From Love to Ashes—My Husband’s Darkest Sin

That was their child. But my son was now a cold and lifeless corpse! "Lydia, does your leg still hurt? Here, take some painkillers." Samuel looked at me. His eyes were filled with the same tenderness as always, but I knew now—it was all just an illusion meant to deceive me. I looked at the pills in his hand and recalled what I had just overheard. Taking a deep breath, I said, "Samuel, the medicine is too bitter. Can I take it later?" 'You've already killed my child. Can't you at least leave me the right to be a mother?' Samuel hesitated for just a second before smiling and patting my head. "You're a mother now, yet you're still acting like a child? Giving birth was already hard on you, and now your legs are hurting. I couldn't sleep all night worrying about you, Lydia. Just take pity on your husband, okay? I still have to be a good father to our baby." "Don't worry. I added honey to the water. It's sweet. Come on, let me feed you." 'No. That is not my baby. It’s yours and Xandra’s!' I mentally screamed. He brought the pill to my lips, leaving me no chance to refuse. A chill spread through my body. I closed my eyes and swallowed the pill dry, refusing to drink the honeyed water. I didn't want that kind of fake sweetness. The effects of the drug hit quickly. A searing pain burned through my lower abdomen, as though flames were consuming me from the inside, or as if someone were slicing me open with a knife. Blood gushed from between my legs. "Lydia, what's wrong?!" Samuel shouted for the doctor. The pain was unbearable, and I passed out. In my daze, I heard the doctor’s voice. "Mr. Lopez, the drug has completely corroded her uterus. She will never be able to have children again." Samuel let out a long sigh of relief. When I woke again, his eyes were red, his face filled with grief as he gazed at me. "Lydia, the doctor said you suffered severe postpartum hemorrhage... The doctor said you won’t be able to have children anymore." "Don’t be sad. Thankfully, we already have Apollo. He’ll grow up to be a good son to you." Apollo? He had already chosen a name for Xandra’s child so soon? Samuel refused to let the nurse clean me up. Ignoring his own obsession with cleanliness, he fetched hot water himself and carefully wiped away the blood. He told me his mother wanted to see her eldest grandson and had already taken the baby away. By the time everything settled, it was late at night. I looked at his slightly tired face and forced a weak smile. "I’m fine. You’ve been busy all day. You should rest now." Samuel kissed my forehead. "Alright. If you need anything, wake me up. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to see Apollo. From now on, the three of us will live happily together." After he fell asleep, I quietly picked up his phone. To prove his loyalty to me, Samuel had never set a lock screen password. But I had never known—he had a second system on his phone, and the password to switch systems was Xandra’s birthday. The moment the screen changed, the wallpaper became a photo of him and Xandra from their university days. His messenger had only one contact—Xandra. I clicked on their chat. The first message that appeared was a picture of Xandra holding a baby. [Samuel, look at our beautiful child. He’s going to be as handsome as you when he grows up.] That baby looked exactly like the one Samuel had brought to me earlier tonight. The further I scrolled, the colder my heart became. During the eight months of my pregnancy, Samuel had been constantly "on business trips." The number of days he had actually spent by my side could be counted on my fingers. I didn’t want to distract him from work, so I endured the morning sickness and exhaustion alone, going to prenatal checkups by myself. And now I knew—those "business trips" were just an excuse for him to stay by Xandra’s side, caring for her and their unborn child. Among the thousands of photos stored on his phone, every single one recorded Xandra’s journey from pregnancy to childbirth.

