Chapter 1
In the year Zack went bankrupt, he secretly bought two extra plane tickets and took the partner's wife and daughter abroad with him.
Right before he switched off his phone, he called me.
He said, "Yvette's husband died because of me. I can't just walk away from them.
"Give me ten years. When I come back, I'll marry you."
Five years later, Zack came back on top, basking in his success.
While I carried my daughter, Rona, on my back for an hour, just to save a few bucks on bus fare.
But all I saw was Zack getting into a car, his arm around the woman he called his wife.
Rona's cheeks were red from the sun as she looked up at me, hope shining in her eyes.
She asked, "Mom, aren't we going to see Dad?"
I turned around and started walking back.
I said, "I made a mistake. That wasn't your dad."
I hoisted Rona onto my back and walked back in stiff silence, retracing our steps.
All I could think about was Zack earlier, holding Yvette and Ivy close, looking so happy.
Only when I heard Rona gulp softly against my back did I realize we'd been walking for over an hour.
No wonder she was thirsty.
I ducked into a nearby supermarket, grabbed a bottle of water, and took a seat outside an ice cream shop to catch my breath.
Out of nowhere, a sleek black luxury car rolled to a stop. From the lowered window, a little girl's playful, spoiled voice floated out.
From the lowered window, a little girl's playful, spoiled voice floated out, "Daddy, I want some ice cream. Will you come with me and buy it?"
Zack was in the middle of work, but when he heard Ivy, he couldn't help but chuckle, his tone full of affection.
He practically tossed his laptop aside and stepped out of the car, taking Yvette and Ivy with him.
I looked up and caught Zack looking right at me.
He stopped in his tracks, frozen, not moving a muscle.
Seeing each other again after five years wasn't the joyful reunion we'd pictured.
Now, he had his beloved wife and daughter with him.
Guess he really didn't want to run into me.
Yvette glanced over at me. She slipped her hand off his arm and strolled right up to me.
Yvette said, "Hannah, is that you? After all these years... look at you now. How did you get so old?"
She looked me up and down, then breathed out in relief.
After that, her eyes gleamed with open pride and a hint of showing off.
I lowered my gaze and saw her fair, delicate hands reach out and take hold of my own, rough and weathered like sandpaper.
For the past five years, Zack spoiled Yvette rotten. She looked at least ten years younger than she should have, as she'd never lifted a finger in her life.
Not like me; I had been busting my ass day and night, cleaning up the mess Zack left behind. It wore me down, body and soul.
I pulled my hand away, picked up Rona's half-finished bottle of water, and didn't bother to respond.
Zack stared at me for a good while.
When he saw I was about to leave, he stepped forward and caught my wrist.
His gaze was intense, and he was so close I could hear his teeth grinding.
Zack demanded, "Hannah, how long are you going to keep running off with my daughter?
"If you're leaving, you'd better leave my daughter with me."
Before I could get a word out, Ivy scowled and shoved me away, her face full of pure hatred.
She yelled, "I'm Daddy's only daughter. You two annoying brats, get out of here."
When Rona saw me getting shoved, she sprang at Ivy in an instant.
Ivy had been pampered by Zack her whole life, totally different from Rona, who'd been picked on by other kids since she was small.
Ivy had been pampered by Zack her whole life and had no clue how to fight, totally different from Rona, who'd been picked on by other kids since she was small.
Yvette was sobbing, clutching Ivy tight, her eyes wet and pleading as she looked at Zack.
Before I could even move, Zack slapped Rona hard across the face.
Rona held back her tears, refusing to cry. She looked up at me and managed a shaky smile.
She said, "Mom, don't cry. It doesn't hurt."
My tears wouldn't stop, and it felt like my heart was breaking apart.
Watching Rona force a smile like that, I hated myself even more.
I hated how powerless I was.
I hated that Rona got stuck with a father like Zack.
Zack's hand froze in mid-air. He opened his mouth, but was at a loss for words.
"I-I didn't mean to," he stammered.
Ivy's sobbing seemed to egg him on.
He snapped at me, "You've spoiled Rona way too much. She just lashes out at her sister whenever she wants. Who knows what kind of mess she'll cause down the line?"
But Zack would never get it.
Without a father around and with me working day and night, Rona had to be tough. If she wasn't, she'd get hit.
She couldn't bear to burden me, so when kids bullied her, she kept quiet and toughed it out alone.
I reached Rona's swollen cheek, my head bowed in silence.
The next second, without hesitation, I slapped Zack across the face ten times, each one harder than the last.
Zack was caught completely off guard, his body lurching with every blow.
He shot me a cold glare but didn't move; he just let me keep slapping him.