Chapter 1
Six years into my marriage to Michael Grant, not once had he bothered to celebrate our daughter Lily Grant's birthday.
Yet over this year's school break, he suddenly offered to take Lily to Disney World for a birthday celebration.
The night before our planned departure, Michael brought up the matter over dinner, his tone laced with regret. "Julia, all the Disney tickets are completely sold out.
"I'd planned this whole trip so you wouldn't be disappointed, but even resale tickets are gone without a trace. I'll have to take Lily alone this time. I hate that you have to miss out."
Official ticket platforms always posted advance alerts once dates sold out completely.
It made no sense for him to only break the news the night before we were supposed to leave.
Driven by a strange, unshakable hunch, I waited until Michael fell asleep that night and quietly picked up his phone.
An 800-dollar charge immediately caught my eye.
The transaction description read plainly: [Disney Deluxe Resort Package—2 Adults, 2 Children]
My heart dropped sharply in my chest.
He'd already booked an upscale package long in advance, so why lie and claim every ticket was sold out?
And who exactly were the extra two spots reserved for?
*****
I went through Michael's phone again.
Every chat app? Every folder? I scoured it back to front.
There wasn't a single message from any unfamiliar woman, not even any thirst-trap videos in his browsing history. Absolutely nothing.
Michael was a self-made man, having built a company from scratch into an empire with five hundred employees.
Yet, after becoming president, he never indulged in a dissolute lifestyle.
Instead, late nights at the office were his norm, either stuck in endless meetings or dissecting proposals.
He was an exceptional man, if only slightly too busy.
Today's events, however, caught me completely off guard, casting a long shadow of doubt over our past.
Our daughter's birthday fell in May, right around graduation season.
For six years running, Michael had missed every single one due to work.
Lily had celebrated each time with nothing but a pre-recorded greeting from him.
The more I thought about it, the more my heart raced.
After returning the phone to its original spot, I barely slept a wink.
Early the next morning, Michael took Lily to the subway station.
I secretly bought a ticket and trailed them, hiding under a baseball cap in a carriage not far away.
Once their luggage was stowed, Michael patted our daughter's head and spoke up, "Lily, Mommy couldn't make it today. So, I found another lady, Ms. Carter, to look after you, okay?
"She brought her daughter named Mia Carter. You can play together. Does that sound fun?"
I froze in place.
Michael was cheating. Not just having an affair, but he had another child.
A chill seeped deep into my bones, leaving me numb all over.
Just then, Lily's soft voice floated over. "But Daddy, won't Mommy be all alone at home?"
Michael patiently coaxed her with a few more words, but I heard nothing else.
I stared fixedly at his back.
Extreme anger made me tremble uncontrollably, itching to rush over and slap him across the face.
But reason told me it wasn't the time.
I waited and waited until the train arrived, until they took the subway all the way to the entrance of Disneyland.
My eyes widened in shock as I suddenly spotted a mother-daughter pair coming into view.
The woman wore a mask and a sun hat, but her outfit was exquisite, hot pants and a spaghetti-strap top.
Following Michael's gaze, mine landed on the sliver of waist she exposed.
It was tight and smooth, a stark contrast to the loose, sagging skin of my belly after I gave birth to Lily.
"Traffic was a nightmare since it's a holiday. Sorry to keep you waiting," Michael said.
Then he nudged Lily. "Say hello. Help Ms. Carter with her bags."
When the girl didn't move, he frowned and shoved her gently. "Where are your manners? Can't you see how much she's holding?"
Lily lifted her teary-eyed gaze. "Daddy, I'm too small to carry that much. Mia is bigger than me. Why can't she carry Ms. Carter's bag? Isn't Mr. Carter her mom?"
Michael furrowed his brows. "Mia isn't feeling well. Shouldn't you help her carry her mother's things?
"Daddy doesn't like naughty kids. If you keep this up, I'll tell your Mommy."
"I'm sorry, Daddy. I'll be good." Lily took the bag.
Witnessing this scene, I was glaring with pure rage.
My fingernails dug deep into my palms.
I stared dead at Michael's back as he slipped an arm around the woman, walking forward, and placed a kiss on her hand.
At that moment, the last shred of hope was throttled.
A chill shot through my veins, turning me ice-cold.
Trembling, I pulled out my phone and snapped a picture of their intimate moment.
Then, I sprinted toward them. "Michael!"