Chapter 5
Harrison'd also go with her to pay respects at her parents' graves, letting them see she was truly living well now.
Harrison was the one who once cared for her so deeply, comforting her and insisting none of it was her fault.
But now, just because of another woman, how could Harrison have the heart to blame everything on her?
Essie limped to her feet, gathered up what was left of her parents' ashes, and left the cemetery. She made her way to the old house that her parents had left her.
The first thing Harrison did after earning his first real money was to buy back this house, no matter the cost.
Every year on her birthday, they'd come back here and spend the night together.
It was where they shared their first embrace, their first kiss, and spent the night tangled up in each other, swearing they'd never let go. It was here that they promised to be together forever.
It had been ages since she'd last been here, and the house felt eerily quiet and deserted.
Essie pushed the door open, set the ashes down in their rightful place, then walked over and stood before the photo wall.
The wall was covered with pictures from her childhood, photos with her parents, and snapshots of her and Harrison together through the years.
Harrison never liked taking photos, but he'd always patiently stay by her side, helping her document their lives. They had more than a few albums full of memories.
In every picture, his gaze was full of adoration, gentle, warm, and always fixed on her.
But now, that loving gaze would never belong to her again.
Essie reached out, gently tracing Harrison's tender eyes in the photo, and tears slid down her cheeks.
"Harrison... Maybe it's time for me to let go," she whispered, her voice trembling with sorrow.
Essie hugged the photo album tight, going over every little moment from the past in her mind.
By morning, sunlight poured into the room. Essie blinked her red, puffy eyes. She'd spent the whole night crying. Without a second thought, she grabbed her phone and dialed her lawyer.
"I need you to draw up a divorce agreement," Essie said.
Essie arranged to meet with her lawyer soon.
After meeting with her lawyer and finalizing the terms, Essie took the contract and headed back to her parents' old house.
But as she arrived at the old house, she saw thick smoke billowing nearby.
Unease flooded Essie as she rushed toward the house, only to find her own home engulfed in smoke.
"How did it end up like this..." Essie said under her breath.
Essie's face drained of color as she rushed upstairs, not caring about anything else.
But just as she stepped inside, someone snatched her back by the waist.
Harrison barked, his tone harsh and full of worry.
"With the fire raging like this, are you out of your mind? Do you have a death wish?" he shouted.
Essie clung to his arm, her grip desperate.
"Harrison, my parents' ashes are still inside! Please, I'm begging you. Help me get them out," she pleaded, her voice trembling with fear.
Harrison paused, his expression tense, but he pulled back and refused her outright.
"Absolutely not. It's too dangerous," his tone was resolute.
Essie looked at him, stunned and unable to believe what she was hearing, then immediately tried to break free.
"Let go of me!" Essie cried out.
But Harrison pulled her in even tighter, locking his arms around her so she couldn't break free.
"Essie, your parents are dead. If their ashes get burned, it doesn't matter. Stop acting crazy," Harrison said.
Essie fought back even more frantically, her struggles growing more desperate by the second.
She screamed, "Let go of me! Harrison, let go!
"Let go of me!
"Please, let go of me... Please, just let me go...
"Harrison! Don't make me hate you!"
She fought desperately, biting down hard on Harrison's hand until she drew blood, but he never loosened his grip, not even for a moment.
Her voice turned hoarse from her relentless screams, so raw and broken it sounded as if her cries were soaked in agony.
Essie could only watch in horror as everything she cared about was consumed by the flames, reduced to nothing but ashes right before her eyes.
Essie stopped fighting, her strength drained, and she sank to her knees, utterly defeated.
She lifted her head, staring up at Harrison with a dazed, empty gaze.
"Why are you here?" Essie asked.
Harrison's expression changed, a rare flicker of guilt in his eyes. He cast a furtive glance at the nearby parking area.
Essie followed his gaze and spotted a car window rolling up in the distance.
Even though the person inside moved fast, Essie still managed to catch a glimpse of Carolyn's profile before it disappeared.
Harrison's phone rang out of nowhere.
He answered it right away.
"I'll be there in a minute," he said.
Without sparing Essie another glance, he hurried off as if he couldn't get away fast enough, never bothering to answer her question.
Essie watched as Harrison rushed off, her eyes turning icy, the warmth fading away bit by bit.
Harrison probably had no clue that Essie, worried about break-ins while the house was empty, had surveillance cameras installed in case.
Essie opened the surveillance app on her phone.
Sure enough, she caught Carolyn on camera sneaking in and starting the fire.
At last, the flames were completely extinguished.
Essie walked into the house, each step heavy and slow.
Water from the firefighting efforts pooled across the floor, and the walls were scorched black.
The inside was burned beyond recognition.
The whole place looked just as battered and broken as she did right now.
The ashes Essie had brought home herself were viciously smashed to the floor by Carolyn, and now there wasn't a single trace left.
Essie stood alone in the empty house, barely able to keep the rage inside from swallowing her whole.
She slowly took the signed divorce agreement out of her bag.
Then, bit by bit, she tore it into shreds, letting the pieces fall to the floor.
She headed to the hospital.