Chapter 1

The day my daughter was admitted to the ICU, Damien boarded a flight to the States, his first love, Seraphina, and her daughter right by his side.

The man who once swore he'd be my and Chloe's safe harbor had fled, taking every last penny with him.

When the private investigator finally tracked him down, he only had one message for me.

“Seraphina already lost her husband. I can’t let her lose her daughter too.”

“When I return, I’ll give you the grand wedding you deserve.”

Three years later, Damien returned.

And I saw the news of Damien's wedding… on TV.

“Mommy, why is Daddy marrying someone else?”

“That's not your dad.”

I put my phone away, my mind swirling with the image of Damien, Seraphina, and her daughter, their faces beaming with joy.

Frozen in place, my vision blurred.

“Mommy, hug.”

It wasn't until Chloe spoke that I realized it was pouring rain.

And Chloe and I didn't even have enough money for an umbrella.

I scooped her up, and we huddled under the awning of a bakery.

The rain was coming down in sheets.

My face was soaked, but I couldn't tell if it was the relentless downpour or my own silent, endless tears.

“Mommy, was that Daddy on your phone just now?”

Chloe leaned against my knee. “If it was Daddy, why is he marrying another woman?”

For a moment, I had no idea how to explain.

I touched Chloe's face, wiping away the raindrops.

The chime above the bakery door jingled. The door swung open, and out stepped Seraphina and Stella.

“Mommy, the rain is so heavy! When is Daddy coming?”

“Daddy’s almost here. He said he couldn’t bear to let his little princess get wet, so he’s driving all the way to pick us up himself.”

Just as she finished speaking, a car pulled up nearby.

The moment the car door opened, Damien stepped out, holding an umbrella, and walked gracefully towards Seraphina and Stella.

“Mommy, it’s Daddy!”

Chloe, ecstatic, started to jump up and down, but I gently pulled her back.

“That’s not your dad.”

Damien’s expression froze the moment he saw me.

He tightened his embrace around Stella, his gaze slowly shifting down to Chloe.

Then, Damien’s brows furrowed, and a displeased sound escaped him.

Three years. This was the first time we’d seen each other since he left.

A bitter, hollow laugh escaped me. In a twisted, heartbreaking way, I actually *understood* Damien.

He was successful, about to get married. Chloe and I? We were just… excess baggage.

“Aria, I genuinely didn’t recognize you. What happened to you?”

Seraphina feigned a gasp, her eyes immediately welling with theatrical sympathy.

She pulled a wad of cash from her purse and pressed it into my hand.

“Honestly, if it weren’t for Damien back then, I might have ended up just like you.”

I looked at her expensive clothes, her flawless skin, and remembered the woman I used to be.

If Damien hadn’t run off with all our money, Chloe and I would never have fallen so low.

What Damien didn't know – or maybe he just didn't care – was that he’d also taken the money for Chloe's life-saving treatment.

To save Chloe, I’d borrowed money from every corner.

These past few years, I’d aged more than a decade, and Chloe hadn't known a single day of true happiness.

I threw the money to the ground and picked up Chloe.

But Stella suddenly burst into tears, wriggling in Damien's arms like a spoiled brat.

“You mean witch! You hurt my mommy! And three years ago, you hurt *me*! If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have needed surgery! You're both evil!”

Damien’s face changed dramatically. He spun to face me, demanding to know what had happened back then.

“Stella’s sudden illness back then… was it because of you?”

His eyes were like cold blades, pulling me into an endless abyss.

Chloe tried to explain, but Stella suddenly grabbed Chloe’s hand and bit her.

My instinct was to shield Chloe, but Damien shoved me away with surprising force.

Chloe and I slammed against the wall, the dull ache blossoming into a full-body throb. My eyes instantly burned with tears.

Seraphina looked triumphant, even feigning an apology to Chloe and me.

A bitter tang spread through my heart.

He once promised to be our safe harbor, our shield from the world's storms. Now, he *was* the storm.

I sniffled, forcing back my tears, and gazed at Damien.