A Child's Death, A Wife's Betrayal

Because our fiveyearold son accidentally knocked over her precious first love wine glass at a banquet, my wife—the president’s wife—ordered him to be sent to the isolated island to undergo the family’s heir trial.

Everyone tried to stop her, but she silenced them with a single icy glance.

I watched helplessly as the ship carrying my son drifted farther and farther from the shore, toward the lonely island.

Falling to my knees, I begged her to bring him back.

“He’s only in kindergarten! He hasn’t been trained—he’ll die out there! He didn’t mean to bump into Billie. I’ll wash the soiled clothes myself, I’ll pay whatever compensation you want, just please bring him back—”

But my wife didn’t even look at me.

Instead, she clung tightly to Billie Morgan’s arm, gently caressing his pale, frightened face.

“If you hadn’t spoiled him so much, how could he have made such a blunder in public? As the heir to the Collins Family, shouldn't he at least know basic manners? You're the one who always said, 'A doting father ruins the son.' Now look what you’ve done.”

Five days later, when the cruise ship finally returned, I pushed through the crowd and rushed onto the island.

There he was—my son—lying in the grass, his tiny face swollen and dark from a snake bite.

He wasn’t breathing.

Without hesitation, I carried him in my arms and rushed him to the hospital.

My wife, meanwhile, stayed behind, taking selfies on the cruise ship with her beloved first love.

Outside the emergency room, when the old man of Collins Family, Hardy Collins, finally arrived, I collapsed in front of him, sobbing.

“Bastian is gone. The eightyear agreement is coming up... please let me go. I don’t want anything else.”

——

Hardy dropped his cane in shock, quickly helping me up, his face filled with guilt.

“Bastian was a clever child. That island has always been the Collins Family’s place of trial—it's regularly cleared of dangerous creatures. You mustn't worry too much, I’m sure he—”

Before he could finish, the resuscitation light turned off. A doctor stepped out, shaking his head with deep regret.

“I’m sorry. The child was brought in too late. The venom had spread too far by the time he arrived—we did everything we could.”

He hesitated, then added grimly, “And during the procedure, we discovered something else. His stomach was full of roots and grass—he’d been trying to eat weeds to survive. He was severely malnourished. Are you sure he died simply from a snake bite while playing?”

I stared at him in disbelief.

“What… did you say?”

Images of Bastian, all alone on that barren island, starving and desperate, flashed through my mind.

I had thought he’d just be scared from the solitude—but never imagined that Shena Collins would treat him by the harshest standards, not even leaving him food.

How terrified he must have been in those final moments.

Hearing this, Hardy slammed his cane against the floor in fury.

“That heartless wretch! How could she do this to her own child!”

Just then, a deliveryman arrived, carrying a set of children’s clothes.

“A lady surnamed Collins asked me to deliver these,” he said.

“Shameless!” Hardy snatched the clothes, ripped them apart and threw them to the floor.

“She kills her own son and still won’t come in person—just sends clothes through someone else? I bet she’s still out there with that palefaced, sickly man. He dares to think he can be the Collins Family’s soninlaw? Dream on!”

“I’m calling her now—I want her to see what she’s done!”

He dialed again and again, but Shena never picked up.

Then my own phone rang. My hands trembled as I put it on speaker.

Her voice came through, cold and annoyed, “Theo, are you seriously running to my grandfather to complain over a minor issue? Don’t think you can fool me by dragging Bastian into it and pretending he’s sick. What a joke.”

“It’s just an early heir trial. You rushed him to the hospital like it was the end of the world. Didn't your son say he wanted to take over for me and make the Collins Family better? Then let him prove it. If he can't pass the trial in three days, don’t ever call him my son again.”

“I even sent him a set of his favorite clothes—what more do you want? Don’t bring your pathetic tricks from the outside world into my house. I’m busy handling company affairs. Don’t bother me again!”

I glanced down at the dogprint clothes that had fallen to the floor. Not only were they too small—more fitting for a toddler than a fiveyearold—but they were also painfully inappropriate.

When Bastian was three, he was bitten by Billie’s dog. Ever since then, he hated anything with dogs on it.

And yet Shena—his own mother—had no idea.

