Spring's Late Tide Was Never Yours

I went to get the porcelain tablet that I had secretly gotten made for my baby. It was only the size of my palm and was carved with the nickname and birth date of my baby. I had locked it carefully inside a drawer where I was the only one who had a key.

When I pulled open the drawer, it was empty. I questioned the help about it, but she shook her head, denying that she had ever seen it. I searched the entire house for it and found that tablet inside a recycling bag next to the garbage bin.

The tablet had broken into three pieces, and the inscription on it had been broken in half.

Sandi entered the study and stopped in her tracks when she saw me crouching to pick up the pieces. "Nicole… That porcelain tablet… I… I didn't do it on purpose. I was cleaning up the study when I opened the drawer by accident, and it slipped from my hand. After that…"

I replied calmly, "The drawer was locked."

Sandi paused for a moment. "The help might have forgotten to lock it when she was cleaning up. I really didn't do it on purpose, Nicole. I just felt sad when I saw the baby's name on it, which was why it slipped from my hands…"

Her eyes turned red, and that was when my mother-in-law entered the room to hold Sandi by the arm. "Don't cry, Sandi. This isn't anything serious. Nicole, you know how frail your sister-in-law is. Stop putting all these things in plain sight. How can she not be upset when she sees all these?"

I was holding all three pieces of the porcelain tablet while crouching, and I could not feel any pain when the sharp edges cut into my skin. "The drawer was locked, Mom."

My mother-in-law frowned. "What do you mean? Are you trying to say that your sister-in-law did this on purpose?"

Sandi took a step back. "Nicole, it's fine if you don't believe me. I know you'll think it's my fault no matter what I say." She turned away to wipe her tears.

My mother-in-law's voice was cold, "You can't lose your temper on Sandi just because you're feeling upset, Nicole. She suffered a bigger loss than you did."

By the time Chuck returned, my mother-in-law had taken Sandi back to the old mansion. He stared at the three broken pieces of porcelain and said, "I know you're feeling upset right now, Nicole, but Sandi is really in a bad place. She might not have done this on purpose."

I did not look at him when he put his hand over mine. "I'll make you a new one, all right? I'll make an exact replica of it for you. I'll accompany you to get whatever carving you want on it, and I promise I won't let Sandi touch any of your things again."

Chuck comforted me as he always did, and I had given in numerous times to him, but it was different this time. I pulled my hand away and got up to walk back into the study. I started sorting out all the financial statements for the past three years according to the timeline.

They included the management fees transferred to the condo opposite the river, Sandi's therapist bills, the bills from her medical checkup, the nurse's aid she hired, and the debt her family owed. They were all paid for from the joint account that Chuck and I shared.

After that, I pulled the record of the hospital bills, the payment for the invite amendments for the family dinner, and the receipt for the donation of my baby's things. Finally, I itemized everything and put it into a folder.

The next day, I asked Tania to help me make an appointment for a Gorman family meeting. My mother-in-law was in the main seat while Chuck sat next to her. Sandi came over from the old mansion, looking teary-eyed as she took her seat.

I placed the folder on the table and flipped the first page open. "For the past three years, the bills we paid for Sandi from our joint account have come up to 1.92 million dollars. This includes the payment for her condo, her medical and nursing bills, her therapist bills, and the debt her family owes."

After that, I flipped to the second page. "This is the hospital payment records on the night of the accident. Sandi's checkup and hospital room bills had been paid in full before my surgery. As for my deposit during surgery, it was paid for by Tania."

I came to the third page. "The baby products I bought had been sold for charity without my consent, and the receipt had been signed for and accepted by the charity organization under Sandi's name."

We finally came to the fourth and last page. "This is the payment for the invitation amendments for the dinner party, which had been changed from the baby's welcome party. My baby's name had been removed and changed to Calvin Gorman's third death anniversary."

The living room was silent as Sandi's lips trembled. My mother-in-law's expression was pretty rich when I was speaking, and all Chuck did was stare at the documents without saying a word. Sandi was the first to speak up in a trembling voice, "Nicole, the money… When Calvin died, the insurance company hadn't paid me anything, and I didn't have any source of income…"

I looked up at her. "Sandi, you're the beneficiary for Calvin's insurance policy, which comes up to 3.8 million. The insurance company transferred it to you three months after he passed."

Sandi turned pale as I continued, "You weren't poor, nor were you left fendless. You just didn't want to use your own money."

My mother-in-law clenched the armrest of her seat while Chuck closed his eyes. Sandi stood up, wanting to say something, but ended up running out of the room while covering her face.

After everyone left, Chuck was left alone in the living room. I returned to our bedroom to collect my medical records, marriage certificate, financial statements, and property deed. I found my baby's ultrasound deep inside the drawer and kept it in the folder with my medical records.

That was when I heard someone pressing the buttons on the electronic lock. Chuck entered the room while holding Sandi. She had his coat over her as she held onto a silver bracelet with my baby's nickname carved inside it.

My gaze fell onto the bracelet, and the last thread of logic within me broke. Chuck followed my gaze, and he turned pale. Sandi quickly tried to hide the silver bracelet under her sleeve as Chuck took a step forward. "Nicole, I can explain…"

I stopped him. "Chuck." I placed the divorce papers on the cabinet at the door and dragged my luggage past him. I stopped at the door before saying, "You don't need to explain anything. Let's never see each other again from now on."

After that, I closed the door behind me and headed to the elevator.