It was eleven o'clock at night.
Walker found me in the mourning hall.
I sat there blankly.
Hearing Walker's footsteps, I mechanically turned my head.
"You came."
Walker didn't speak.
He looked down at what I was holding.
It was an urn.
"This is..."
I slowly lowered my head and stroked the urn.
"I already told you, didn't I? She was in a car accident." My face was expressionless, but my eyes were swollen and red. "If you had come right after my call, you could have seen her one last time.
Now, it's too late."
Walker's hands began to tremble.
"I just..."
I interrupted him. "I know, you just suspected that she kidnapped Maya.
It doesn't matter, go investigate. Whatever you find out, it has nothing to do with Annie anymore."
I picked up the urn and walked past Walker.
He stopped me. "Wait.
"She's my wife, she..."
I stopped.
"Do you want me to give you her ashes?"
I laughed, tears rolling down my face.
"It's impossible.
"Walker, when Annie was alive, it was her love for you that trapped her in the Lin family.
Now that she's gone, she can finally stop loving you. I'm taking her away, to give her freedom."
I looked at Walker's face, unable to contain my anger,
After all, you are not worthy of being her husband."
I left with the urn.
I couldn't possibly give it to Walker.
Because inside, Annie had only carelessly scattered some loose powders from her vanity.
I had to quickly search online to tell her that ashes aren't powdered, which prompted her to hastily add some leftover small bones.
I walked to the riverbank and scattered the powder and bone fragments into the river.
"Annie, you're free now."
I choked out the words.
I knew Walker was watching my back.
After scattering the ashes, I got into my car and drove away, never giving Walker another look.
Considering the time, Asa should be looking for me now.
He punished me for three days, and now it's just about the right time.
But Asa didn't look for me.
I knew it was because Maya had gone to him.
Walker, because of Annie's death, is ignoring Maya now.
Given Maya's style, she would immediately move on to her next target.
She would come to Asa and reconcile with him.
The little girl outside the rose garden, having been lost and now found, would make Asa have no interest in me, the impostor.
I drove to the bridge spanning the river.
In F City, the big shots divide their territories among themselves.
The place where I scattered the ashes actually belonged to Asa.
Now, I arrived in Walker's territory.
Sitting by the river, I reviewed the things I had left in the villa.
A silver rose brooch the last gift I gave Asa.
A farewell letter telling Asa that I loved him.
A diagnosis of depression (forged) to explain the cause of my death.
After reviewing everything, I called Asa.
He answered, slightly drunk. "Hello."
A girl beside him complained petulantly, "Baby, who is this?"
It was Maya.
I ignored Maya's voice and began my performance calmly:
"Asa, don't worry, I'm not calling to cling to you. I just wanted to say thank you."
"When I first came to this city, I had nothing. It was you who gave me a place to live, protection, and the illusion of being loved."
Asa's voice changed.
He said, "Lillian, where are you?"
I said calmly, "I'm also glad that there will be someone to love you in my stead from now on.
"Remember to drink less, and get your old knee injury checked regularly..."
"Lillian! Where are you? I'm coming to find you..."
This was the first time I heard Asa sound out of control.
I laughed, the wind blowing in.
"Asa. Goodbye."
I tossed the phone into the river and leaped.
