Chapter 1

My father was nearing the end, and I fought back tears, trying to suppress my anxiety as I continually dialed Aaron's number at the door. After countless attempts, Aaron finally answered.

But it was a familiar female voice on the line. “Cynthia, hello! I’m here with Aaron, and we’re admiring the Eiffel Tower!” Jenifer's playful, cheerful tone came through. My heart clenched tightly, and panic set in.

“Get Aaron back here! It’s urgent!”

“Is that woman calling again? Jenny, can you tell her to stop? The lights of the Eiffel Tower are about to go out; can’t she behave herself?” Hearing Aaron's voice, my heart sank further.

But before I could say anything, the call was abruptly disconnected. The cold, mechanical beeping of the line filled my ears, and tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. I dialed Aaron's number again, but it was already turned off.

No matter how hard I tried, there was no chance for a breakthrough; the phone remained off. Without the attending physician in the operating room, my father's already slim chances of survival dwindled even further.

After the assistant surgeon struggled for twenty long hours, Aaron's phone still showed no sign of life. And without his presence, my father ultimately couldn’t hold on. Since my father’s passing, I had been handling all the arrangements related to his affairs.

Due to some relatives being in other cities and unable to attend, the entire funeral was only attended by my friends, my father's local colleagues, and my closest aunt. On the day of the funeral, a fierce storm raged outside.

My aunt and my best friend stayed by my side, helping me manage the many details of the ceremony. When I was younger, I thought funerals were simple affairs. But now, having experienced it firsthand, I realized how difficult it truly was.

The entire process was a whirlwind, leaving me with no time to catch my breath. It wasn't until I stood before my father's altar, looking at him lying in the coffin, that my numb mind finally found a moment of respite. Ever since my father's passing, I had moved through the motions like an emotionless puppet, completing everything without shedding a single tear.

Seeing my dazed expression, my aunt gently asked, “Where’s Aaron?”

“He didn’t come for his father-in-law's funeral; how can that be right?” I raised my gaze to take in my aunt’s angry expression and forced a bitter smile. Yes, how could Aaron not be here? As my husband, he should have been by my side. As my father’s son-in-law, he had even more reason to be present at the burial.

Yet he wasn’t. I numbly dialed his number again, but it still only rang busy. Frustrated, my aunt took out her phone and called him directly. The line connected immediately.

“What’s wrong with you? Why aren’t you here for your father-in-law's funeral?”

But it was still Jenifer who answered the phone. Upon hearing my aunt mention my father’s death, Jenifer not only disbelieved the news but also questioned my aunt. “Who are you, and why are you using such a tricky way to communicate with Aaron? It sounds like you’re desperate to talk to him!”

With that, she hung up the phone. My aunt, furious, raised her eyebrows and erupted in anger. My friend Eliana also came over, shaking her head in disbelief at Aaron’s absence:

“Why isn’t your husband back? He left you to handle all of this on your own; what’s wrong with him?”

“What kind of man does that?”

Eliana's chattering voice rang in my ears as I stared blankly up at the sky. Suddenly, I recalled that before Aaron left, he had mentioned he was going on a trip with a group of friends. I had wanted him to take me along, but he said it was a gathering of close friends, and it wouldn’t be convenient.

I tried to reassure myself; after all, bringing along someone unfamiliar to such a gathering could be awkward. But I never expected that Jenifer would be there too. Aaron had also promised repeatedly that he would return on the day of my father's surgery.

However, the unexpected happened far too suddenly; I never imagined my father would take a turn for the worse. I certainly didn’t expect that Jenifer would be by Aaron’s side.

Most shocking of all was that my father passed away due to a lack of timely contact with Aaron. A wave of helplessness washed over me. I looked up at the sky.

At that moment, it was heavy and cold, mirroring my own emotions. Memories of my father flooded my mind, each moment more vivid than the last. Finally, my nose tinged with warmth, and a tear fell alongside the rain outside.

“Dad is gone, and there will be no one left to love me unconditionally.”