Winter's End, Spring's Reckoning

As Jonah and his parents plotted in the room, I turned around and rushed back home with a suppressed rage.

I had to get all the family assets into my hands before Jonah took action.

People in the countryside were still rather simple-minded. How could they have stolen my belongings and emptied the house?

I rushed home and stuffed the money that I saved all these years into my underwear.

Then, I located the wedding gifts I brought over when I married Jonah. I hid them in a wooden chest and snapped a lock on it before I finally felt at ease.

That chest cost me a fortune back then. It was solid enough to weigh over 50 kilograms.

Then, I quickly headed to the city hall and had all of Jonah's identification records registered as dead.

Since he was planning on taking his brother's place, as his wife, how could I not help him?

I couldn't wait to see how Jonah was going to handle it when people from the army came looking for him.

After doing all these, I rushed back to the wake.

Upon seeing me, Adele Lakewood, my sister-in-law, rolled her eyes at me and said curtly, "Oh, look, the widow returns. Take your crying, burdensome daughter away. She makes my head hurt."

Then, she pretended to rub her temples. Jonah immediately went over to her and reached out to help her massage her head, completely ignoring his wailing daughter.

"Why the hell are you crying! Can't you see your aunt is feeling unwell?"

He once doted on his daughter, yet he completely changed his attitude toward her. Tina was so frightened she shut up, but could not stop hiccuping.

I pulled her into my arms, feeling sorry for her. My hatred toward Jonah grew a little more.

Adele cast me a smug gaze as she coquettishly punched Jonah in the chest. "Fiona's looking. Her husband just died. She'll feel sad seeing this."

Jonah held Adele's hands naturally, as if he had done so a thousand times. With a darkened gaze, he replied, "So what? Let her see. It's her fate that her husband has died. She only has herself to blame for a terrible life."

Adele smirked victoriously. She was always competitive, so every time she saw me, she would humiliate me. Now, with Jonah's indulgence, she got bolder.

"Fiona, did you hear him? You only have yourself to blame for a terrible life. If I were you, I would take your burdensome daughter home to your parents! The Lloyd family won't feed two useless mouths for nothing!" Adele stood up and slapped the table.

Jonah's face darkened a little. "Adele, come on."

"What? Are you planning to use your allowance to feed them? Let me tell you right now, Noah. I'm not going to pursue the fact that you used to send some of your allowance to your family. I bear your son now. Are you planning to let him stay in the countryside forever?

"My parents said that once he is born, he is to be registered in the city. He's going to study in the city. I came from the city. I married you. Fine, I don't get to choose, but I sure as hell won't let my son grow up to be a country bumpkin!"

Jonah furrowed his brows in silence, which made me want to laugh. So, what if he took over his brother's identity? His cowardice bore no resemblance to Noah.

Jonah was so sure that I loved him so much that I would do whatever it takes to stay in the Lloyd family to bring our daughter up.

I would have done that in my previous life. I was not going to do that in this life.

I cleared my throat and said to my in-laws with reddened eyes, "Dad, Mom, Adele is right. Jonah has passed away, but Tina and I still need to continue living. I've sent word to my parents. Three days after we bury Jonah, I'll move back home to live with my parents."

"No!"