I knew I was dying.

In my final moments, I began tormenting my daughter Vicky.

I ordered her to cook, wash clothes, and tend to my every need.

Watching her slice her finger while chopping vegetables, I remained utterly indifferent.

Only snapped, “How can you be so stupid? Can't you even manage such a simple task?”

Finally, I called my ex-husband, Anton Carlson.

“Take your daughter away. She's too stupid. I don't want her anymore.”

But my daughter suddenly clung to my legs, her voice pleading:

“Mom, I'll do better. Don't abandon me.”

I looked at her, my heart nearly softening, but in the end, I gritted my teeth and pushed her away.

Her eyes held disbelief and profound sorrow.

Just like mine.

She didn't know that in this limited time, I had one thing more important to do.

I had to become Anton's unforgettable love.

Who would forever remain a memory of the departed.

Only then, after my death, would he treat my Vicky well.

***

When my ex-husband, Anton Carlson, entered, he first surveyed the surroundings.

Then, he looked at me coldly. "And this is the 'good environment' you promised for our daughter?

"You let her live in a place like this?"

I lounged casually on the sofa, eating the fruit my daughter handed me, looking perfectly at ease.

Anton's frown deepened.

"Bethany, you are utterly shameless! If you had no intention of properly caring for our daughter, why did you fight so hard for custody in the first place?"

"To spite you.

"You didn't give a damn about my feelings when you divorced me for Gianna Blake! Why should I let your daughter live well?"

I spoke offhandedly, successfully breaking through his composure.

He slammed a fist against the wall, his voice furious. "Bethany, I was right about you!

"You're just a lazy, greedy, pleasure-seeking woman!

"To think about the settlement I gave you during the divorce. It seems you haven't spent a single cent of it on our daughter. You've squandered it all."

My eyelids twitched violently, and my hand unconsciously tightened on the arm of the sofa.

Anton continued.

"Now that you've spent it all, you don't want to look after Vicky anymore? Or do you plan to use her as an excuse to keep squeezing money out of me?"

He took in Victoria's shabby clothes, his eyes blazing with anger.

"You're overthinking it," I popped the last piece of apple into my mouth and spoke slowly.

"I've raised Vicky for three years, and frankly, I've had enough.

"She's a difficult child, stubborn and inconsiderate, constantly causing trouble for me at school.

"She's also quite dull. Slow to learn anything. Her academic performance is an absolute mess.

"I refuse to waste any more of my time on her. Take her away. Didn't you particularly adore her?

"Or is it because of Gianna that you don't dare to bring Vicky home?"

Then, Anton's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at me.

"Bethany, Vicky is your daughter, born after ten months of pregnancy. How can you speak of her like this?"

I sneered inwardly.

"I know it's hard for you to accept, but these are the facts. Vicky is not exceptional.

"Maybe she got the lazy genes from me. So now, I'm returning her to you. Perhaps you can fix her."

Anton looked at me, his chest heaving, clearly enraged to the extreme.

He took Victoria's hand, his voice gentle. "Vicky, I'm taking you home."

Instinctively, Victoria pulled her hand away and took two steps toward me.

I gazed steadily at her. The moment our eyes met, something seemed to flicker in her gaze.

After a moment, Victoria moved again, turned, and took Anton's hand.

She looked up at Anton and spoke softly, "Dad, I'll go with you.

"But will you be good to me?"

I saw the wetness glistening in Anton's eyes before he gave a firm nod.

Anton's gaze snapped back to me, his voice filled with hatred. "Bethany, I hope you never disturb Vicky's life again from now on.

"You'd better stay far away from my daughter. Someone like you is utterly unworthy of being a mother!"

He took Victoria's hand and stormed out, slamming the door behind him, his footsteps pounding heavily on the floor.

The moment they left, I could no longer hold back, vomiting all the fruit I had just eaten.

After closing my eyes and recovering for a long while, I dialed the number of Anton's assistant.

"Mr. Woodward, when Anton and I divorced, how much compensation did he give me?"

The man on the other end of the line audibly caught his breath.

After a long pause, Eric Woodward took a deep breath and spoke quietly. "Ms. Farley, I'm sorry.

