Chapter 2

Next morning, I shuffled out of the guest room, dark circles smudged under my eyes. The living room was already a scene—someone was up early.

James was down on one knee, helping Lily into a fresh pair of pink little leather shoes.

Those shoes caught my eye instantly. They were from that children's boutique that caught my eye when we went window-shopping last week.

I'd even joked to James, "If we ever had a daughter, I'd totally buy her those."

What did James say back then?

He'd just laughed and said, "Don't even think about it. We're sticking to being child-free. I'm not signing up for the whole parenthood thing."

But now, he was treating Lily with a patience and tenderness I'd never seen before. "Those shoes look perfect on you, Lily. You're just like a little princess," he said softly.

Lily giggled, her laughter ringing out clear and sweet.

I walked over, my heart so sour it ached.

"James, can we talk for a minute?" I pressed, my voice strained.

He didn't even glance up, fussing with Lily's dress. "Talk about what? Can't you see I'm busy? Why can't you show a little compassion for a kid for once?"

His words shut me right up. Just like that, I was speechless.

Just great. Now I was the villain here—the one with no heart.

I took a deep breath and crouched down, hoping maybe Lily could tell me something.

"Lily, can you tell me how old you are?" I asked softly.

Lily looked timidly at James, then slowly raised four fingers.

She was four years old. But James had told me his sister should be in her early twenties.

And just like that, his whole story came crashing down right in front of me.

I looked at James, and his face suddenly went pale. Without hesitation, James pulled Lily behind him, snapping, "Why are you asking so many questions? Are you trying to scare her?"

He stood firm in front of me, like a protective wall, making sure I couldn't get close.

"I said she's my sister! If you keep playing detective, I'll send her away—and you'll never get to see her ever again!" he snapped, his tone edged with threat.

James was using Lily to guilt-trip me, playing on my kindness.

My heart went completely cold.

There was absolutely no way Lily was really his sister.

I knew there was some enormous secret hidden beneath all this, the kind that could tear our marriage apart.

In the days that followed, James started spoiling Lily to an outrageous degree.

He kept buying her clothes and toys until half of our living room looked like a luxury kids' store. Each piece cost a small fortune—so much more than he ever spent on me, not even close.

When I questioned the spending, he got defensive. "I'm just making up for all the hardships Lily has been through."

Yet here I was, the wife who stood by him through thick and thin, building everything from scratch. I didn't even have the right to question him. All my years of dedication and sacrifices seemed to be taken for granted in his eyes.

The vibe at home was turning downright bizarre.

James actively avoided me and didn't try to hide his annoyance with me, especially when Lily was around.

Once, after I'd cooked up a whole feast for dinner, Lily threw a tantrum demanding fried chicken instead.

James didn't hesitate; he just snatched up his car keys and headed out to get it.

I stepped in front of him, frustration leaking into my voice. "Dinner's already on the table. Can't you at least eat first before running out?"

He shoved me aside, looking utterly fed up. "God, can you stop making a fuss? If the kid wants to eat something, so what? Why can't you ever just be more understanding?"

Watching his back as he disappeared, I felt like the punchline in my own life.

I was no longer the woman of this house—just a useless obstacle standing in the way.

At that moment, I decided I couldn't just stand by and do nothing anymore.