Chapter 2

2

On my birthday, Luke actually came home early.

He took my hand, his smile appearing warm and gentle. "Leah, it's your birthday tomorrow. I'm taking you and Leo to the amusement park."

I nodded, my heart feeling nothing at all.

When I walked to the car that afternoon, Lydia was already sitting in the front passenger seat.

I froze outside the car door.

"Lydia came along to celebrate with you. The more the merrier," Luke explained, but his eyes were shifty.

When we reached the preschool, Leo's eyes lit up the moment he saw Lydia. He ran toward her like a little rocket. "Lydia!"

He pulled out a little red paper flower and proudly pressed it into her hand. "I was the only one who got this today. I'm giving it to my favorite person."

He clung to her side, his smile brighter than I had seen in weeks.

I got out of the car in silence.

When Leo saw me, his smile vanished. He dragged his feet over, his face cold and stoic, looking just like a mini version of Luke. "Mom, why are you here?"

The disgust in his eyes turned into a blush of embarrassment as the other kids stared at my birthmark.

My heart felt a sharp prick of pain.

"Get in the car," I said quietly.

Inside the car, Lydia pretended to give the flower back to Leo. "Leo, be good. Your mom worked hard to pick you up. You should give the flower to her."

She held him close, whispering softly. "Give it to me tomorrow instead. Give it to your mom today, okay?"

Then she looked at me with a playful, innocent expression. "Leah, don't be mad. Leo just loves me too much."

She was marking her territory, showing me how close she was to my son.

Even a gift for a mother had to be granted by her.

Leo held the flower tight, his voice thick with tears.

"But I made this specifically for Lydia!"

Luke suddenly snapped. "Leah, do you have to make everyone miserable? It's just a flower. Let the kid give it to whoever he wants."

I suddenly found the whole thing exhausted.

I let out a dry laugh and looked at my son. "Your dad is right. It's your flower. You decide."

Leo immediately cheered up and shoved the flower back into Lydia's hands.

The car sped down the road.

Suddenly, an out-of-control semi-truck swerved into our lane, heading straight for us.

"Watch out!"

Luke roared, slamming the steering wheel to the side.

We barely missed the truck, but the momentum sent the car spinning toward a thick concrete barrier.

The impact happened in a heartbeat.

"Bang!"

The world spun as a massive force threw me forward.

My forehead slammed against the cold, hard window.

A thick, warm liquid blurred the vision in my left eye, and the smell of blood filled the air.

The last thing I saw before blacking out stayed burned in my mind.

Luke had unbuckled his seatbelt instantly. He threw himself across the seat to shield Lydia with his own body.

And my son, despite his small size, showed incredible strength.

He lunged toward Lydia, grabbing her legs and using his tiny body to protect her from the impact.

One was my husband. The other was my son.

And I, like a piece of forgotten trash, took the full force of the crash alone.

Shattered glass cut into my skin. Warm blood mixed with cold despair as it reached my lips.

In that moment, my heart was crushed into dust.

I had nothing left to stay for.