Chapter 4

All at once, I remembered a call from Nicole's teacher. She had mentioned that Nicole had brought a "new mom" to a parent meeting at school.

Nicole had said nothing about it at the time. I figured she thought I was too strict and had Alina pretend to be her mom for fun.

At that moment, I understood. I was the biggest joke of all.

All those fleeting thoughts suddenly came together, and everything made sense.

While I was busy holding everything together, Alina had quietly taken my place in my daughter's heart.

Vince and Helen had allowed it.

And Cedric might have been waiting for this ever since the day Luke died.

Alina was practically raised by Helen and Vince, growing up alongside their two sons.

Right after she graduated, Helen and Vince made sure she married Luke.

Cedric cleared his throat, looking a little uneasy.

Alina gently patted Nicole's head. "She's just a child, Patricia. She doesn't mean it. Don't take it to heart."

Helen quickly picked up a piece of meat and placed it on my plate. "That's right. Don't listen to a child. Eat something."

I looked at all of them. They moved as one, as if they were on the same side. Then I thought about my daughter calling me useless.

Something inside me finally broke, disappointment flooding through me.

I didn't even know what they took me for. To them, I was nothing more than someone to step on.

All the anger I had been holding back came rushing out at once.

I grabbed the dishes I had spent hours making and, right in front of them, dumped everything into the trash.

"Since you all think I'm useless, then don't eat anything I made." My voice was low, but it was steady and cold.

Nicole's eyes widened. She looked at me as if she didn't recognize me.

Cedric was furious. He pointed at me and shouted, "Are you out of your mind?"

He rushed forward and shoved me hard.

I was not ready. I stumbled backward, and the edge of the dining table slammed into my lower back. Pain shot through me instantly. The plates and bowls on the table tipped over, and soup spilled everywhere.

Some of it splashed onto Alina's expensive shoes. She let out a sharp scream.

Cedric panicked right away. He rushed to her side and pulled her into his arms. "It's okay. Don't be scared. We're going to the hospital right now. The soup is hot. What if it leaves a scar?"

Vince and Helen jumped into action. One hurried to find the car keys while the other started calling out for help.

Nicole grabbed Alina's designer bag and followed closely behind them, her face full of worry.

In just a few seconds, they were all gone.

They left me standing there alone, surrounded by broken plates and cold soup, in a house that had suddenly gone completely quiet.

I stood alone in the living room.

The house felt empty. Only my dog stayed with me, pacing back and forth at my feet, restless and uneasy.

My lower back burned with sharp pain.

I could not hold it in anymore. Tears spilled down my face.

My dog pressed her soft head against my leg. Her round eyes looked up at me, full of worry.

I slowly knelt down and wrapped my arms around her. Then I broke. I cried out loud, all the pain and grief pouring out at once.

This home was gone. It was time for me to wake up.

When I finally stopped crying, I wiped my face and stood up. Then I began to pack.

I did not have much that truly belonged to me in this house. It took less than ten minutes to finish.

Before I left, I went to the bathroom and washed my face. I looked up at myself in the mirror.

My face was pale. My eyes looked tired and hollow. A deep sadness rose in my chest.

I did not understand how my life had ended up like this.

From this moment on, I decided I would live for myself.

My dog followed close behind me. She brushed gently against my ankle, as if she already knew I was leaving.

"Do you want to come with me?" I asked softly.

She looked up at me and let out a quiet whimper.

We walked out of the building together.

Fireworks lit up the Christmas sky, bright and colorful.

This was the beginning of my new life.

I went to the apartment I owned in the center of the city. I had bought it before I got married.

A cleaning lady came by regularly, so everything was neat and ready.

My phone kept ringing. Vince, Helen, and Cedric called again and again. I blocked every number.

For the first time in a long while, I felt lucky. I had never completely given up my career.

Years ago, when I stepped back for this family, Cedric had promised he would take care of me forever.

Seven years later, he called me useless.

I picked up my phone and called a friend. "Tina, I want to go back to work."

Tina let out a loud scream of excitement. Then she spent several minutes cursing Cedric and his family without holding back.