Chapter 1

Anna lay on the hospital bed, her small face as pale as paper.

"Mommy, it hurts..."

I knelt before Mia, begging her desperately, but she pushed my hand away.

"Don't touch me! That child isn't even mine!"

The red light in the operating room went out. The doctor removed his mask and shook his head.

I held Anna's cold body, my heart wrenching with pain.

Julian, Mia's first love, sent a text: "Thanks for the mansion. We're getting married soon."

I wiped away my tears and dialed a long-forgotten number.

"It's time to start the plan."

Suddenly, a billion dollars appeared in my bank account. A new message popped up on my phone.

"Welcome home, young master."

I am the husband of a billionaire CEO.

Yet I only receive a monthly allowance of two hundred dollars.

Even buying a cupcake for my daughter requires my wife's approval.

She always says she's afraid I'll turn our daughter into a materialistic girl.

But when her first love returned, she spent millions on a luxury estate.

That day, our daughter had a sudden heart attack and needed surgery.

I knelt in front of the corporate building, begging her to save our child.

She had security throw me out the door.

"Stop acting. You just want money, don't you?"

When the operating room doors opened again.

Our daughter had stopped breathing.

I held her gradually cooling body.

While my wife sent me a photo of her and her first love on a private jet.

"Taking her to the amusement park can wait until next month."

She didn't know.

There would be no next month.

Mia Winthrop pushed open the door, carrying the salty scent of the sea.

The wheels of her suitcase made a cheerful rhythm on the floor.

"Liam Evans, come help me with my shoulders."

She called out habitually, her voice still lazy from the trip.

I was kneeling on the living room floor, sorting through our daughter's belongings.

Each little piece of clothing folded neatly.

Just like how she loved cleanliness when she was alive.

Seeing I didn't respond, Mia walked over in her high heels.

"Why aren't you answering?"

She leaned down to look at what I was holding and suddenly laughed.

"Isn't this Anna's old clothes?"

"Why are you digging these out?"

Of course, she wouldn't remember.

Last week was our daughter's seventh birthday.

She had promised to buy her a new dress as a gift.

But ended up accompanying Julian Valentine to Iceland to see the Northern Lights.

I continued folding the strawberry-patterned pajamas in my hands.

The cuffs were already frayed.

It was our daughter's favorite.

Mia, not getting a response, sat down on the sofa by herself.

"Still mad?"

She shook her phone screen.

"Julian just sent a photo asking if you want to go diving with us."

In the photo, they were wearing matching diving suits.

Smiling at each other on a beach in the Maldives.

While the last photo of our daughter on my phone.

Was her lying in a hospital bed with a breathing tube.

Julian's voice drifted in from the doorway.

"Mia, my back is bothering me."

He leaned against the doorframe, his complexion perfectly pale.

Mia immediately stood up to support him.

"Is it your old injury acting up again?"

She turned to me with a frown.

"Liam, get Julian a glass of water."

I didn't move.

On the cup rack was the cartoon cup our daughter used for the last time.

She had been so thirsty but only dared to ask softly if she could have half a cup more.

Because Mia had said children who waste water would grow up ugly.

Julian walked to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water.

The new watch on his wrist gleamed painfully under the light.

A limited edition Patek Philippe.

Mia had just had it brought over from Switzerland last week.

"Don't mind me, Liam."

He took a sip of water, smiling gently.

"Mia just cares too much about me."

Mia was rummaging through the first aid kit, not looking up as she replied.

"You took a knife for me back then. We can't take your back injury lightly."

She handed Julian a pain relief patch.

Her movements as natural as if she were the lady of the house.

While I was just an extra tenant.

When Julian took the patch, his fingertips brushed against the back of her hand.

"After all these years, you still remember."

Mia laughed.

"Of course I remember. You've always been the best to me."

She seemed to have completely forgotten.

Last year when I was hospitalized with a stomach hemorrhage from drinking for her.

She was in Paris with Julian choosing engagement rings.

Though it never happened in the end.

Because Julian said he still wanted to pursue freedom.

Mia finally noticed my continued silence.

She walked over and patted my shoulder.

"Stop looking so grim."

A notification sounded on her phone.

She transferred five hundred dollars to me.

"Take Anna out for a nice meal."

The transfer note read "Extra allowance for this month."

How generous.

The watch she bought for Julian could have supported me and our daughter for a hundred years.

Julian leaned over to look at the screen and chuckled.

"Mia is so generous with you."

"When I was your age, I couldn't spend five hundred dollars in a month."

Mia nodded in agreement.

"Being frugal builds good habits."

Suddenly, she seemed to remember something.

"Where's Anna? Upstairs doing homework?"

I looked into her eyes.

They reflected the light from the crystal chandelier, but no shadows.

"Mia, Anna..."

Before I could finish, Julian's groan interrupted.

He staggered, holding his back.

Mia immediately turned to support him.

"Is it hurting again?"

Julian nodded weakly.

"Maybe from sitting too long on the plane..."

Mia already had the car keys in hand.

"I'll take you to the hospital."

At the door, she turned back to look at me.

"We'll talk about Anna when I get back."

She paused, then added.

"I remember about taking her to Disney next week."

The sound of the door closing echoed in the empty living room.

I looked down and continued folding the strawberry pajamas.

The collar still carried the scent of the orange laundry detergent our daughter loved.

Faint.

Like her last hug.