Samuel personally prepared nutritious meals for Xandra every day, took her on walks and shopping trips, and even held her vomit in his hands when she suffered from morning sickness. He never missed a single prenatal checkup, staying by her side, his gaze filled with devotion as if she were the most precious treasure in the world. I had begged Samuel countless times to pick a name for our child. However, he would always take a long time to reply. "Lydia, a name is just a label. Just pick something random. I'm busy. We’ll decide after the baby is born." Yet, the moment Xandra got pregnant, Samuel had already come up with over a hundred names for her child. "Xandra, how about calling our baby Asha? It means a bright future ahead." "Or maybe Ethan? It signifies great knowledge and a promising destiny." "No, let’s go with Apollo. I don’t care if he becomes someone important. I just want him to be safe and live a long life." After every prenatal checkup, he would gift Xandra something—a piece of luxury jewelry, or a limited-edition sports car. "Our Xandra has made it through another checkup safely. We must celebrate!" He even gifted her a European castle to celebrate her successful delivery. And me? All I ever got was a single sentence, "Lydia, thank you for your hard work. I have a meeting to attend." So this was the difference between love and indifference. I put down the phone, my heart cold and numb. Without a second thought, I booked a plane ticket to leave the country in three days. Lying back on the hospital bed, I stared at the ceiling, my chest filled with an unbearable emptiness. I didn’t sleep a single moment that night. — The next morning, Samuel, as usual, had his assistant buy me a nutritious meal. I used to be touched by his thoughtfulness, believing that even when he wasn’t by my side, he still cared about my health. It wasn't until I recalled him bustling around the kitchen last night, cooking for Xandra, that I realized it was all just for show. I finally understood—this wasn’t love. It was just routine. A meaningless gesture. Compared to genuine affection, money was worthless. Seeing that I hadn’t taken a single bite, Samuel frowned, his voice filled with concern, "Lydia, why aren’t you eating? Does it not suit your taste?" "It’s nothing. I just miss the baby," I replied coldly. Samuel chuckled. "Oh, you mean Apollo? I miss him too. I never understood before, but now that I’m a father, I realize—I don’t want to be apart from him for even a second. Our Apollo is the most adorable child in the world." "Mom is over the moon now that she has a grandson. She’s been celebrating at the old house. Let’s go pick Apollo up later." I didn’t respond. I had already decided to leave, so I didn’t care anymore. — When we arrived at the Lopez family’s old estate, the moment we stepped inside, I saw my mother-in-law and Xandra happily playing with Apollo. Xandra was dressed in a high-end limited-edition outfit, her face radiant. There was no trace of exhaustion from childbirth. My mother-in-law, doting on her grandson, was feeding Xandra spoonfuls of bird’s nest soup, treating her like her daughter. The moment Xandra saw me, she smirked and turned to my mother-in-law, her voice dripping with false modesty. "Auntie, you really don’t have to treat me so well. People might mistake me for your daughter-in-law. Lydia might get jealous. You should give her the bird’s nest instead—she’s weak and needs it more." Following her gaze, my mother-in-law looked at me, her expression immediately turning sour. I was still wearing the bloodstained clothes from the day of the accident. Disgust flashed across her face. "Has my son ever deprived you of food or clothing? Why are you dressed like this? It’s so unlucky—are you trying to embarrass our family?" "Look at Xandra! She just gave birth, yet she looks so much better than you. You’re just being dramatic." "You couldn’t even behave yourself while pregnant, running around like a fool. It’s a miracle you didn’t die from that fall. And now, you dare to play the victim? If anything had happened to my grandson, I would have made Samuel divorce you on the spot!" "You knew you had to breastfeed, yet you dared to take medicine recklessly? If it weren’t for Xandra stepping in to feed him, my grandson would have starved because of you! You bring bad luck!" "I’m making it official right now—Xandra is my goddaughter. From now on, she’ll call me 'Mom,' just like Samuel does."