When the nurse finished cleaning Bastian’s body, Hardy, who had moments ago been gasping for breath, suddenly fell silent. With trembling hands, he lifted the white sheet from Bastian’s face. His eyes turned red in an instant.

“This is all my fault... I failed to raise Shena properly. That’s why this happened to Bastian.”

Then he turned to me, voice hoarse with emotion.

“Theo, we agreed to eight years… But Shena isn’t completely heartless. No matter what tricks Billie plays, the Collins Family will only recognize you as our soninlaw. Please, give her another chance. I’ll make sure she sees that man’s true nature!”

Eight years ago, he had said something similar.

Back then, he found me working parttime at the company—ragged, grieving, barely holding on—and begged me to help care for Shena, who was in a coma.

When my parents were murdered by enemies, it was Hardy who helped handle the aftermath. In return, I accepted his arrangement: to join the Collins Family and care for his granddaughter.

Day after day, I gave her acupuncture, massages, medication. Slowly, she woke up. I thought with Bastian’s birth, our eightyear contract might become a lifelong bond.

But I never imagined it would all end like this.

Now he still wanted me to stay in the Collins Family?

Without hesitation, I gripped Bastian’s cold little hand and replied firmly, “We made a deal for eight years. Now that Shena has fully recovered, the debt is paid. Your favor to my family has been returned.”

“And Bastian... he shouldn’t have come into this world. It was my selfishness that made me keep him. But now that he’s gone, so am I.”

I stayed by Bastian’s side in the funeral parlor all night. At dawn, I changed him into fresh clothes, organized everything for the cremation and watched quietly as the staff sent his small body into the incinerator.

Hardy stood beside me, holding my hand with a long sigh.

“Bastian’s funeral is tomorrow. After it's done, you may go. I’ll stay here—you should head to the Collins estate and pack your things.”

Tears welled up in my eyes. I quickly turned my back to Bastian, unwilling to let him see his father break down.

Ever since Billie appeared, I often cried in secret. And every time I was sad, Bastian would feel it, too.

When I returned to the Collins mansion and pushed open the bedroom door, I was met with a scene that crushed the last remnants of my soul.

Shena and Billie lay tangled in our bed, their clothes disheveled. She was gently stroking her belly.

“Baby, grow strong and obedient,” she whispered. “Soon, Mommy will be able to give you a rightful place in the Collins Family.”

Shena, smiling faintly, turned to Billie.

“Thank you for letting me have your child. But I don’t want to make things hard for you. Bastian acted out last time and bumped into you at the banquet… If he knew I was pregnant with your baby, who knows what he’d do. Maybe... we should terminate it.”

Shena suddenly straddled him, pressing a finger to his lips. Her tone turned soft, but her words cut like knives.

“No. I promised to give you a child and I will. As for Bastian… he was raised entirely by that man. He never had the composure or grace of a Collins Family heir. I never liked him. If I could choose, I’d rather he was never my son at all.”

Hearing her insult Bastian so cruelly, I couldn’t stop my fists from clenching, my nails digging deep into my palms.

It was only after some time that the two finally noticed me standing silently in the doorway. Shena didn’t even bother fixing her disheveled clothes. Instead, she smugly pulled Billie’s hand and sauntered toward me, her expression dripping with contempt.

“Well, look who finally decided to show up. You disappear all night with the child and this is what you call being a father? Teaching him to pull stunts and play sick to get sympathy?”

Her eyes narrowed, voice sharper than ever.

“Don’t think I don’t know you ran off to complain to Grandpa again. You manipulated him into denying his own bloodline and used Bastian’s life to threaten me into keeping Billie out of this house.”

“In that case, pack up your things and take your precious Bastian back to the old mansion where you can go play the perfect little soninlaw. From now on, this house belongs to Billie and me. And where is Bastian, anyway? Bring him out now and make him kneel and apologize to Billie. Don’t think a little hospital stunt will make this go away.”

As I looked at her, this woman who had utterly abandoned all love for her son, I couldn’t stop the image from flashing in my mind—Bastian, alone and starving on that desolate island, terrified and clinging to hope.

I almost lunged at her, but then Bastian’s soft voice echoed in my memory, from the day before he was sent away.