"Mr. Carlson gave you 2 million dollars in cash and a luxury property as compensation, but Ms. Blake forcibly intercepted it all.

"The Blake family is powerful. They threatened me with my career and my family's future. I could do nothing. Ms. Farley, I truly am sorry..."

I expressed my understanding.

"I see. I don't blame you.

"However, I hope you will tell Anton about this when the time is right.

"Mr. Woodward, this is what you owe me and Vicky."

Eric fell into a prolonged silence again.

Finally, he responded softly with a single word, "Okay."

After hanging up, I collapsed onto the sofa.

Memories began to flash before my eyes.

Actually, my story with Anton was quite ordinary.

Nothing more than me loving him, while he loved someone else.

I had a crush on him for three years and finally seized my chance when his beloved girlfriend, Gianna, went abroad to study.

After we married, we soon had a lovely daughter, and the look in Anton's eyes when he regarded me grew increasingly tender.

Just as everything was starting to get better, Gianna returned to the country.

What followed was the most clichéd story imaginable. I was forced to divorce Anton.

And he, contrary to what happened in novels, did not stage any so-called desperate pursuit to win me back.

The only thing that surprised me was that in the three years since our divorce, he had not remarried.

I never doubted Anton's love for Victoria, but his affection was always fleeting.

Moreover, with Gianna constantly whispering poison in his ear, I didn't dare to risk it.

And I couldn't bear to abandon the daughter I had fought so hard to bring into this world and leave alone.

That was why, during the divorce, I insisted on taking Victoria with me.

I had my own job, able to support myself and my daughter.

This apartment was not as shabby as Anton had claimed.

It just couldn't compare to his luxury house.

My thoughts grew increasingly sluggish. I drowsily closed my eyes, only to be startled awake by the sudden ringing of my phone.

Anton's voice was extremely dark, carrying a bone-chilling coldness.

"Bethany, you are a monster!

"How could you do that to Vicky?

"She is still so young. Even the nanny cried when she was bathing Victoria and saw the bruises on her body.

"And you are her birth mother. How could you..."

By the end, I could actually detect a trace of a sob in his voice.

Suppressing my surprise, I spoke calmly, "I was merely teaching her how to do things right. She was simply too slow, utterly unteachable."

"Bullshit!" Anton cursed outright. Remembering his usual gentlemanly demeanor, I couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.

"And you're still laughing?! Bethany, let me tell you. I will absolutely not let you get away with treating our daughter like this!"

With that, he decisively hung up.

I waited for his retaliation.

But after three days, all I got was a call from my boss.

He informed me that I had been fired.

I smiled indifferently. With only a few days left to live anyway, I didn't care about that job at all.

Half a month later, as I returned from the hospital, I was surprised to see Anton waiting at my doorstep.

This time, he didn't launch into furious accusations. Instead, he kept studying me with a probing gaze.

After a long while, Anton spoke, his voice tinged with hesitation, "Bethany, do you truly know our daughter?

"Vicky is gentle and obedient, ranking first in her class every year. Why did you say her grades were poor?

"I initially thought you simply didn't care, that you were unaware of her academic performance. But then I heard you attended every single parent conference, and the homeroom teacher mentioned you often inquired about Vicky's situation at school.

"So Bethany, why did you deliberately say those things?"

I lowered my gaze slightly, my thoughts racing.

A moment later, I deliberately offered a mocking smile. "Anton, does what I say even matter? When have you ever believed my words?"

Then, Anton's expression froze. He seemed to recall something, his face instantly turning ashen.

I continued, "Back then, when Gianna returned from abroad, she forced her way into our home.

"She's allergic to seafood, yet she deliberately told me she wanted clam chowder and asked me to cook it for her."

Gianna deliberately praised the chowder I made in front of Anton.

Then, in front of everyone, she began struggling to breathe and collapsed.

No matter how much I explained, Anton remained firmly convinced I had done it on purpose.

"Bethany, do you really hate Gia that much? Do you not know it might kill her?

"You're just jealous of her. You're insecure, and your insecurity has made you utterly unreasonable!"

Those harsh words seemed to still echo in my ears, but now, I no longer felt any pain.

"Gianna deliberately ruined the gown for the gala and said I did it. I explained so much. Even the housekeeper came forward to testify for me. Did you believe it?"