I always knew my mother-in-law didn’t like me. She believed I wasn’t good enough for Samuel, that I could never compare to Xandra—her son's childhood sweetheart who was beautiful, sweet-talking, and effortlessly charming. It was only when Xandra married someone abroad and I became pregnant that she reluctantly acknowledged me as her daughter-in-law—for the sake of the child. Even so, every time we met, she never spared me from her sharp-tongued ridicule. In the past, Samuel would at least defend me a little. Not to mention that the day of the accident, he was the one who insisted on dragging me to the mall, saying he wanted to buy gifts for our soon-to-be-born child. But now, his eyes were locked onto Xandra, filled with an undeniable tenderness. Xandra cradled Apollo in her arms and playfully clung to Samuel’s arm. "Samuel, did you hear that? Auntie has officially recognized me as her goddaughter! My dear brother, have you prepared a gift for your little sister?" Samuel pinched her cheek indulgently, half scolding and half spoiling her. "You’re so mischievous. Don’t call me brother." Yet, even as he spoke, he had someone deliver 92 luxury mink coats—each from a high-end designer brand, complete with matching jewelry. "I know you love fashion, but you’re still in your postpartum recovery. You need to keep warm. Winter lasts three months—exactly 92 days—so you’ll have a different one to wear each day." Xandra giggled in delight and planted a kiss on his cheek, looking like an innocent, pampered girl. "Wow! Some of these are next season’s releases, and they’re all limited editions! You managed to get them for me in advance—Samuel, you really do spoil me." She turned her gaze at me, feigning concern. "But you’ve given me so many gifts... Lydia won’t be mad, will she?" Standing there in my bloodstained clothes, I looked like a complete fool next to her dazzling, extravagant display. For a brief moment, Samuel hesitated, as if suddenly remembering I was still there. He awkwardly tried to explain. "Lydia, it’s not what you think. Xandra has been living abroad for so long—you know how different their customs are." "And the coats... I just heard that she had also recently given birth. Her husband isn’t here, and since we grew up together, I just thought—" Before he could finish, Apollo suddenly started crying. Xandra gasped in surprise. "Oh no, is Apollo hungry again? Mommy will take you upstairs to feed you!" She then turned to me with a falsely apologetic smile. "Lydia, don’t misunderstand. I’m just used to comforting my own baby. Besides, every time I say this, Apollo gets so happy!" She cradled Apollo in her arms and started walking upstairs—only to suddenly lean weakly into Samuel’s chest, murmuring, "Sam, I feel a little dizzy..." Samuel immediately shoved me aside and caught her in his arms, his expression full of worry. "How could this happen? You must be feeling weak after childbirth. I told you to rest at the postpartum center! Come on, I’ll carry you upstairs." My right leg was still bandaged from the accident. With that sudden push, I lost my balance and collapsed onto the floor, pain shooting through me like a knife. But Samuel didn’t spare me a single glance. Right in front of everyone, he scooped Xandra into a princess carry—holding both her and Apollo—before heading upstairs. The room erupted with ridicule. Mocking voices filled the air, dripping with contempt. "No wonder Samuel dotes on Xandra. Not only is she beautiful, but she’s also kind-hearted enough to feed someone else’s child. Unlike this useless woman—so cheap and embarrassing. She can’t even tolerate a little leg pain and even took medicine while breastfeeding. How selfish!" "Does she even deserve to be a mother? If you ask me, Xandra is more like Apollo’s real mother—she cares more about him, and look, even Apollo looks more like her! He probably doesn’t want to resemble that disgraceful woman. Xandra and Samuel make such a perfect couple. It’s a shame they never got married." Instead of standing up for me, my mother-in-law looked at me with even greater disgust. She scoffed and snapped at me.

