Chapter 56  He looked down at the flowers, milkshakes, toys, and cupcakes scattered before the tombstone  Before I passed away, I would often visit, holding onto the belief that our child deserved everything other children had, even without having never fully taken form.  It had been so long since I was gone that the flowers had withered and faded, leaving only dried leaves clinging desperately to the gravestone. The ones I had placed long ago had lost all color, dried out completely, and blew away with the slightest breeze  As Chase looked at the varying degrees of wilted bouquets, he couldn’t hold back the hot tears any longer. Was it too late to cry now? Maybe our child had already moved on and entered a new cycle of life. Hopefully, our child wouldn’t have parents like us in the next life and could truly experience a peaceful existence  He picked up a rattle, wiping the dust off with his fingers before gently shaking it.  ong, dong, dong,” it sounded softly.  “Hope, daddy’s here to see you. Can you hear me?”  A gust of wind swept by, lifting the petals of the nearby semi–dried flowers into the air. Those petals seemed to mirror the long–faded love between him and me. Even if I hadn’t passed, our love would have withered away, eventually scattering with the slightest breeze, Chase seemed to also realize this. He reached out desperately to catch them. He managed to grasp a petal, but his forceful motion caused it to shatter in his palm. He opened his hand, and only fragments remained. Another breeze went by, and even the fragments  were gone.  “No!” he cried out, stumbling forward as he tried to catch them, only to fall in front of the grave, his expensive suit now caked with mud, leaving him in a sorry state.  I didn’t glance back at him. I gently touched the gravestone. “Hope, I’m so sorry I’m late. I can’t visit you anymore. If there’s really another life, I want you to be born into a loving family next time.”  Despite being in a cemetery full of souls, I felt I couldn’t find a single kindred spirit. Alone in this world, a deep loneliness enveloped  It wasn’t until the sun dipped below the horizon that Chase finally made his way back to the car. His assistant, noticing the mud on him, looked worried. “Mr. Reyes, are you alright?”  Chase, as though drained of all energy, sat silently in the car before speaking in a raspy voice, “Did you manage to get the footage from the café?”  At fast, he started to doubt Nicole.  “The owner said the cameras were down during that time.”  “Down…” Chase let out a bitter laugh, “What a coincidence.”  Without evidence, I fwondered if he’d still trust Nicole as he always had.  “Mr. Reyes, something doesn’t add up about that day. Even if Mrs. Reyes didn’t like Ms. Nicole, why would she choose a busy cafe to push someone?”  Mark had always believed in me and earned a grateful glance from me. It was a shame that such simple logic escaped Chase as if his mind were clouded.  Chase rubbed his temples. “Find people who were there that day. Someone must have seen something. With so many witnesses, one of them knows the truth.”  “Yes, sir!” Mark perked up, eager to help. “By the way, Mr. Reyes, have you gotten in touch with your wife?”  Chase sighed heavily. “This time, I’ve really hurt her.”  As he spoke, Nicole’s call came through, “Hey, where are you? it’s looking stormy tonight, and I’m scared. Can you come over?”  Chase’s usual warmth was absent from his response,  his voice cold. “That’s perfect. I want to talk to you, too.”  Chapter 57