“Dad, it’s my fault. I didn’t learn the house rules properly and I made Mom angry.”

“But don’t worry, okay? Mom said I’ll only be gone for five days. When I come back, I’ll be the rightful heir. Then Mom won’t have to work so hard anymore and she can be with you again, like before.”

I bit down hard, forcing myself to swallow the fury in my throat. I turned silently to leave—but she grabbed me by the arm.

“What’s this attitude? You’re just a glorified servant—how dare you act like you’re above us?”

Her voice turned venomous.

“If you and Grandpa hadn’t schemed to push Billie out, you’d never have become the Collins Family’s soninlaw. A bastard whose own parents were murdered dares to dream of marriage and children?”

“What is it now? Found another rich heiress to con into marrying you by flaunting that little lifesaving act again? Having a father like you was the greatest misfortune of Bastian’s life!”

I let the words fall on me without reaction. But the calmer I remained, the more enraged she became.

With a snarl, she grabbed a whip from the wall and kicked my knees out from under me.

I collapsed to the floor and the whip lashed down hard, splitting my skin open in an instant.

“You still think you’re right? You’re the one who raised that unruly brat. If you won’t accept your mistakes, then I’ll beat them into you!”

“Grandpa might be blinded by your honeyed words, but I’m not. I see you for what you are—a greedy, lowborn climber who only got here by stealing Billie’s credit. If it weren’t for you falsely claiming it was you who woke me up, I never would’ve married you.”

“I owe Billie too much. I won’t let him suffer even a fraction more because of you. Now get Bastian out here and make him kneel—both of you owe Billie an apology! If you won’t comply, I can assure you there are plenty of others waiting to claim the Collins Family heir’s title.”

At that moment, the pain in my body couldn’t compare to the pain tearing through my heart.

I couldn’t bear it anymore. I grabbed the whip midswing and flung it aside with all my strength. She stumbled backward, barely caught by Billie.

“Theo, how dare you resist?! So you finally drop the act, huh?”

I rose to my feet despite the blood and pain, meeting her gaze with icy clarity.

“You want Bastian to apologize?” I said with a hollow laugh.

“Fine. Then go find him—underground—and take Billie with you.”

“Bastian is dead.”

Shena froze. For a brief moment, her expression cracked. But then she burst into mocking laughter, flinging the whip aside.

“You really are a monster, Theo. You’d curse your own child to death just to threaten me?”

“Isn’t this all because you found out I’m pregnant with Billie’s baby? You’re afraid I’ll revoke Bastian’s heir status and that your little claim to the Collins Family will vanish with it. So you went and hid Bastian somewhere with Grandpa, didn’t you?”

"I won't let you get away with this."

As she spoke, she pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the blood from her hands with exaggerated force, as if afraid of catching some kind of disease.

"If it weren’t for you, Billie’s child and mine would already be in elementary school by now. Theo, you stole his credit, his future, his place. I’m merely setting things back to how they should’ve been. You should be thanking me for being so polite about it."

With that, she flung the bloodied handkerchief at my face and dragged Billie away without another word.

I silently tossed the handkerchief into the overflowing box in the corner of the room. My chest tightened with grief so intense, I could barely breathe.

When Shena fell into a vegetative state after the accident, the Collins Family spared no expense seeking doctors both at home and abroad. But nothing helped—her condition only worsened.

Eventually, Master Collins remembered the Marvin family’s ancient acupuncture techniques said to revive those on the brink of death. And because he had once helped me handle my parents’ affairs after their murder, I owed him a great debt.

So I agreed to marry Shena—not for love, but to repay kindness and honor my parents’ dying wish that I never practice medicine for profit.

Even though I was still young, I spent countless sleepless nights experimenting on myself before I dared treat her.

The final time I collapsed from exhaustion, Shena had already opened her eyes and could sit up on her own.

Master Collins was overjoyed. He arranged a grand wedding for us and I devoted myself to caring for her—body and soul.

But three years later, she entered my room on her own, saying she wanted to deepen our bond. That night, she wept in my arms, swearing she'd fallen in love with me over those three years.

I believed her.

I gave in willingly, letting myself drown in the illusion of love.

Especially after we had Bastian, I was more desperate than ever to hold on, convinced that our child was the salvation I had been seeking all along.

