The day my daughter was rushed into emergency surgery after a car crash, Richard Herrera's ex, Grace Molina, came back to the country.

I called Richard ninety-nine times.

He rejected every single one.

While Chloe was dying, Richard was shopping with Grace and her son, celebrating the boy's fifth birthday.

Then the OR doors flew open. A nurse rushed out.

"Mrs. Herrera? Your daughter is crashing. Sign this consent form now. Do you know where Dr. Herrera is? He's the best at this. If he operates, Chloe has a real shot. But we can't reach him."

I covered my mouth before I fell apart. My hands shook as I signed.

On the 110th call, Richard finally picked up.

"Richard, Chloe's hurt. Only you can save her—"

A kid's voice cut through the background.

"Mr. Herrera, come on! The airplane ride won't start unless all three of us get on. Hurry!"

"Selena, I'm handling something important. The hospital has doctors. They can deal with a minor injury. I have to go."

Click.

The line went dead.

Right then, the OR light shut off.

The doctor came out, wrecked and exhausted.

He looked at me.

Then slowly shook his head.

"We're sorry. We did everything we could. Her injuries were too severe. She lost too much blood, and she got here too late, so..."

The doctor lowered his head.

"We're truly sorry."

It felt like someone had ripped my heart out. Even breathing hurt.

I sat alone in the hallway as they wheeled Chloe out. Tears streamed down my face.

She looked like she was sleeping.

The hair tie I'd bought her was still in her hair. It had been my birthday gift to her, and her favorite. She wore it every day.

"Chloe, let Mommy take you home, okay?"

I brushed a hand across her face and wiped away the tears that had fallen onto her cheeks.

Then I held her one last time.

Not long after, the hospital called a funeral home to take her away.

I went home like a ghost.

Richard didn't come back until early the next morning.

"Selena? Why are you still up? What's wrong? How's Chloe? Did the doctors take care of everything?"

He slipped off his jacket.

A strong whiff of perfume hit me.

I'd always hoped Richard would care more about Chloe. That he'd love her more.

I never wanted my daughter growing up like me—a stand-in for someone he actually wanted.

But this time, I didn't even look at him. "Nothing. There won't be any more problems."

My answer immediately set him off.

"What kind of attitude is that? Chloe's my daughter too. Am I not allowed to care about her? I was busy and couldn't get back to the hospital. Do you have to be this unreasonable?"

"Really?"

A bitter smile tugged at my lips.

I still didn't look at him.

Chloe was supposed to take the school bus home after class.

But I'd told her her dad would be home that night.

She'd been so excited.

She wanted to surprise him, so she went alone to a store near school to buy his favorite chocolates.

She never saw the runaway pickup truck coming.

I hated myself.

If I hadn't told her, none of this would've happened.

While I was desperately calling Richard, he was at the airport picking up Grace.

No matter how many times I called.

No matter how terrified I was.

He never answered.

While Chloe was on the operating table, Richard was celebrating Grace's son's birthday.

That night, Grace posted a photo on Instagram.

The picture showed the three of them smiling together.

The caption read:

[After all this time, you're still the one who makes me happiest.]

I stared at the photo. At their perfect little family.

And suddenly, it all felt ridiculous.

Richard and I had been married for seven years.

Chloe was five.

Not once had he celebrated her birthday.

Every year, there was an excuse.

Work.

An emergency.

Something important.

I always believed him.

Now I realized I'd only been lying to myself.

To Richard, Chloe and I had never mattered.

Not even Chloe's life was worth more than one birthday party for Grace's son.

***

The next few days were a blur of funeral arrangements.

I went back and forth between home and the funeral home.

Richard never came back.

Instead, he stayed with Grace. Helping her find a job. Finding a kindergarten for her son. The same one Chloe used to attend.

He even packed lunches for them every day.

After seven years of marriage, I never knew Richard could cook.

Finally, everything for Chloe's funeral was ready.

I notified our relatives and friends.

Looking at Chloe's smiling photo, my chest tightened.

She'd loved her dad more than anyone.

I thought she'd want him there to say goodbye.

So I called Richard.

This time, he picked up right away.

His voice was impatient. "What now? Don't you know I'm working?"

"Chloe's funeral is next month. Don't forget to come."

"What? Whose funeral?" Richard's voice shot up. "Selena Sanchez, don't joke about something like that. Chloe is our daughter, not some tool to get attention. You're her mother. How can you say something so awful? You don't deserve to be a mother."

I didn't answer.

I hung up.

The memorial was held in a small chapel.

Gray clouds hung overhead. A light rain fell, turning the air heavy and suffocating.

I stood quietly with Chloe's urn in my arms.

I just wanted to stay close to her.

Then my phone rang.

I didn't even have to look.

Years ago, I'd given Richard his own ringtone.

I answered.

For once, he sounded hesitant.

Almost guilty.

"Selena, Grace's son was in a car accident. He's lost a lot of blood and needs a transfusion immediately. His blood type is rare. Grace isn't a match, and the hospital's running low. Blood from another hospital might not get here in time."

He paused.

"Selena, I hope you can understand. Grace doesn't know anyone here except me. I remember you and Chloe have the same blood type. Please put your differences aside and come help."

Something twisted painfully in my chest.

Grace's sobs echoed through the phone.

My vision blurred.

