Chapter 2
The two of them walked away. Unsettled, I followed them and stopped when I saw the woman get into a sleek Mercedes.
It was my husband’s car.
The four o’clock sun was still blazing, but it couldn’t thaw the chill spreading through my chest.
The toy in my hand, slick with sweat, felt impossibly heavy.
Trembling, I pulled out my phone, intending to call Daniel Scott,
but accidentally opened my social media app. Call Daniel Scotl,
There, a new post from his company’s receptionist caught my
eye.
The photo showed a lavishly decorated birthday party with fresh flowers, pink balloons, and long tables lined with delicate dishes.
At the center was a three–tiered cake I recognized from an online
store.
It required a three–month advance order and cost a fortune.
The caption read: [Our company’s top–notch perks–our boss throws birthday parties for employees.]
In the corner of the photo, a sliver of a navy–blue lie caught my
Chapter 2
attention.
It was the tie I had picked out for Daniel that morning.
My phone rang for a long time before he finally answered.
I hesitated, not knowing how to start.
2/3
Only after his second impatient prompt did I ask in a dry voice, “Are you coming home for dinner tonight?”
His tone was curt. “No. Something is going on at work. I’ve already picked Ryan up and brought him here. Just eat on your
own.”
My fingers shook so much I nearly dropped the phone.
“Should I bring you something to cat?”
“No need. Don’t embarrass me by showing up here. Have your forgotten how you got mistaken for a door–to–door salesperson last time you came to drop off a file?”
With that, he hung up.
I let out a bitter laugh.
A childish voice broke through my haze.
He asked, “Madam, where did you get that toy? Can I touch it?”
I looked down and realized my vision was blurry with tears.
Chapter 2
“It’s yours,” I said.
The boy bowed in thanks, holding the toy tightly and running his hands over it again and again.
That joy was what I had hoped to see on Ryan’s face.
3/3
But I had forgotten. No matter how many toys I gave him over the
years, the most I ever got was a dry “thanks.”
Suddenly, I felt exhausted.
I began to doubt if my seven years of marriage were still worth
- it.
Chapter 3
On the way home, it started to rain heavily, and my phone died.
Maybe it was because I sweated a lot during the day and
then got rained on, but soon after I got home, I started to feel feverish.
I managed to take a shower and lay down on the couch in the living room. Before I knew it, I fell asleep.
Memories of me and Daniel played in my mind like a slideshow.
I had a brother who was two years younger than me.
Our family was not wealthy, but we were close. There were no dramatic stories of favoring the son over the daughter.
Was
When my brother was in his senior year of high school, he diagnosed with a malignant tumor. His condition worsened quickly.
Our family’s savings were spent on hospital bills, and my dad’s hair turned gray overnight.
When we were out of money, my dad decided to borrow from our relatives.
He never came back.
Chapter 3
There was a tunnel collapse on the highway, and we lost the pillar of our family.
My mom was heartbroken and ended up in the ICU.
2/8
I had to be strong and arrange my dad’s funeral. Then I had to take care of my mom and my brother in the hospital.
But soon, my brother passed away too.
It was then that Daniel’s parents showed up.
They said my brother’s kidney was a match for their son. If we agreed, they would take care of me and my mom financially.
I understood their desperation to save their son.
I went with them to Daniel’s hospital room.
He was on a ventilator, his chest barely moving.
My mom walked into the room.
She looked at Daniel for a long time, shaking.
Finally, she said, “We can agree, but I have one condition.
“After the surgery, let him marry my daughter.”
The sound of heavy rain and thunder woke me up from my
Chapter 3 dream.
My headache hadn’t gotten any better.
3/8
I found my fully charged phone. It was 10 PM, but my husband and son were still not home.
I felt terrible, so I called Daniel.
But no one answered.
I checked the front desk’s social media updates.
I saw a picture of Ryan with the woman I saw earlier and Daniel.
They were kissing Ryan’s face.
They were smiling and happy.
The caption read: [Birthday party ended successfully.]
I took a deep breath and decided not to call again. I got up to find some medicine.
After searching for a while, I remembered I had left the medicine on Ryan’s desk when he was sick.
When I finally found the medicine, I noticed a diary on the desk.
I picked it up and read Ryan’s childish handwriting.
[Mom and Dad fought again. I hope they don’t get divorced.]
[If they get divorced, people will call Ms. Hughes a homewrecker.]
[Dad said he’d protect her, so let’s just put up with that nagging old lady a little longer.]
I couldn’t believe these words came from my son.
When Daniel was rarely home and didn’t talk to me much, Ryan used to stick close to me.
After marrying Daniel, I didn’t socialize much and focused on Ryan.
I hoped that even if I didn’t get love from Daniel, at least Ryan would love me.
But ever since Ryan turned five and found out about the circumstances of my marriage, he never looked at me the same
way.
He stopped calling me mom and broke all the crafts we made together.
Whenever I sat at the dinner table, he would leave.
I had to wait until he finished eating to have my meal.
Even the maids talked about how pitiful I was, saying at least they got their meals.
