My wife brought her young lover home while I was away on a business trip.

To keep our six-year-old daughter from interrupting their fun, in fourteen-degree weather, my wife's lover locked her out on the balcony all night.

By the time I got home, my daughter was barely breathing. The prolonged exposure to the cold had caused multiple organ failure.

Sobbing, I begged my wife to come to the hospital to see our daughter one last time. She couldn't care less, even angrily slapping me across the face. "Ethan, do you ever do anything besides making excuses to get my attention? This just makes me sick of you!"

I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, a desolate smile spreading across my face. "Fine. I won't bother you again."

This marriage was about to end soon anyway.

...

My business trip was supposed to continue, but a sudden blizzard grounded all flights.

Around midnight, I dragged my suitcase home. Afraid of waking my sleeping wife and child, I let myself in quietly.

As I approached the bedroom, I heard faint, intimate moans coming from inside.

I froze.

Through the slightly ajar door and in the dim light, I glimpsed my wife, Chloe, half-reclined on the bed, a half-naked man leaning over her, doing things I couldn’t bear to describe.

I felt like I’d been struck by lightning.

The embarrassing, lustful sounds kept spilling out from the room.

"Chloe, is your husband as good as me? Who makes you happier, him or me?"

"You, of course!" Chloe gasped. "My husband’s useless, getting old, body's breaking down. How could he compare to a young, energetic guy like you!"

I stood there, stunned into disbelief, a thunderclap exploding in my head, my whole body trembling uncontrollably.

The intimate sounds continued.

"Nate… it was never satisfying enough back at the office. Tonight… you better please me properly!"

"Chloe, this is the third time tonight, still not satisfied?"

"Three times isn't nearly enough… five times, at least!"

...

I listened blankly to their conversation, my mind a void, my chest pricked by a thousand needles, the pain so sharp it almost stole my breath.

I couldn't believe the woman I'd been married to for seven years had betrayed our marriage long ago.

In an instant, immense rage consumed my reason. Burning with fury, I kicked the bedroom door wide open.

With a loud bang, the two people inside jumped, startled, scrambling off the bed.

Chloe hastily threw on a coat, looking at me in shock. "Ethan, weren't you on a business trip? Why are you back so suddenly?"

Chloe's face was flushed, and several glaring red marks on her neck stung my eyes.

My heart aching beyond measure, I strode towards her. "If I hadn't come back, how could I have caught you in the act?"

"What nonsense are you talking!" Chloe's face flashed with annoyance as she tried to defend herself. "Nate is just someone I hired for an in-home massage. We were just doing a simple massage. Can't your mind be less filthy!"

"Massage?" I couldn't help but sneer. "Massaging you with his mouth? And does a massage require taking off all your clothes?"

Chloe flew into a rage, yelling at me furiously, "Are you blind! Can't you see I'm still wearing underwear? Where am I naked!"

My gaze dropped to the lace bra and thong visible under her coat. The absurdity was overwhelming.

In seven years of marriage, she had never dressed this seductively for me.

My voice was ice. "Are you sure what you're wearing isn't lingerie?"

"Ethan!" Chloe's eyes widened in fury, glaring at me. "Can you stop twisting things! I work hard enough all day, and then I have to come home to your attitude! I just paid for a massage, do you really need to make such a big deal out of it?"

She showed no guilt, only righteous indignation.

I stared at the Chloe before me, feeling nothing but a chilling sorrow in my heart.

She was always like this, twisting logic, turning the tables, making wrongs seem right.

Suddenly, I felt incredibly tired.

Chloe ignored me, went to the closet, grabbed some clothes, got dressed, and then headed for the door with the massage guy.

"Good thing you're back. You can take care of Lily. I have to go back to the office for overtime. I'm leaving now."

With that, she left with the massage guy without a backward glance.

2

Only then did I remember my daughter.

Lily was six now, old enough to understand some things. How much psychological damage would Chloe brazenly bringing a man home for an affair cause her?

I couldn't bear to think about it.

I immediately went to my daughter's room, only to find it empty.

Living room, study, playroom... Lily was nowhere to be found.

Panic surged through me, my brow starting to twitch uncontrollably.

Just as I was about to call Chloe, I caught a glimpse of a small figure almost buried in snow on the dimly lit balcony.

I felt like I’d been struck by lightning.

I rushed over, unlocked the sliding balcony door, and with trembling hands, lifted my daughter from the freezing snow.

Lily was barely conscious, curled into a tight ball, her breath shallow, her body bone-chillingly cold.