Rain mixed with the tears running down my face.

Richard really loved Grace.

Enough to sacrifice his wife.

Enough to sacrifice his daughter.

Chloe was gone.

Gone forever.

And he still didn't care.

"No."

My voice didn't waver.

Richard exploded.

In over seven years of marriage, I'd never heard him lose control like this.

"Selena! How can you be this heartless? You're a mother too. Can't you show a little compassion? If your child were lying on an operating table needing blood, how would you feel? Why can't you help her?"

How would I feel?

I already knew exactly how that felt.

When I begged you to save Chloe, where were you?

I laughed bitterly. "Heartless? When I begged you to come save Chloe, what did you do? Chloe was your daughter. Why? Why did you treat her like that?"

"I already told you—I was busy. Chloe had a minor injury. The doctors could handle it. But David's condition is critical. Stop acting childish. I'm serious. Get to the hospital right now and donate blood."

"No."

I ended the call.

This time, without hesitation.

But the tears wouldn't stop.

A small bird suddenly landed on Chloe's headstone.

I froze.

When Chloe was five, she'd once wrapped her arms around me and said,

"Mommy, can we get a bird? When I grow up, I'll have wings too. Then I'll fly you all around the world."

My throat tightened.

I slowly stepped closer.

"Chloe?"

My voice cracked.

"Is that you?"

The little bird fluttered its wings.

And I broke.

Completely.

"Chloe... I'm sorry. Mommy couldn't protect you. This is all my fault."

The rain poured harder.

Within seconds, I was drenched.

I gently scooped up the bird and carried it home.

Later, one of Richard's coworkers told me the truth.

David had never been in serious danger.

The hospital had plenty of blood.

Grace had simply panicked and wanted extra precautions.

Because I'd refused to donate, Richard still hadn't come home.

Instead, he'd stayed at Grace's house.

Taking care of her.

Taking care of David.

When Chloe's funeral finally arrived, her teachers, classmates, relatives, and friends all came to say goodbye.

This time, I hadn't told Richard.

Yet somehow...

He showed up anyway.

By the time Richard arrived, the funeral was almost over.

Everyone who had come to say goodbye was gone.

Only I remained.

I wanted a little more time with Chloe.

She'd always been clingy.

And she was afraid of the dark.

"Richard, see? I told you Selena was lying. If this were really a funeral, why is nobody here? This is obviously another stunt to get you to come home."

Grace's voice cut through the silence.

Richard's face darkened.

"Selena, I never thought you'd go this far. You actually staged a funeral? If Grace hadn't told me, I wouldn't have believed it. What gives you the right to curse Chloe like this?"

Grace and David stood behind him.

Neither of them wore black.

Bright colors stood out against the gray sky.

Grace slipped her arm through Richard's and held David's hand with the other.

Like she'd won.

"Richard, don't be mad," Grace said softly. "Selena only did this because she loves you and wants you home more. She's just confused."

Then she turned to me.

"Selena, please don't misunderstand. We're new here. We don't know anyone. Richard is the only person we can rely on, so we've had to bother him a lot."

She sighed dramatically.

"But you really shouldn't use Chloe like this. We're both mothers. How could anyone joke about a child's funeral?"

She reached for my arm.

I shoved her away.

"Ah!"

Grace stumbled backward.

Richard caught her instantly.

"Grace, are you okay?"

The concern in his voice was immediate.

Grace shrank into his arms and looked at me.

The fear on her face lasted only a second.

The hatred underneath it didn't.

"Selena!" Richard snapped. "That's enough. How can you put your hands on someone?"

I looked at them.

At how naturally they stood together.

At how easily he protected her.

They'd crossed every line a long time ago.

A tired sigh escaped me.

I was exhausted.

Completely exhausted.

"Richard, let's get divorced."

"What?"

Everything went still.

The anger vanished from his face.

Shock took its place.

He immediately let go of Grace and grabbed my freezing hand.

"Selena, stop. Divorce isn't something you throw around. Grace and I are over. I have you and Chloe now. I would never—"

"I'm not joking."

I cut him off.

"I'll have Paul send you the papers. Let's end this."

Paul was my butler.

I pulled my hand away and turned to leave with Chloe's urn.

Then something slammed into my back.

Pain shot through me.

I lost my balance and crashed to the ground.

The urn slipped from my hands.

"No!"

I lunged for it.

But before I could reach it, a foot kicked it away.

"Bad woman! You bullied my mommy! I hate you!"

David.

The urn hit the ground.

The lid popped off.

Ashes scattered everywhere.

My heart stopped.

"No... no..."

I scrambled across the ground, desperately gathering Chloe's ashes with shaking hands.

"Waaah! Mommy, it hurts!"

Grace rushed over and pulled David into her arms.

Her eyes filled with tears.

When she looked at me again, her gaze was pure venom. "Selena, no matter what happened, you shouldn't touch a child. He's just a little boy.

"Besides, why keep pretending? Richard already knows this funeral is fake. Who even knows what's inside that thing?"

Just like always, Richard stood beside her.

Without a second thought.

"How did you become so vicious?" he snapped. "You'd even hurt a child."

I hugged the ashes I'd managed to save tightly against my chest.

"Get out!"

My voice cracked on the scream.

I wasn't wasting another second on people like them.

Holding Chloe close, I turned and walked away.