Chapter 2

I stared at him, asking, "So you came back today not to celebrate Lily's birthday, but to get me to sign this?"

Edward's expression stiffened.

Today was Lily's fourth birthday.

She put on her favorite dress first thing in the morning, standing by the door with her gift box in her arms, and kept asking me again and again, "Mommy, when is Daddy coming home?"

I lied and told her he'd be back soon.

Lily believed me.

She even handmade a birthday card, with her childish scrawl that read: [Daddy, please come home early. Lily turns four today.]

But when he finally showed up, he didn't even spare a glance at the cake. He just took out the consent form from his briefcase.

Edward avoided my gaze and said in a low voice, "We can make up for her birthday. But a life can't be put on hold."

With those words, the thread I had been holding onto for three years finally snapped inside me.

I snatched the birthday cake from the table and slammed it right onto the consent form.

Cream splattered all over him.

Edward shot to his feet, his face dark with rage.

"Emma!" he shouted.

I glared at him, my eyes blazing with anger.

"You actually have the guts to be angry?" I said, "Lily waited for you all day, and you couldn't even say happy birthday to her. All you care about is forcing her to help Olivia's son.

"Edward, are you really her father, or are you Olivia's obedient dog?"

Just then, a small, tearful voice sounded from the bedroom doorway.

"Mommy..." Lily called out.

I froze and turned to look.

I hadn't noticed when Lily had woken up.

She stood in the doorway, clutching her rabbit plushie, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Mommy, does Daddy not love me?" Lily asked.

In that moment, it felt like someone was wringing my heart to pieces.

I rushed over and scooped Lily into my arms.

She was so small, her shoulders shaking as she cried, her eyes red like a little bunny's.

"No, sweetie, Daddy's really busy," I said.

As I soothed Lily, I clenched my palm so hard it hurt, afraid I'd break down in front of Lily.

And then, Edward came over.

He crouched down, managing a strained smile.

Edward said, "Lily, Daddy wants to ask you something, okay?

"There's a little boy who's sick. Do you want to help him?"

I jerked my head up, my eyes burning with rage.

"Edward, have you lost your mind? She's four," I yelled.

But Edward acted as if he hadn't heard me, his eyes locked on Lily.

"The doctor will take a tiny bit of blood. It won't hurt at all," he coaxed. "You're always Daddy's best girl, aren't you?"

Lily curled up in my arms, her hands clutching my collar for dear life.

She glanced at me, then at Edward, her eyes filled with fear.

After a moment, Lily asked, "Daddy, if it hurts, will you hug me?"

Edward was stunned.

I couldn't take it anymore. I scooped Lily up and carried her straight to the bedroom.

"Get out!" I shouted. "From now on, you don't get to touch her unless I say so."

That night, Edward slammed the door behind him and stormed out.

Lily sobbed in my arms for ages; she never even blew out her birthday candles.

After I finally got her to sleep, I sat alone in the living room, staring at the ruined cake and scraps of paper scattered everywhere. These past three years had all been a cruel joke.

I always thought I was living with a man who was emotionally distant, always preoccupied, and not good at communicating.

But it finally hit me. I had been sharing my life with someone whose heart was never truly mine, but belonged to someone else.

Lily and I were nothing more than his second choice, the fallback when he couldn't have what he truly wanted.

Bright and early the next morning, Margaret showed up.

She was carrying two boxes of supplements, wearing a pleasant smile, acting as if nothing had happened.

"Emma, I made you some soup to nourish you," she said.

I didn't let her in.

"Just get to the point," I said.

Her face froze for a moment, then she sighed, trying to sound sympathetic.

"Edward wants to save that boy; he's still a life, after all. If Lily really is a match, helping him would be the right thing to do," Margaret said.

I couldn't help but let out a sarcastic laugh.

"So you think having my daughter donate bone marrow to my husband's true love's son is some kind of good deed?" I shot back.

When her gentle act got her nowhere, Margaret's expression hardened.

"Emma, don't talk like that," she said sharply. "Olivia was meant to marry into the Grant family. If she hadn't gone abroad, you wouldn't be here."

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut.

Margaret must've realized that she had said too much, and quickly clamped her mouth shut.

But I had already gotten the message.

So all those years I fought to get pregnant and bring Lily into this world, turned out, to the Grant family, I was nothing but a stand-in.

Now that Olivia had come back, her son had gotten sick, and suddenly, my daughter was expected to step up and take the fall for them.

I looked at her, a slow, mocking smile spreading across my face.

I said, "So you didn't come here for Lily, did you?

"You showed up to beg for Olivia's son's life, right?"

Margaret's face twisted with displeasure.

She said, "The Grant family has provided for you all these years. You ought to know how to be grateful by now.

"It's a blood test to check if she's a match. If it really comes to a transplant, the Grant family will make sure you and Lily are well taken care of."

Here we went again with that line.

We would be well taken care of.

They always thought that if they threw some money, a house, or a title, one'd hand over their life for them.

I shot Margaret a cold look.

"If you care so much about that boy, why don't you donate your own bone marrow?" I said. "If your son loves him that much, why doesn't he put his own life on the line?

"Don't use Lily to fill the Grant family's void."

Margaret was left speechless, her face turning an ugly shade as she clenched her jaw in fury.

"You'll regret this sooner or later," she spat.

With that, she slammed the door behind her and stormed out.

I watched Margaret's back as she left, and for the first time, I truly understood that this was far from over.