The glass door was covered in scratches, mark after mark made by her small hands, shocking and heartbreaking to see.

Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.

Pushing aside my grief, I hurried my daughter to the hospital.

Outside the emergency room, I furiously dialed Chloe's number.

But her phone remained off.

Hours later, a nurse wheeled Lily out of the ER.

The doctor shook his head regretfully. "You brought her in too late. The child suffered from hypothermia for too long, leading to multiple organ failure. She doesn't have much time left... You should prepare for the worst."

I stared at the doctor in disbelief, my heart feeling like it was being shredded by a thousand knives, the pain nearly suffocating me.

I couldn't accept that my daughter, so full of life just yesterday, was now about to be separated from me forever.

Lily was in a deep coma, yet she kept murmuring, "Mommy... Mommy."

My heart twisted in agony.

The doctor sighed. "The child probably wants to see her mother one last time. You should call her mother quickly; there isn't much time."

Clutching my aching chest, I nodded, grief-stricken.

No matter how deep our conflict ran, I couldn't let my daughter die with regret.

Chloe's phone was still unreachable. I drove straight to her company, running three red lights in my desperate haste.

But as I reached her office door, I heard a familiar male voice from inside.

"Chloe, last night at your place was unfinished business. Your bratty daughter kept interrupting us. We finally locked her out on the balcony, and then your useless husband came back. Such a buzzkill! How about now… we continue where we left off?"

My fists clenched tightly, knuckles white.

Chloe's soft, seductive voice seeped through the door crack. "Okay, while no one's bothering us, let's have some real fun～"

I couldn't hold back any longer. I furiously kicked the office door open.

The two, who were undressing, jumped in fright.

Chloe quickly pulled her clothes back on. Seeing it was me, her face turned livid, and she scolded sharply, "Ethan, why didn't you knock!"

Consumed by rage, I strode towards the massage guy and punched him hard in the face.

Before he could react, I kicked him twice more, sending him staggering backward.

I grabbed his collar, raising my fist again.

Chloe rushed over, enraged, and slapped me hard. "Ethan, are you crazy! Why are you hitting people for no reason?"

My blood boiled, and I stared daggers at Chloe.

"Chloe, to screw around with this shameless gigolo, you locked your own daughter out on the balcony in the freezing cold? Do you have any idea how cold it was last night? Fourteen degrees Fahrenheit!"

But Chloe wasn't concerned about Lily; her only focus was defending her lover. "I'm warning you, watch your mouth! Nate is my assistant now, not some gigolo! Don't you dare slander his reputation!"

My heart felt like it was being torn apart. I forced back the pain. "Chloe, do you know Lily was freezing last night, she got hypothermia, she's dying..."

"Stop talking nonsense all day long!" Chloe refused to believe me, shouting, "That girl is tough as nails, eats like a horse, hasn't caught a cold in years. How could she be dying from being outside for a little while? I think you're just trying to manipulate me!"

Thinking of my daughter in the hospital, tears flowed uncontrollably.

"Fourteen degrees, all night long, Lily was only wearing thin pajamas. Even an adult couldn't stand that, let alone a six-year-old child..."

"Enough, Ethan!" Chloe cut me off impatiently. "All I did was have Nate come over for a massage, and you're making such a jealous scene! If you want to be jealous, don't use our child to lie to me!"

Utterly exhausted, I didn't want to argue anymore. I just hoped she would go see Lily.

My voice hoarse, I pleaded sorrowfully, "I'm not lying. Lily is really dying. She wants to see you. Please come to the hospital with me, see her one last time..."

But Chloe remained unconvinced, raising her hand and slapping me again.

"Ethan, do you ever do anything besides making excuses to get my attention? You're over thirty, accomplished nothing, and all you do is get jealous! This just makes me sick of you!"

I stared blankly at Chloe, feeling chilled to the bone.

Seven years of marriage. I poured my heart and soul into this family, gave her my salary, did all the chores, gave her everything.

When Chloe wanted to start her business, I even gave her my parents' retirement savings to support her.

And this was how it ended.

I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, a desolate smile spreading across my face. "Fine. I won't bother you again."

This marriage had no reason to continue.

3

I returned to the hospital, heartbroken.

Sitting by Lily's bedside, watching her pale face and weak breathing, my tears fell like broken strings of pearls.

My daughter used to be lively, cheerful, innocent, and naive, a little sunbeam constantly brightening my life.

Now, she lay weakly on the hospital bed, hanging on by a thread.

In the end, all I could do was watch helplessly as the heartbeat on the monitor slowly flatlined.