But after Billie returned to US, everything changed. Her affection grew cold. She barely looked at me anymore—and worse, her gaze toward Bastian became empty, almost resentful.

Then came the lie that broke me: she told everyone that it was Billie who had brought her back to life. That he, who had fled overseas to treat his failing health before she even woke up, was her true savior.

And I—who had stayed and sacrificed everything—became the schemer who tricked Master Collins and stole another man’s honor.

Even the contract we signed, agreeing to eight years, was twisted into a scheme used to manipulate her.

Every time Billie fell ill, she’d take it out on me. Her people would restrain me, strip me and she’d whip me with that special lash she kept just for these moments.

The moment Shena left the house, my thoughts were interrupted by the thick stench of smoke.

I followed the trail to the backyard—and what I saw nearly drove me mad.

Billie, cradling his dog, stood smugly by the fire while servants tossed Bastian’s belongings into the flames one by one.

“Move it! Shena said this house is under my control now. Anyone who doesn’t like it can get out.”

My eyes turned bloodred. I rushed forward to stop them, but his hired men blocked my way.

“Who gave you the right to burn Bastian’s things?!”

Billie just smiled coldly as he stroked his dog’s back.

“Pudding likes Bastian’s room,” he said casually. “So Shena gave it to him as a kennel. But he doesn't like used things—they’re filthy.”

Then, as if to drive the knife in deeper, he picked up Bastian’s last cherished item, held it in front of me for a moment... and threw it into the fire without hesitation.

In that moment, I realized something terrifying.

To Shena, Bastian was worth less than one of Billie’s dogs.

I went numb.

I stood there, watching the flames die down and gave up struggling.

Then I laughed—wildly, bitterly.

“Burn it all,” I said. “Burn it good.”

And with that, my legs gave out beneath me and I collapsed to the ground.

When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in bed in my old room.

Just thinking about what Shena and Billie had done in this bed made my stomach churn. I forced the bile down, got up and began to pack. I only wanted to leave this place—go to the funeral parlor and stay with Bastian a little longer.

But just as I placed the Marvin family’s ancestral medical kit into my suitcase, the bedroom door was violently kicked open.

Shena stormed in. Her eyes flicked to the open suitcase and landed on the medical tools. For a moment, she froze. Then, without warning, she slapped me across the face.

“Theo! So it was you who killed Billie’s dog, Pudding!”

Before I could say a word, she grabbed me and dragged me outside.

In the courtyard, Billie knelt by a bloodied dog—his face swollen, eyes red and puffy from crying. As soon as he saw me, he clutched his chest and burst into fresh tears.

A private doctor rushed to his side, whispering urgently, “Hardy, Mr. Morgan has already fainted once. If he’s shocked again, I can’t guarantee he’ll regain consciousness.”

Billie suddenly turned to me, prostrating himself as he kowtowed again and again.

“Theo, I know you hate me. You think I ruined your relationship with Shena. But why take it out on Pudding? He’s all I had to hold on to while Shena was gone. I can’t live without him!”

Hearing his sobs, Shena’s rage boiled over. She slapped me again, then rushed to lift Billie gently from the ground, scolding me as if I were a monster.

“Theo, I actually felt bad leaving you in the courtyard and had someone bring you back inside so you wouldn’t catch a cold. And this is how you repay me?”

“Just because I sent you and Bastian to the old mansion, you target Billie? You knew how fragile he is, yet you still went after his dog? What next—are you going to harm the child in my belly too?!”

She waved her hand and a maid quickly stepped forward, holding out a stack of papers. Shena signed with a flourish and flung the divorce papers at my feet.

“From today forward, you’re no longer the Collins Family’s soninlaw. I’ll make a public announcement, too. I’ll declare Bastian as the child of another woman. From now on, only the child I bear with Billie will be worthy to inherit the Collins name!”

I stared at her, stunned, before shouting.

“Shena! Bastian is dead! He was your son too—he shared your blood! Must he be slandered even in death? Let him rest in peace!”

Even if Bastian can’t hear the lies anymore, I won’t let his memory be dragged through the mud. I won’t let my child become the world’s laughingstock.

