Chapter 3

“Don't cry, sweetie… I'm here…” She gently took me into her arms and caressed my hair with her thin and rough hands.

“Don't scare me again, Mom,” I told her.

“I promise, sweetie, so please stop crying.” Mom lifted her frail hands and wiped the tears from my cheek until it was completely dry, then she looked deep into my eyes with love gleaming in her gaze. Mom loved the unique color of my eyes, and she always gazed into my eyes whenever she had the chance. I was suffering from a rare eye condition called Heterochromia Iridum, which makes the color of my irises different from each other, the left eye being emerald green and the other the color of a blue ocean.

“Your eyes are the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen, Lily. You're unique and beautiful too, and wherever you go, you seem to stand out from everyone else. At your age, you’re supposed to be enjoying your life, but look at you, you have me as a burden. I'm sorry that you didn't finish college so you could take good care of me.”

“You're the best thing that happened to me, Mom. I will never tire of loving you and will never consider you a burden on my shoulders.” I pulled her into my arms and hugged her tight. It was my simple way of showing how much I love her.

“It's already late, Mom. You need to sleep now. I'll help you to your bed,” I told her when the hug ended. I took the photo album from her lap and helped her get up from the sofa. Mom was so light that I could carry her into my arms without difficulty.

“I need to tell you something important, Lily,” she said the moment I laid her on the bed. Mom sounded urgent.

My gaze drifted to the wall clock and saw the time, so I shook my head. The doctor forbade her from sleeping late; it was bad for her health.

“Some other time, Mom. Okay? You should sleep now.” I kissed her on the cheek. “Goodnight, Mom,” I whispered. She lay down on the bed and closed her eyes. Moments later, she was fast asleep.

I listened to her soft snore as I watched the rise and fall of her chest.

“I love you,” I whispered, a tear falling on my cheek, and I quickly wiped it with the back of my hand before making my way to my room.

—

The unnerving silence welcomed my ears the moment I reached my room. It was cold inside. The wide-open windows allowed the wind to get in.

Just like it always felt whenever I was alone inside my room, loneliness hit me. A mountain of thoughts flooded my head. Then a sudden surge of melancholy burst inside me as my gaze landed on the picture frame standing on top of the old mahogany table. It was the picture of my one-year-old son, Dylan, with an adorable smile on his lips. I stood behind him, with my arms wrapped around his shoulders, wearing the same bright smile that mirrored his own. There was also Grey, standing behind me, arms possessively wrapped around my waist.

I clearly recall that moment. That day was the last memory I had of Dylan. Weeks later, a car accident instantly took him away from me, forever.

It's been two years since that incident, but I still blame myself for his death. It should have been me who died and not him. If only I could turn back time, I would shield my body to protect him. He deserved to live better than I do. My chest grew heavy, and I pushed the ugly memories away before I finally burst into tears. My gaze departed from the picture frame and made my way toward the bed after closing the window.

I removed my heeled shoes, then changed into my pajamas. When I was done changing, I sprawled on the bed. I had been lying there for half an hour, tossing and turning, but sleep refused to come. The scene in the restaurant continued to bother my thoughts, even after trying to clear it from my mind.

I still couldn’t believe my husband asked for a divorce! The nerve! He asked for it on the night of our wedding anniversary.

A heavy sigh escaped from my lips. A lingering pain and sadness hit me while staring blankly at the ceiling. Though it has always been a one-sided love between me and Grey, he has no right to hurt me. I didn’t deserve an ounce of pain after loving him all these years. To think that I assumed he would learn to love me too makes me so ashamed of myself. When he told me about the divorce, my heart shattered into a million pieces, and my illusion crumbled to the floor. I realized he could never give his heart to me because he already gave it to another woman.

That woman is Natalia. No matter what I do, I will never replace her in his heart. He had his eyes only on one woman, despite her leaving him for her career.

I just hope that Grey won’t regret his decisions one day. Natalia left him when he had nothing. But now he has everything; she returned to claim him back. But would she stay once she’s done sucking everything from him, then go to her next prey? Time could only tell.

With a ton of questions running through my thoughts, I finally fell asleep.

—

I woke up from the piercing sound of my alarm clock. A grumpy sigh escaped from my lips as I reached the top of the night table and turned the alarm clock off before burying my head under the pillow. I hadn’t been in that position for long when a knock sounded on the door.

Despite my inner protests, I got up from the bed and padded across the carpeted floor with my bare feet. It must be urgent, I thought to myself, forcing my sleepy eyelids to open. The room next to mine is my mother’s room. She’s the only person I know who would knock on my room at this hour. Perhaps she needed to go to the bathroom and required my help.

The last sign of sleepiness escaped my body when I unlocked the door and saw the women waiting outside. Celine stood in the doorway in her usual white scrub uniform. A beautiful smile lit her face as she held my favorite black forest cake in both hands. Mom was beside her, seated in her wheelchair. A smile stretched on her lips as she looked at me. Mom’s face was thin and pale, but it couldn’t conceal the genuine happiness that shone in her eyes.

“Happy twenty-fourth birthday, Lily!” They greeted me in unison just as I was about to ask them about the occasion.