Destiny's Edge

Winter, the rain was pouring heavily. “No, Richard, please don’t do this! She’s our child! Even if she has leukemia, that’s no reason for us to give up on her!” Grace was thrown out into the cold. Her sun-kissed skin had turned pale from the chill, and her long golden hair, soaked by the rain, clung messily to her beautiful face. She begged again and again, her voice growing hoarse and broken. But her husband, Richard, never came out. He only watched, cold and unfeeling, as she and their daughter stood in the freezing winter rain. A lawyer in a black suit stepped out of the house, holding an umbrella. There was a trace of guilt on his face, but he still delivered Richard’s words without hesitation. “My lady, I regret to inform you that, according to the court’s ruling, my client, Mr. Richard, will no longer have any ties to you. As per his statement, a defective girl suffering from leukemia could not possibly be his real child. Therefore, you will not receive any child support from him.” "No, she is our child!" Grace covered her face, her heart aching as she looked down at the pale-faced girl in her arms, weak from illness. She fought back her tears, refusing to let them fall. It was all a lie. Everything was a lie. The sweet words during their engagement, the vows spoken at their wedding—every promise Richard made had been nothing but deception. After transferring all of Grace’s parents’ inheritance into his own name, Richard finally revealed his true colors. “Lady.” the lawyer said quietly. “if you’re dissatisfied, you can try appealing to the court again. But, if I may speak frankly—I wouldn’t recommend it. Richard covered his tracks thoroughly. Any accusation you bring forward will only be a waste of your time and energy.” The lawyer handed her an envelope as he spoke. “This is a personal offering—one thousand dollars. The rain is heavy. I suggest you find somewhere to take shelter.” Grace stood frozen, making no move to accept the envelope. She stared blankly at the house before her—the place that had once been her home. Memories of the happiness she once shared there flickered through her mind like distant echoes. In a daze, Grace murmured, “But according to the law… I should be entitled to a share of the property.” The lawyer sighed and rubbed his forehead. “As I’ve already explained, Richard made sure everything was taken care of—cleanly and thoroughly. He no longer holds any assets under his name. Even the house you’re looking at now, legally speaking, no longer belongs to Mr. Richard. “ “Even if you take him back to court, believe me—you’ll walk away with nothing.” Grace forced herself to stay calm. After hearing the lawyer’s words, she reached out and pushed away the envelope he handed her. Her blue eyes were as cold as ice. "False kindness. When you chose to help Richard transfer assets, when you chose to defend him in court, if you were truly kind, how could you stand by and watch all of this happen?" After saying this, Grace firmly held her child and left, her expression resolute as she lifted her head towards the sky, silently swearing to herself. "My child, I will make sure you survive. Leukemia will never take my child from me!" The lawyer watched as Grace walked away, the cold rain pelting her like bullets. This 24-year-old woman, or perhaps a great mother, bore it all in silence. With nothing left, homeless, and betrayed by those closest to her, Grace was still not completely broken. Such a woman, even the most experienced lawyer had never seen before—beautiful and proud, like a peacock yet to spread its wings, waiting for the day when it would reveal its true form. The lawyer wanted to explain that it wasn't he who helped Richard transfer the assets.He had merely discovered it by chance and, out of goodwill, informed Grace. But in the end, he remained silent. It wasn't until Grace's figure disappeared into the rain that the lawyer sighed deeply, murmuring softly, "Richard, you made the wrong choice. You threw away a one-of-a-kind gem." The lawyer returned inside and glanced at the man sitting on the living room sofa, smoking a cigar. His employer, Richard. A tall and handsome man, standing at 6 feet 2 inches, with a muscular build that resembled that of the Hulk. He had once been the captain of the school's basketball team, and it was through that position that he had successfully won Grace's heart and eventually married her. "Is everything taken care of?" Richard extinguished the cigar, unable to hide the excitement and smugness on his face. "Yes, the court has issued its ruling. It's all over. Unless she appeals, but even then, the outcome is unlikely to change." The lawyer glanced at Richard, a flicker of disgust and impatience flashing in his eyes. If it weren't for his professional ethics, which required him to follow through on any case he took on, he would never have agreed to handle this divorce. "Great! I can't wait to share this good news with my new girlfriend!" Richard excitedly stood up, his gaze greedily scanning the pristine marble floors and the sparkling chandelier above. He took a deep breath and burst into wild laughter. It was all his now! All for him alone! This house, worth a million dollars and located in the city center, along with the entire inheritance left by Grace's parents, would all belong to Richard—no one else. "Mr. Mark, as per our agreement, here is the $50,000 fee, along with an additional $100,000 as a bonus. The amount will be transferred to your bank account tonight. “ “Please don't refuse,this is what you deserve for handling this case so perfectly," Richard suppressed his excitement as he looked at the lawyer. The $100,000 was not just a bonus, but also a hush money, meant to ensure that the lawyer would never reveal the dirty deeds Richard had carried out. "Damn it! If it weren't for that damn lawyer being too clever, discovering everything by chance, why would I have to spend so much money?" "No need for the reward. The case is finished, and I will have no further involvement with you. You don't have to worry about me leaking any details. Unlike you, I have my own principles and boundaries." Mark shook his head and walked out of the house without looking back. The commission was over, but he would never forget this one. It was due to Richard's initial deceit and fraud that he ended up taking on this case. Otherwise, even if they offered him a million dollars, he would have scoffed at handling this divorce. He could never have imagined that the case he accepted by chance would end up altering the fate of a family. When he took on this case, because of his rigidity and the professional ethics he had to follow, he had no choice but to deliver the final blow to that unfortunate woman.