chapter 1
How many steps does it take for a strong woman to become a full-time mother?
The answer is: just one.
After giving birth, my husband, Calvin Floyd, told me to rest well and that he would take care of the company for me
I agreed and, feeling touched by his thoughtfulness, i became a full-time mother without realizing it.
Once our daughter, Yvette, started school, l wanted to return to work
Calvin Floyd told me that l didn't love Yvette enough and that Yvette wished l could stay home with her.
insisted on going back to work.
One day, right after work, l received a call that Yvette had died!
In the morgue, my daughter lay covered with a white sheet, but l was too afraid to recognize her.
My husband rushed in front of me, threatening to kick me. Unable to avoid it. I was knocked to the ground.
“It's all your fault. If you hadn't gone to work, Yvette wouldn't was died.
“If you had stayed home to watch Yvette, she wouldn't have had an accident!”
“I told you so many times, don't worry about the money! why didn't you trust me and insisted on working?”
After saying this, Calvin Floyd buried his face in his hands and wept uncontrollably while the onlookers whispered and pointed at me.
“This mother is so heartless, abandoning her daughter at home while going to work.”
“They seem well-off. why couldn't she just stay home and handle household chores while the man earns the money?”
I then learned that Yvette had fallen down the stairs while playing at home.
I felt as if I had been struck by lightning collapsing to the ground as tears began to flow uncontrollably.
It turned out that l was truly responsible for Yvette's death.
A few days later, Yvette's funeral ended.
There was much gossip at the funeral.
“l think it's the mother's fault. She was always busy with work, and raising children is definitely something women are more skilled at.”
Yvette was so unfortunate to have such a mother.
“Exactly, and Yvette's father was crying his heart out at the hospital. Her mother seemed unaffected.”
At first, l ignored these comments.
But after losing Yvette, my husband Calvin Floyd, continually blamed me at home:“i told you not to work, but you wouldn't listen!”
“Now, Yvette is gone, and sometimes l really wish l could go with her!”
Day after day, as l listened to my husband's accusations, l felt increasingly that my stubbornness had led to this tragedy.
Seeing me in a daze, Calvin Floyd also started staying away from home.
The housekeeper was dismissed after Yvette's death, leaving me to clean the house, and only busy work could help me forget the pain.
Suddenly, l noticed some deep nail scratches on the balcony railing on the second floor, in a spot on the outside that no one would usually reach.
I was startled-could these be Yvette's scratches? Did she fall from here?
If Yvette had grabbed the railing, she should have had time to call for help, but no one had mentioned this.
I sensed something was off and called the housekeeper to ask about that day.
The housekeeper told me that Calvin Floyd had asked her to go out early to buy groceries, and he would watch Yvette.
During this time gap, Yvette had fallen to her death.
Afterward, the housekeeper, frightened hadn't revealed what happened that day and Yvette's death was ruled an accident.
I gripped my phone tightly, my heart aching with regret and pain.
I should never have left my daughter so easily.
Rationally, l realized that things might not be as simple as they seemed.
Being emotional wouldn't help; l needed to investigate, both for myself and for Yvette.
Moreover, I had a strong intuition that Yvette's death was connected to Calvin Floyd!