Diana Sterling's mother-in-law Shirley Sterling needs heart surgery. However, her son Arthur Sterling, the only capable lead surgeon, abandons her for his first love Chloe Dalton, causing his mother's death. Heartbroken Diana begs Arthur to see his mother one last time but is turned away. Arthur stays with Chloe, ignoring the final arrangements. Following her dying wish, Diana buries Shirley in the Sunflower Field, deciding not to erect a headstone or hold a funeral. Surprisingly, Chloe wants the plot, so she and Arthur dig up the grave, and Arthur scattered the ashes. Diana explodes, exposing the truth at a fake funeral Arthur hosts for his reputation, and asks for a divorce. As Arthur orders her to walk away with nothing, lawyer Gavin Pierce presents the will: Shirley left everything to Diana. Diana reclaims the house and car Arthur bought for Chloe and kicks her out. She uses surveillance footage to expose Chloe's deceit to Arthur and sends Chloe's thieving mother to prison. A remorseful Arthur agrees to walk away with nothing. Chloe attempts a murder-suicide with poison but only kills herself, leaving Arthur severely crippled. Three years later, Diana and Gavin Pierce are a couple. They bump into Arthur, now a town doctor in Shirley's hometown. Diana calmly says goodbye, triggering Arthur's old illness, and he dies hallucinating.
