day you die!