He Missed the Funeral... For Her - Chapter 1: Chapter 1

The day we buried my father, Warner Davis, the heavens wept with me.
With Mom long gone and only distant relatives left, I was the sole one arranging his funeral. At the hospital, I stood silently as they draped his body in white, then followed the hearse to the crematorium, my heart numb.
Outside the memorial hall, I finally paused to breathe. Friends and colleagues whispered among themselves:
"Where's Damon?"
"He's been on leave for days—how could he skip his father-in-law's funeral?"
But when they saw my empty expression, they fell silent.
Good question. Where was Damon?
As Dad's protégé, he should've been here to help. As my husband, he should've been here to grieve. But he wasn't.
I dialed his number again—straight to voicemail.
A colleague squeezed my shoulder. "Maybe he's tied up with something urgent."
I almost believed it. Damon was busy—between hospital shifts and that startup he was launching with his old college buddies.
Then, during a quiet moment, I checked my phone.
There it was—Carol's latest post. A group photo, all smiles. And right beside her, Damon, their bodies angled together like they belonged.
His urgent business? Celebrating her birthday.
The irony cut deep.
Outside, rain poured in sheets. I lifted my hand, letting the cold drops mix with my tears. A bitter laugh escaped me.
"Dad… now there's no one left who cares."