Chapter 1
We had been married for three years, yet my husband, Richard Sterling, never really cut ties with his ex-wife.
Every time she called, he would drop everything and run to her and their child.
On our daughter's birthday, I stroked her hair, trying to hold back the sting in my eyes.
"Lily, how about we give your dad one last chance?" I whispered. "If he doesn't come to the parent-child event this time, I will take you away for good."
But once again, Richard never showed up.
*****
At the parent-child event, Lily was laughed at by her classmates for not having her father around.
During the ensuing argument, she tragically took a tumble from upstairs.
Holding Lily, who was hanging by a thread, I desperately called Richard 99 times.
But he never picked up.
A minute later, I saw a post on Richard's Instagram, a family photo with his ex-wife and their daughter.
The caption read: [Celebrating our precious girl for acing her finals. Mom and Dad will always love you.]
I let out a broken laugh, my hands shaking as I typed out a comment: [What a lovely family.]
I set my phone aside, clutching Lily's bloody body to my chest, calling out her name again and again.
She was still dressed in her new little skirt, with a smudge of cream still on her lips.
But now, her eyes were tightly shut. She was no longer breathing.
She would never smile at me again, never call out "Mom" in that sweet, childish lisp.
It was then that my husband, Richard, finally called.
The moment I answered, he didn't even let me speak before he started laying into me.
"Jessica, what's with the attitude?" he snapped. "Sophie is my own daughter, isn't it perfectly normal for me to have dinner with her?
"You're a mother yourself, but you can't understand my hardships of parenthood. I'm so disappointed in you."
I held the phone, speechless. He was the one who had broken his word, yet he immediately jumped in to criticize me.
Tears flowed down my face. I said, "Richard, Lily is your daughter, too. And today is her third birthday."
Richard's impatience grew when he heard my muffled sobs.
"What's all the drama for?" he snapped. "I didn't say I wasn't coming back. Once I get Sophie tucked in, I'll come home and celebrate with you both.
"Besides, Lily's only three. What could she possibly understand? This is just you trying to drag the kids in to get yourself some attention."
Tears streamed down my face. I was utterly gutted and done with this man.
While he was celebrating with his ex-wife's daughter, my own little girl had put her foot down, refusing to join the activities.
"I'm waiting for Dad," Lily had insisted. "He promised to come for my birthday."
The teacher had no choice but to wait with her.
The other parents, meanwhile, were getting ants in their pants.
"Why should we have to wait with her?"
"What kind of father is always running on empty when it comes to a parent-child event?"
Taking their cue from the adults, the children also started lashing out at Lily.
"Your dad doesn't want you."
"You're an orphan. You don't have a father."
All the while, I had been burning up the phone lines, messaging and calling Richard, urging him to come as fast as he could.
The memory brought a sudden, crushing wave of regret and fury.
"I bought Lily a present, so stop making things difficult for me," Richard said dismissively when I stayed silent.
I had nothing left to lose. I no longer had any expectations that he would spare a single thought for me away from his ex-family.
"Lily won't get a chance to open your gift," I spat. "Richard, you're not even worthy of being Lily's father."