Ruby Lane was widowed young and raised her daughter Rose Lim alone, later choosing Jack Lake as her son-in-law. On the night before All Souls' Day, Rose Lim rushed out to meet her first love, William Schuman, forgetting to turn off the stove and causing a house fire. While Ruby Lane tried to save the home, Rose Lim stayed out all night playing mahjong with William Schuman, believing Jack Lake was lying to her. Disappointed, Ruby Lane left her inheritance to Jack Lake instead. On her deathbed, their daughter Susan begged for a story, but Rose Lim blocked Jack's calls. Later, Rose Lim realized her mistakes—snatching a child's picture book in the street, frantically searching the cemetery for her daughter, and collapsing in grief. Meanwhile, Jack Lake, devastated by the deaths of his mother-in-law and daughter, harbored deep resentment toward Rose Lim.