"Still lying there like a dog? If you want to beg for food, get out and do it somewhere else! Our family doesn’t feed worthless, lowly women like you!" "You don’t even care about your own son, and you can’t keep your husband’s heart. I heard you’ll never be able to have children again? My son marrying you is the worst misfortune of his life. Get lost—just looking at you takes ten years off my life." Humiliation washed over me like a tidal wave. I clenched my fingers around my phone, where I had long since prepared the divorce papers. Without a word, I struggled to my feet, limping toward the study upstairs. I retrieved the printed divorce agreement and placed it into my bag before heading to the guest room to look for Samuel. But he wasn’t there. Instead, I saw the nanny holding Apollo, who had just finished feeding and was sleeping soundly. Frowning in confusion, I suddenly heard noises coming from our bedroom—sounds that made my stomach turn. The door wasn’t fully closed. Through the gap, I saw Xandra straddling Samuel, her blouse was wide open as she cooed in a sickly sweet voice. "Sam, I have too much milk... Apollo’s appetite is too small, and I’m so full it hurts~" "I feel awful... Won’t you help me relieve it?" Samuel hesitated. "Xandra, don’t... You just gave birth two days ago. Your body can’t handle it. You already took a huge risk hiding your pregnancy from your husband to have my child—I can’t put you in danger again..." Xandra grabbed his head and pressed him against her chest. "Silly Sam, I’m not afraid—so what are you afraid of? I wanted to give birth to your child. My husband is always away; he doesn’t even know. Come on, pamper me a little. Don’t you want to taste the sweetness of battle-scarred love?" Samuel finally lost control. He leaned in, his lips sealing over her skin. The sounds inside grew more obscene, making my stomach churn with nausea. I couldn’t take it anymore. I turned and fled the house. Only when I inhaled the crisp air outside did the suffocating weight in my chest lessen. But the tears wouldn’t stop falling. 'Samuel, you knew I was just downstairs. How could you do this? In our bedroom?!' I slumped onto the doorstep, dazed, not knowing how much time had passed. Then, without warning, a foul-smelling liquid was dumped over my head. I gasped in shock as the stench filled my nose. Xandra stood before me, her lips curled into a smug smirk. "Lydia, how does my son’s urine taste? Did you enjoy watching Samuel lose himself in me?" So this was intentional. She wanted me to see everything. "Tsk tsk, just look at you now—your son is dead, and you’re hobbling around on one leg. If I were you, I’d have ended it already. What’s the point of living?" She bent down, whispering cruelly into my ear. "Even though you married Samuel and had his child, so what? He still suffocated your son to death for me and my baby, making sure you could never have another." My breath hitched. Xandra held up her phone, tilting the screen toward me. "I even recorded it for you. Want to see how your baby’s little face turned from red to purple? It’s quite a sight." My entire body trembled violently. I stared at the screen as my child... my baby... struggled for breath. And then, slowly, he stopped moving. I felt like I was suffocating too. How could she describe murdering a child so casually, as if it were nothing? Fury erupted within me. I raised my hand high, ready to strike her—but before I could, Xandra suddenly pulled out a knife and slashed it across her own chest. Bright red blood soaked through her blouse. She shrieked in agony, the knife clattering to the ground. In the next second, a force slammed into me, knocking me to the ground. Samuel cradled Xandra protectively in his arms. His furious voice rang out, searing through the air, "Lydia, are you insane?!" I opened my mouth to explain, but before I could speak, Xandra burst into pitiful sobs. "Sam, I was just afraid that Apollo would go hungry, so I came to explain things to Lydia. But she said I was trying to steal her child... She threatened to cut off my chest so I could never breastfeed again." She trembled, burying herself deeper in his embrace. "I was only thinking about the baby! How could she do this to me?!"

