My Mother Killed Me For Her Stepdaughter novel Chapter 29

Zach handed Ethan my belongings—a divorce agreement, a shattered phone, and a bloodstained white dress.

As Ethan's trembling hands took hold of the dress, I knew he remembered.

It was the dress I had worn the first time we met.

The divorce agreement was an early draft, with every page marked by red Xs in my handwriting.

The paper was wrinkled and water-stained, as if soaked in tears.

"She cried, didn't she?" Zach asked quietly.

Ethan didn't respond.

He simply turned the pages one by one, seeing my lack of objections to the property division, my indifference to the ownership of the house.

The only part where I had left a mark was under "irreconcilable differences," where I had repeatedly crossed it out with red ink.

"I don't know what misunderstanding led you to believe otherwise," Zach continued, his voice heavy.

"But the day Claire met with me, all she did was beg me not to let personal feelings drive my fight with you."

"I hated you. I hated how Claire loved you.

I hated how you didn't cherish her…"

Zach's voice cracked with grief, his pain no less than Ethan's.

"Ethan Carter, why didn't you answer Claire's calls?

"You probably… never knew, did you?"

Yes, ten years of marriage, and that house was never truly my home.

Zach took my ashes, along with some of my personal belongings.

I watched as I was reduced to a small box.

But at least, I was finally returning to my roots.

Once again, I became the daughter of the Hargrove family.

Pure and unblemished.