For just a second, doubt flickered in Shena’s eyes. But Billie quickly threw himself into the moment, clutching his chest and trembling as he pointed at me.

“Theo, how could you say something so cruel? Bastian’s just doing the trial on the Collins Family island—there’s no danger at all! Are you using him to attack me again? You’ve already taken Pudding from me. Do I have to die too, just so you can feel better?”

He turned to Shena, choking on his words.

“Please, let me go. This is all my fault. Don’t divorce Theo because of me. I just wanted to check in on you… Seeing you happy is enough. I’ll leave now. I won’t let the two of you fight over me ever again.”

With those words, he broke free from her hand, picked up the dog’s limp body and walked slowly out of the courtyard. His shoulders trembled as though the weight of his sorrow was too much to bear.

Shena's face went rigid. She turned back to me, jaw clenched.

“Still lying, Theo? I stayed on that island for a month and nothing happened. And your son couldn’t even survive five days?”

“You think I’m stupid?”

Her eyes narrowed in fury.

“And don’t think I didn’t see you packing just now. You were planning to use those tools to kill Pudding. I won’t give you another chance to hurt Billie—or my child.”

She had my set of healing tools brought in and, without hesitation, took out a scalpel. Grabbing my wrist, she slashed it down sharply.

“I’ll see how you can still hurt anyone after this!” she spat.

The pain from the blade severing the tendons in my hand was excruciating. I stifled a grunt as my body went limp, collapsing to the ground. Blood poured from the wound, staining the floor in a pool of red.

Shena, startled by the intensity of the blood, instinctively dropped the knife and moved to check on me. But before she could get close, Billie suddenly staggered, clutching his chest as he fell to the ground.

“Shena... I feel terrible. I can’t breathe... am I dying? I’m so scared...”

Her attention snapped to him, panic flashing in her eyes as she rushed to support him. She shot me an indignant look before speaking through gritted teeth:

“Remember this lesson, Theo. Bring Bastian to the hospital tomorrow to apologize to Billie. Don’t even think about playing any tricks again.”

With that, she helped Billie to his feet and left the room.

I don’t know how much time passed, but eventually, Hardy arrived. When he saw me unconscious on the floor, blood pooling around me, his face drained of color. Without a moment’s hesitation, he rushed me to the hospital for treatment.

The next day, when I woke up, I refused to stay any longer. I insisted on leaving the hospital to give Bastian one final ride. I buried him with my own hands, despite the pain as the wounds in my hands reopened. But as I placed each handful of earth over his grave, a strange calm washed over me.

When the funeral ended, I bowed deeply to the guests in attendance and turned to leave without a second glance.

“Shena, Bastian and I wish you the best of luck.”

Meanwhile, across the room, Shena was delicately peeling an apple for Billie. Her eyes would occasionally flicker toward the door, as though expecting me to appear. Just as she was about to slice her finger, Hardy suddenly burst into the room, slapping the apple out of her hand.

Shena frowned, clearly irritated.

“Grandpa, is Theo complaining to you again? Is he still refusing to let Bastian apologize? Maybe I didn’t teach him a harsh enough lesson after all.”

“Shut up!” Hardy snapped, his voice trembling with fury as he raised his cane and struck the ground.

“You heartless beast! Bastian is already dead and you’re still thinking about forcing him to apologize to that woman?”

Shena froze, her face paling. Hardy’s disappointment was tangible as he continued:

“You didn’t even attend today’s funeral. Do you have any idea what people are saying about our family?”

For a moment, Shena was silent. Then, as if a thought struck her, she scoffed, her tone mocking:

“Grandpa, Theo is just acting with the child. Bastian loved you most—why are you falling for all these lies?”

Billie chimed in, his voice full of feigned concern:

“Yes, Grandpa, I know you’ve never liked me, but you can’t make light of a child’s life and death.”

The two of them spoke in unison, their words a onetwo punch that sent Hardy into a fit of rage. He slammed a death certificate onto Shena’s lap.

“I truly don’t know how the Collins Family managed to produce such an idiot like you!” he yelled, his voice filled with disbelief.

“Open your eyes and look closely!”

Shena’s eyes widened as she glanced at the death certificate. Her face drained of color as she stammered in disbelief:

“Bastian... is really dead?”