Chapter 4

Spencer hurried over and grabbed the scissors right out of Dayana's hand. Her hand got nicked, blood streaming down, but she didn't even flinch. She was totally focused on whatever was behind me.

Envelopes were scattered all over the floor, each one marked with a heart he'd drawn himself and his signature. He recognized them at a glance.

"Weren't these the love letters I wrote you back then? Where did they all go?" he asked, his voice tight with emotion.

He started picking them up one by one, not even noticing the blood dripping onto the floor. He wouldn't let it go, just kept pressing Dayana for an answer.

"I tore them up. Why keep old, yellowed stuff around? It was just taking up space," Dayana replied, my tone cold and indifferent.

Kate was leaning over the toilet, looking both devastated and full of regret. Spencer looked like he was about to mourn those letters as if they were dead.

Dayana watched them with icy detachment. 'What's the point of showing up with comfort after the child is gone?' she thought.

'Look at them losing it over some worthless scraps. What'll they do when they find out I'm gone next month?' Dayana wondered.

"Hey, how about we go take some new portraits tomorrow? It's been ages since we last did that. One of my business partners said his wife just opened a studio and asked me to show some support," Spencer suggested.

"Sounds great, Dad! Let's bring Natasha along too. We've never taken a proper family photo together," Kate chimed in.

"You really do get me, kiddo. You always know just what to say," Spencer said, smiling at her.

Dayana scoffed. 'Here we go again. Natasha always gets top billing, no matter what. So what, are we supposed to be one big happy family of four now? No way am I letting them make a fool out of me,' she thought, her eyes cold.

Dayana didn't say another word, and the room slipped back into silence. Suddenly, Spencer's phone started ringing. He checked the name on the screen, then quietly slipped into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

Back then, the doors and walls were left uninsulated so you could hear everything Kate was up to, no matter what.

Natasha called Spencer, excitedly saying she'd just made her first 30 thousand dollars and wanted him to bring Kate along to celebrate.

When he came out, he was all spruced up. The stench of hairspray nearly knocked Dayana out as he brushed past her.

Spencer had been feeling uneasy ever since he got home. He couldn't shake the sense that something about Dayana had changed.

Before he could stop himself, he blurted out, "Have you eaten yet? Want to come with us? We can set an extra place for you."

Dayana just turned on a movie, acting like she hadn't heard a word. Kate rolled her eyes. "Let's go, Dad. Let's not keep Natasha waiting. She's probably already eaten anyway, so don't worry about her."

Spencer and Kate left, their steps light and cheerful. Dayana didn't even bat an eye. She was used to this by now.

'Seriously, she just had to pick today to throw a party. As Spencer's assistant and shameless bootlicker, there's no way she doesn't know his schedule. She's obviously doing everything she can to keep him from coming home.

'What, is she scared we'll suddenly rekindle things or something?' Dayana thought, her lips twisting into a cold, mocking smile.

Spencer's company hosted a big jewelry competition every year, with top designers from everywhere coming to take part. It was a tradition he started for Dayana, and even though things weren't the same between them anymore, he never changed it.

"I'll have Aubri drop off the judge passes and some other stuff later," Spencer said.

Aubri Valencia was his executive assistant. Spencer knew perfectly well that Dayana didn't want to run into Natasha, so he sent someone else instead. Or maybe he just felt bad making her run errands.

That evening, as Dayana was heading home after her walk, she heard a faint whimpering near the entrance to her building. She turned on her phone's flashlight and went to check, and sure enough, there it was: a tiny, injured pup.

Dayana was a total dog lover, so there was no way she could just leave it there. Spencer never let her keep a dog before, but now he was hardly ever home, so what did it matter if she took the puppy in?

She carefully picked up the little thing and hurried back home. She was in such a rush that she didn't see the glass on the ground, tripped, and ended up with a nasty cut on her leg.

She stopped by the convenience store near her place and picked up some sausage and milk. Back home, she filled the bathtub with warm water, gently placed the puppy inside, and gave it a careful bath.

Then she dug out an old blanket from the back of the closet, wrapped the little guy up, and dried him off, making sure he was all cozy and clean.

After she finished taking care of the puppy, only then did she remember herself. Just then, the doorbell rang. It must be someone dropping something off. She set the puppy down on the couch and went to open the door.

"Dayana, Spencer sent me over to drop off your invitation," the girl said.

Noticing Dayana's confused look, she quickly explained, "Aubri was supposed to come, but she's swamped, so I just volunteered. I mean, we're pretty familiar, aren't we?"

Dayana reached out to take the invitation. 'Seriously, she always has to stir up drama every time we meet. Doesn't she ever get bored of her own antics? Aubri's even younger than me, and she thinks I can't see right through her little games,' Dayana thought.

Natasha wouldn't let go of the invitation. Dayana gave her a confused look, and Natasha flashed a wide grin. "Dayana, I've never heard of what you do before. It sounds super interesting! Mind if I run something by you?"

Dayana didn't say a word, just wishing Natasha would spit it out already and skip the small talk. Her little furball was waiting for her.