My daughter was gone forever.

I held her small body, crying hysterically.

I handled Lily's funeral arrangements alone.

After her cremation, I carried her urn back home.

It was late at night when I arrived.

Chloe had once again brought the massage guy home. They were flirting openly on the living room sofa.

I was numb, walking past them as if they weren't there.

"Ethan," Chloe called out nonchalantly, "Nate is visiting today. He's hungry. Go make him a bowl of noodles."

I ignored her, walking straight into Lily's room.

I took out a duffel bag and started packing Lily's favorite clothes and toys, intending to burn them and bury the ashes with hers.

Halfway through packing, Chloe stormed in angrily.

"Ethan, I'm talking to you, didn't you hear me!"

I didn't acknowledge her.

Chloe, furious, snatched a toy from my hand, cursing, "What's your problem? I haven't even blamed you for hitting Nate today, and you're giving me the silent treatment!"

She glanced at the duffel bag in my hand.

"Why are you packing Lily's things for no reason? Don't tell me you're planning to run away with her? Ethan, you're over thirty, can you stop being so childish? Is playing these games all day fun?"

Seeing my continued silence, she went on, "How many times do I have to tell you, Nate is just my new assistant. Those times you caught us, he was just giving me a massage, nothing else! Can you stop being so jealous? You're really exhausting me!"

I didn't even look at her, continuing to pack my daughter's belongings.

Once everything was packed, I turned to face her and calmly said, "Chloe, let's get a divorce."

"What did you say?" Chloe paused, disbelief washing over her face. "Are you crazy? You want to divorce me?"

"Yes, divorce," I murmured softly.

"Ethan, how long are you going to keep throwing this tantrum!"

"I'm not throwing a tantrum. I'm serious." My voice was devoid of emotion.

Chloe, however, was agitated, her neck flushed red with anger, her eyes filled with resentment. "On what grounds do you want a divorce? I've been with you for so many years, sacrificed so much for this family, even had a C-section, cut through seven layers to give you a daughter, and this is how you repay me?"

Hearing the word "daughter," an unavoidable stab of pain shot through my heart.

My voice hoarse, I retorted coldly, "Chloe, you're unworthy of being a mother. What right do you have to mention our daughter in front of me?"

"Ethan!"

Chloe completely lost it, her eyes blazing, her face contorted with rage. Suddenly, she snatched the duffel bag from my hand and threw it violently onto the floor.

Instantly, Lily's belongings scattered everywhere.

"Ethan, don't push your luck! I'm telling you, my patience has limits!"

Looking at the mess on the floor, my heart ached. I immediately bent down to pick up Lily's things.

But Chloe's gaze shifted to the urn on the table.

"What piece of junk is this? Carrying it around like a treasure since you walked in. Did some slut give it to you? I'm smashing it today!"

My pupils contracted. I quickly stood up to stop her. "Chloe, don't!"

But Chloe was blinded by rage, completely ignoring my plea. With a sweep of her hand, she knocked the urn violently to the floor.

With a loud crash, the urn shattered into pieces.

My daughter's ashes scattered across the floor, drifting in the air, a scene of desolate sorrow.

My composure shattered, I nearly fainted. "Chloe, do you know what this is—"

"Chloe, what are you guys doing?"

The massage guy, hearing the commotion outside, walked in, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "Why is it so dusty in here? What kind of dirty stuff did you spill?"

Hearing this, my blood boiled, the rage inside me about to explode.

What right did he have to call my daughter dirty!

Fury consumed my reason. I ran into the kitchen, grabbed a kitchen knife, and charged towards the massage guy, overcome with rage.

Chloe's face paled. She immediately ran over to block me.

"Ethan, what are you doing? Are you insane!"

My eyes were bloodshot, my body trembling with anger. "I'm going to kill this adulterer!"

Chloe thrust out her chin, her gaze sharpening, almost grinding her teeth. "Ethan, what's gotten into you! If you have the guts, kill me first! You coward, do you dare?"

I stared deadly at Chloe, the hand holding the knife trembling slightly.

For a fleeting moment, I truly wanted to raise the knife and slash her neck.

But just then, my phone rang, breaking the tense standoff.

My sanity gradually returned.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down.

Lily wasn't buried yet. I couldn't do anything foolish.

I took out my phone and answered the call.

The cemetery staff's loud voice came through the receiver immediately. "Mr. Hayes, the paperwork for the burial plot you purchased is complete. You can proceed with the burial now..."

Chloe froze, her face filled with astonishment. "Buy a plot? What plot? Who died?"