Chapter 1

Given that I didn't want to go to his ex-girlfriend's birthday celebration, Chris took Alaiya and me on a wrong turn down the highway.

I pleaded with him to pull over, but he parked right in the middle of the road.

"This is your punishment for skipping Eleanor's birthday," he said.

"Now, you can drive yourself off the highway."

Then he caught a cab and left.

Before long, a massive truck came barreling toward us, sending my daughter and me flying.

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"Don't go, Chris; it's dangerous here!"

I climbed out of the car with my daughter and reached for Chris's hand.

He pushed me away with a cold, indifferent expression.

"Didn't you have plenty to say while we argued? Now you're scared?"

"I'm begging you, let's not fight. Just move the car off the road, okay?"

I was close to tears.

Cars zoomed past us, my heart pounding wildly.

"Aren't you learning to drive? Move it yourself," he said, his eyes blazing with anger.

My daughter began to cry.

"Mommy, I'm scared. There are so many cars here."

Usually, Chris would be gentle with her, but today he stayed detached.

"You may be skipping the party, but I’m going."

Chris looked at us coolly.

"Move the car and handle the ticket yourself."

"No, please, this isn't the time for jokes," I pleaded, clutching at his clothes.

Despite the driving lessons, I wasn't confident yet.

"Let go of me!"

He pushed me aside.

Suddenly, there was a screech of brakes.

A car nearly collided with ours, swerving at the last second.

The driver yelled, "What were you thinking? Driving the wrong way?"

"Do you realize that could kill someone?"

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

I quickly pulled my daughter to the emergency lane.

Chris was already further down, near a service station.

"Chris, don't go!"

But he seemed not to hear and kept walking toward the station.

Cars swerved around our vehicle, my panic growing with each close call.

Then a police officer called out to me.

"Ma'am, move your car to the side immediately!"

The urgency in his voice sent my anxiety spiraling.

With reluctance, I rushed to the driver's seat.

Before I knew it, a large truck was speeding toward us.

"Mommy!"

My daughter's scream pierced my ears.

Everything went blank; it felt like I was flying.

Then there was a deafening crash.

In a daze, I saw my daughter running toward me.

"Don't come here..."

But before I could finish, a car hit her.

I felt my heart shatter.

She was thrown against the guardrail, a piece of it piercing her body.

Her eyes, wide open, locked with mine.

Time seemed to freeze as invisible needles jabbed into me.

I tried desperately to crawl to her, only to find my lower half was almost severed, connected by just a patch of skin.

Someone nearby screamed, "Call 911, call 911!"

My daughter was still in front of me, her lips moving faintly.

"Mommy... Daddy, I want Daddy."

She was so small, covered in blood.

The pain in my heart was suffocating.

Suddenly, my phone rang. Someone rushed over, handing it to me.

"Your husband is calling. Say your goodbyes."

I tried to speak. "Chris, come quickly, come now..."

All I wanted at that moment was for him to be there.

Because this would be the last time I would see him.

But instead, he shouted, "Noemi, I can't believe how low you've sunk. You deliberately changed the delivery address for the spiced honey cake I ordered for Eleanor, didn't you?"

I couldn't endure anymore. My eyelids felt heavy, and my body was cold, like I was submerged in ice water.