Samuel’s face darkened as he glared at me. "You were the one who fell down the stairs and broke your leg that’s why things turned out this way. Why are you taking it out on Xandra?" "You’re not a good mother. You took medication and couldn’t breastfeed your child. Xandra was kind enough to help, so what right do you have to lash out at her? Just because you don’t care about your child, does that mean no one else is allowed to?" 'I’m not a good mother? I don’t care about my child?' Tears streamed down my face as I roared at him in fury, "I’m not a good mother?! Then what about you?! Do you dare to tell me why I fell down the stairs? Where is my child? And what exactly was in that medication I took?!" Samuel frowned. "Apollo is sleeping soundly in the room, of course. And the medication was just to help with your leg pain—you knew that already." "As for why you fell, it was your own carelessness. With so many people around, why were you the only one who got pushed? You’re useless, and yet you have the audacity to hurt Xandra? You’re a mother too—how could you be so cruel to another mother? Apologize to her, now!" Yes, so many people were there. And yet, I was the only one pushed. I looked at him—so self-righteous, so convinced of his own lies—and suddenly, I laughed. That was my husband. A liar. A murderer. I picked up the knife from the ground. With all the strength I had left, I slashed my chest over and over, cutting deep until my clothes were soaked in blood. Samuel’s eyes widened in horror. "Lydia! What are you doing?! Stop it!" I dropped the knife and met his gaze calmly. "You’re right, Samuel. I shouldn’t have hurt a mother. So I’m atoning for my sins—to your beloved. Is this enough sincerity for you?" With that, I turned and walked away. Blood dripped from my wounds, leaving a trail behind me. My steps were unsteady, but I never looked back. Samuel hesitated, instinctively reaching out to help me—but Xandra clung to his neck, her voice pitiful and weak. "Sam, it hurts so much... Can you take me to the hospital? We can’t let Apollo go hungry." Samuel struggled for a moment. Then, he made his choice. He carried Xandra in his arms and walked in the opposite direction. A few hours later, my phone rang. Samuel’s voice was gentle, almost coaxing. "Lydia, have you treated your wounds? Don’t worry—I made sure the medicine Xandra used won’t affect her breastfeeding. I’m sorry for what I said earlier." "But the doctor confirmed that the medication you took wasn’t suitable for breastfeeding. Xandra has plenty of milk, and formula isn’t as nutritious. Apollo still needs her. I’m just taking care of her to show my gratitude—don’t overthink it, okay?" I replied indifferently. "I’m fine. Take good care of her. Make sure the child doesn’t go hungry." "I knew my wife was the most understanding." Samuel chuckled. "I already spoke to my mom—she won’t pick on you anymore." "You gave birth to a son for our family—that’s a huge merit. The day after tomorrow, I’m throwing you a celebration banquet. Consider it my way of making it up to you. Be good and wait for me." That night, the local news ran an entire segment about him. "In a furious display of devotion to his beloved, the President of Lopez Corporation urgently dispatched a helicopter to summon the nation's top medical experts—all for the sake of treating a mere minor wound." I silently took out some disinfectant and hemostatic powder, treating my injuries with the bare minimum of care. The next day, Samuel still didn’t come home. I packed up everything I owned and donated it all. Then, I took our marriage certificate—the one I had once cherished so deeply—and tore it into pieces, throwing it into the trash. On the third day, just past noon, Samuel texted me. [Lydia, I just finished my work. I’m heading to the hotel to check the venue setup. My assistant will pick you up this afternoon.] But in reality, at that very moment—he was walking through a high-end shopping mall, holding Xandra’s hand while Apollo was cradled in his arms, as they swept through luxury jewelry stores together. All around them, envious eyes followed their every move. "Mr. Lopez truly adores his wife and child. My sales performance for the next twenty years is basically set! This family of three is just too picture-perfect." "But I heard Mr. Lopez booked the lowest-tier banquet at the hotel today. Supposedly, it's to celebrate his wife's childbirth." "You must be mistaken. With the way Mr. Lopez spoils his wife, would he really go for something so cheap? Did you see the necklace around Madam Lopez’s neck? He just bought it for her this morning—its price could cover ten banquets!" I heard every word. Standing on the upper floor, having just bought a suitcase, I watched them, my heart completely numb. I didn’t bother replying to his messages. Instead, I took out the divorce papers and a few other documents, arranging for a local courier to deliver them straight to the banquet. Once everything was set, I put on my sunglasses and headed straight for the airport. — A few hours later, Samuel finally finished his shopping spree with Xandra and Apollo. They arrived at the hotel, expecting a grand celebration. But instead, they were told—Lydia hadn’t shown up. Samuel glanced at his watch. It had already been over an hour past the agreed time. A strange feeling crept into his heart. After all, Lydia had never been late for any of their meetings. Just as he was about to call her, his assistant came running over, panic written all over his face. "Mr. Lopez, bad news! Madam is gone! Someone just delivered these documents!"