Chapter 2

Kay ran to open the door, still crying.

My father scooped up Kay, whose face was streaked with tears and snot, and frowned at me in reproach.

"Cel, you're a grown woman. What kind of person scares a little child like this?"

"Dustin made a bad call and lost some money. It's a small thing. Is there really any need to blow it up into a divorce?"

My mother scolded him. "Don't yell at her. She's going through something like this, of course she's upset."

Then she came over to me, all comfort.

"Cel, Mom understands how you feel. But have you thought about Kay? You only brought her home a little while ago. She's just started to feel a mother's and father's love."

"She finally has a happy family like this, and now it's all going to vanish overnight? She's still so young. How is she supposed to handle a shock like that?"

"You couldn't have children yourself, that's why you chose to adopt. Once you adopt, you should treat her well and give her a good life."

Laura Swanson nodded along in agreement. "Right, sis. This child has a bond with you. She even looks a little like you, and she loves clinging to you."

"Can you really bear to send her back to the group home? Let her grow up in a place that miserable?"

My best friend Sapphire Perry arrived on the scene, out of breath.

She stopped me at the top of her voice. "Divorce is absolutely out of the question!"

"Money's gone, you can earn it back! You just adopted a daughter as adorable as Kay. Can you really bear to send her back?"

"Do you have any idea what treating Kay like this will do to her? She'll get depressed! You can't abuse a fragile child!"

The people closest to me, sure enough. They were perfectly in sync.

In sync when they deceived me, in sync when they guilt-tripped me.

In sync even in this: not one of them would think of me, not one would speak up for me.

They knew I was kind. They knew I gave in easily. They knew I loved children.

They said all this because they were certain that, for the child's sake, I would stay in this marriage.

In my last life I gave them exactly what they wanted. I walked straight into the net they'd woven for me.

I suffered gladly at Dustin's side, stayed with him while he clawed his way back up, wore myself out raising Kay.

Until Kay grew up. Until Dustin made his name.

Then, behind my back, they seized the fruit I had planted and took it all for themselves.

Before that, Laura had already been trading looks with Dustin on the sly. The whole family had even married the two of them off, keeping it from me.

My dear best friend was one of the accomplices too, because she and Laura had long since become close as sisters.

Dustin lied to me about going bankrupt. In truth, he had already transferred every asset into the name of his lawful wife, Laura.

Kay would often reunite with her real parents in secret.

They used the money I had worked so hard to earn to buy a house for their family, and I was kept completely in the dark.

My parents had indulged everything Laura did, all her life, fobbing me off with the excuse that if I found out and got upset, I might hurt Laura.

Afraid I wouldn't accept Kay, they had even forged medical records saying I couldn't have children.

The moment I learned the truth, my mind went off like a bomb.