Anton's face grew increasingly pale.

"The day you accompanied Gianna to an exhibition overseas, she bribed the teacher at Vicky's summer camp. I was told that Victoria had gotten into trouble in the mountains.

"I rushed to the mountains overnight, only to be deliberately led deep into the wilderness. I got completely lost and nearly died there.

"When I told you about this, what was your response at the time?"

Upon hearing it, Anton first looked at me in stunned disbelief, then firmly refuted it, saying, "Impossible. I was with Gia the entire time. When would she have had the opportunity to arrange all that?"

Such an explanation seemed weak and laughable to me.

But I knew, once Anton had made up his mind about something, he would never change it. Unless...

"Some things, you have to see it yourself. Then, you'll know the truth and who you should believe."

I spoke calmly, my voice cool.

Anton remained silent for a long time. I opened the door and entered the room.

Just before closing the door, I heard his faint, almost inaudible apology. "I'm sorry.

"I didn't know before that Gianna secretly withheld the divorce settlement I gave you. I will make this right for you."

I smiled, unconcerned.

At this point, money no longer mattered.

But there was one thing that remained of utmost importance.

In these final moments before my death, I must become another of Anton's beloved women.

One who would forever remain a memory of the departed.

I didn't care what Anton thought, but I was going to make him regret it.

When I was dead, my influence on him would last forever.

So, he would always love our daughter.

And he would eternally shut out all other women who approached him.

I admitted that I was selfish and despicable, but I had no regrets.

Returning home, I hastily swallowed a handful of the newly opened painkillers.

Suppressing the nausea in my chest, I picked up a pen and began writing today's diary.

A week later, urgent knocking sounded at the door.

I had barely opened it before I could even see who it was. I was roughly shoved back into the room.

The door slammed shut behind me.

Several people stood in the room, led by Gianna.

Her expression was more arrogant than ever. Her gaze was filled with resentment and disdain as she looked at me.

"Bethany, you're really something, managing to coax Tony into digging up those old matters from three years ago.

"Do you have any idea that if it weren't for you, we would be getting engaged soon!"

She took a step forward, raised her hand, and slapped my face hard.

I could have dodged that slap, but I took it head-on.

A vivid red handprint instantly bloomed on my cheek. I pretended to be frightened, hanging my head low, but raising a faint smile.

That slap seemed to have vented some of Gianna's fury.

She calmed down again, smiling as she spoke to me, "Don't celebrate too soon. So what if Tony uncovers all that?

"As long as I say something sweet, he'll come back to me.

"Just like he did before. He left you for me once; he can leave you a second time."

She suddenly leaned close to my ear, her words barely a whisper. "Once I marry Tony, I will most certainly take good care of that precious daughter of yours!"

I jerked my head up and pushed her to the ground.

Rage flared on Gianna's face. Her face twisted, she spoke viciously, "Teach her a proper lesson!"

Several people pinned me to the floor. They held iron rods and struck my back viciously.

After just a few blows, Gianna called for them to stop.

She looked at me with a simpering laugh. "Bethany, I won't give you the chance to play the victim for Tony.

"It's just a few hits. You can certainly take it, right?"

With those words, she led her entourage out, leaving with a swagger.

I lay on the floor, unable to get up for a long time.

Yet inside, I felt an unprecedented excitement.

I had been worrying about how to lure Gianna here. And she just showed up, acting exactly as I had hoped.

I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Struggling to my feet, I wrote my final diary.

Then, I swallowed an entire bottle of sleeping pills.

Gianna would probably be angry at my calculation.

But at this point, I couldn't care less about how deeply in love she and Anton were.

Back then, if she hadn't secretly kept the divorce settlement Anton meant for me, Victoria and I wouldn't have struggled so much.

To give my daughter a better life, I wouldn't have had to work three jobs a day.

And I wouldn't have ruined my health.

So, this was what Gianna owed me.

I was never a good person to begin with. I probably wouldn't go to heaven after death.

So, what was one more sin to my name?

I could no longer watch Victoria grow or witness her living a dazzling, magnificent life.

But I would use this life of mine to exchange for a better future for her.

At this thought, my consciousness was completely gone.