Chapter 2
I had been secretly in love with Isaac Salazar for five years. When I heard he'd broken up with Haley McDonald, I shamelessly pursued him, sacrificing my pride for the marriage I had always dreamed of. Even when, a month before our wedding, his finances crumbled, leaving him millions in debt overnight, I still stood by his side, vowing to share both joy and hardship.
But he deceived me from the very beginning, harboring resentment deep down and begrudgingly acknowledging that Charlee carried his blood. To pay off his debts, the three of us squeezed into a cramped, rundown apartment. We stretched a meal to last three days, and because of the poor nutrition, Charlee was much smaller and frailer than other kids her age. Meanwhile, Haley's son, Titus, was plump, his skin smooth like a porcelain doll. Over the years, Isaac must have taken good care of them.
Haley, a single mother with a modest monthly income, now wore bespoke designer dresses. The leather handbag she carried must have cost at least a small fortune. In contrast, the faded tank top I wore had been mended and worn for almost four years. The only thing of value I had was the diamond ring Isaac gave me on our wedding day. Even in dire straits, I never thought of selling it.
As I watched Isaac and that mother-son duo from a distance, I realized I couldn't endure it any longer. As long as I stayed with Isaac, things would never get better. I took Charlee's hand, gently stroking her chin with a smile.
"Charlee, haven't you always wanted a Barbie doll? How about Mommy takes you to get one?"
Her eyes lit up momentarily, but the sparkle quickly faded.
"Mommy, the kids at school say Charlee is dirty and smelly. I'll just make the Barbie dirty too," she said. "Besides, the doll is too expensive. I don't want to make Mommy and Daddy work so hard..."
At that moment, my emotions shattered. I crouched down, holding Charlee tightly, and sobbed uncontrollably. All she ever thought about was easing the burden on me and Isaac, yet Isaac, as her father, never considered his own daughter.
Through blurred tears, I glared in Isaac's direction. The brighter his smile, the more intense my hatred grew inside me. This bitter marriage, it was time to end it.