Each step toward Olivia''s door felt heavier than thest. When I finally reached it,


    I hesitated before knocking, gathering what little courage I had left.


    < Chapter 101: Redemption in L


    My knuckles rapped against the wood, the sound echoing in the quiet morning air.


    (Olivia''s POV)


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    The sudden pounding at my cottage entrance startled me from my grief. I''d spent the night in


    tearful vigil, clutching Lily''s Moonwood Ceremonial Urn and wondering how I would go on


    without the pendant that had kept a part of her close to my heart.


    When I opened the door, I found Ethan Stone standing there. The sight of him sent a fresh


    wave of anger through me.


    He looked terrible-pale and haggard, his usually dominating presence diminished by


    exhaustion. His amber eyes, normally so confident, now held a haunted look I''d never seen


    before.


    None of it moved me. This man had thrown away our daughter''s ashes as if they


    were


    nothing.


    "How can you even stand after what you did?" I asked coldly, my voice carrying the bitter chill


    of winter.


    Maxwell Chen stepped forward from behind his boss, his tone respectful despite my icy


    reception.


    "Ms. Winters, Mr. Stone spent the night kneeling at Lily''s grave at Sacred Moonlight Cemetery.


    Then he spent hours in the Moonlit Reflection Pool retrieving the pendant," he exined, his


    words careful and measured.


    Ethan silenced his assistant with a sharp gesture, his amber eyes never leaving my face.


    Without a word, he extended his hand, opening his palm to reveal Lily''s Ashes Crystal


    Pendant.


    It was still damp from the pool, but intact. My heart leaped at the sight of it.


    "I brought Lily back to you," he said simply, his voice rough with emotion.


    My hands trembled as I reached for the pendant. The moment my fingers closed around it, tears began streaming down my face. I clutched it to my chest, feeling as though I could


    breathe again for the first time since learning it was gone.


    "Thank you," I whispered, the words escaping before I could stop them.


    For a moment, we stood in silence, united in our grief for the daughter we had both lost-


    though in very different ways.


    Ethan reached out, his hand moving toward my shoulder in what appeared to be a gesture of


    < Chapter 101: Redemption in I...


    The brief moment of connection shattered. His hand fell back to his side, his expression pained but understanding.


    "I''m sorry," he said, his voice thick with regret. "I didn''t know what the pendant contained. If I


    had known..."


    "If you had known, you wouldn''t have thrown away our daughter''s remains?" I finished for him, my grief transforming into rage. "That doesn''t change the fact that you did it, Ethan. Just like it doesn''t change the fact that you abandoned her when she needed you most."


    His face contorted with shame, but I wasn''t finished. If he truly wanted redemption, there was more he needed to do.


    "If you truly want to make amends," I demanded, my emerald eyes shing with fury, "then seek justice for Lily! Punish Victoria Frost, who stole the kidney donor meant for our daughter!"


    Ethan''s expression hardened immediately, his amber eyes narrowing. "Victoria had nothing to do with Lily''s death," he insisted, his tone leaving no room for argument. "She would never harm a child."


    I couldn''t believe what I was hearing. Even now, after everything, he was still defending her.


    "Are you blind?" I snarled. "Or just willfully ignorant? Victoria manipted the donor list to ensure Emma received the kidney meant for Lily. Our daughter died because of her!"


    Ethan shook his head firmly. "You''re wrong, Olivia. Victoria isn''t capable of such cruelty."


    His unwavering trust in Victoria despite all evidence to the contrary infuriated me beyond reason. My control snappedpletely.


    "Get out!" I shouted, my voice breaking with rage and grief.


    In a swift motion, I grabbed the Antique Moonstone Decorative Vase from beside my door and hurled it at him with all my strength. I wasn''t thinking clearly-I just wanted him gone, wanted to hurt him as he had hurt me.


    The vase struck him squarely in the temple, catching him off guard. Already weakened by his night-long vigil and hours in the freezing water, Ethan swayed momentarily before copsing unconscious on my doorstep, blood trickling from the wound.