Chapter 3

03

At dinner, my daughter sat miserably at the table. She couldn't eat a single bite.

I asked her if she wanted anything special, and after a long silence, she finally spoke.

"Mommy, I know Daddy is busy. But tomorrow is my birthday... can we ask him to come home for it？"

She looked up at me with a rare flicker of hope. Even after what she saw today, she was still holding onto her father.

"Okay. I'll ask him," I said. I waited a moment before dialing the number I knew by heart.

When he picked up, I kept my voice small. I mentioned the birthday and begged him to show up. He was silent for a few seconds before answering.

"Fine."

As soon as I hung up, my daughter's face lit up. The gloom from earlier seemed to vanish instantly.

She started excitedly planning her birthday, talking about which dress she'd wear and what kind of cake we'd have.

Seeing her smile made me feel a little better, though I was still incredibly anxious. I didn't want to ruin her temporary happiness.

The next day, we worked together to hang streamers and balloons. The cake arrived early.

But as the hours ticked by, Lucien was a no-show.

My daughter's face went from excited to worried, and then to total disappointment. I picked up my phone to call him and remind him of his promise.

But before I could hit dial, a breaking news notification popped up on my screen.

"Blackwood CEO's Secret Family Revealed？"

The photo showed Lucien holding Sommer's hand with one arm and her son with the other. He was smiling, looking completely at peace. It was a picture-perfect image of a happy family at an amusement park.

In that instant, all the strength left my body. My phone slipped from my hand and hit the floor. I felt like I was choking.

I couldn't bring myself to tell her that Lucien was busy playing dad to another man's kid.

But she saw the look on my face. She knew he wasn't coming.

She walked slowly to the table and stared at the unlit birthday candles. The light in her eyes was gone.

"Mommy, I don't want cake anymore."

Her voice was as thin as a breeze.

My heart felt like it was being ripped in half, but I had to be strong for her.

I pulled her into my arms and spoke with a grim finality.

"Baby, it's not because of you. It's because Daddy doesn't know how to treasure what he has."

Lucien, you're down to your last chance.