The Birthday He Didn't Wait For

Lawrence let out a sigh.

Then, he took a deep breath, curled his lips into a smile, and asked casually, "Sylvia, where's my birthday present?"

He asked me that every year.

Even though I always gave it to him right on time, he could never wait even a minute longer.

This year, I had planned to ask him whether he wanted to adopt a child—one that would belong to both of us.

For so many years, his firm refusal to have children had made me assume he had fertility issues. To protect his pride, I had never brought it up.

It turned out that he wasn't incapable of having a child. He just didn't want one with me.

When I didn't answer, he didn't press. Instead, his eyes stayed glued to his phone.

On the screen was a full-size photo of that woman named Willow.

He accidentally tapped a voice message, and her bright, energetic voice spilled out of the speaker.

"Honey, I made a whole table of your favorite dishes. When are you coming over? Let me whisper a little secret to you. After dinner, Miles will head to his grandma’s, and then… I’ll be all yours to savor."

Lawrence listened with obvious pleasure, not caring at all that I was still right there.

He picked up his phone and replied, "Really? I'm looking forward to that main course. Since Miles won't be home tonight, I'll make sure to spoil you properly."

He grabbed his coat while soothing her like an indulgent lover. "Alright, I'm coming over now. I'll be with you soon, okay?"

Only when he reached the door did it seem to dawn on him that I existed. He turned back and smiled at me.

"I'll have someone come clean up the mess later. Don't touch the broken porcelain, okay? And when I get home, I hope I'll see my birthday present."

I felt unbearably cold, my whole body trembling. It was as if all my emotions and senses had been drained away. I felt hollow, lifeless.

The person on the other end must have grown impatient and called again. Lawrence answered instantly.

"Lawrence, we're getting a divorce if you walk out that door."

He only responded with a distracted hum and kept putting on his shoes. Only when he was about to leave did he reluctantly hang up.

He turned back and asked, "Sylvia, what did you just say?"

Before I could respond, he smiled again. "Don't worry. I'll bring back your favorite walnut cookies. Just relax and continue to be Mrs. Ashford. My heart is with you. There's no doubt about that. She can never take away the things that belong only to you."

The door closed, sealing off the outside air.

Just then, I remembered the promise he made to me when he proposed.

"I'll love you for the rest of my life, Sylvia. I'll only be good to you. I don't want anyone else."

The memory felt as vivid as yesterday, yet ten years had already passed.

Sincerity had always been fleeting. Promises only mattered at the moment they were spoken.

The love we had between us was already gone. Since that was the case, I would be the one next out the door.

A Family Portrait

The living room was a disaster everywhere I looked. This place that I had once personally turned into a home now looked completely unfamiliar.

My phone buzzed. It was a friend request from Willow.

The moment I accepted, she promptly sent me a family photo.

Lawrence was wearing a birthday hat. Willow, in a deep V-neck camisole, leaned into his chest.

Beside her stood a middle-aged couple I didn't recognize, their smiling faces creased with joy.

And on Lawrence's other side were my parents-in-law.

The two people who once treated me like their own daughter were beaming. A little boy named Miles sat on their laps, grinning.

"What's the point of holding onto the title of Mrs. Ashford? Lawrence's heart is completely with me. I heard Old Mr. Ashford and Old Mrs. Ashford didn't like you at first and only accepted you later. But guess what?

"They gave me the family heirloom meant for their daughter-in-law as a welcome gift the second they met me."

Willow wasn't wrong.

My parents-in-law had never thought much of a woman from a modest background like mine.

It took Lawrence refusing to eat for an entire week before they finally showed me any respect.

Later, after years together, they began to treat me like their own daughter.

So it turned out all of that had just been an act.

Bitterness spread across my face. In this game, I lost completely.

My phone rang again. This time, it was Lawrence.

His voice was as gentle as ever, as if nothing between us had changed.

"Sylvia, let's go to that restaurant you've always wanted to try tomorrow. Mom and Dad will come too. It's been a long time since we all had a meal together."

I knew that I would have to tell his parents about the divorce eventually, so I raised my head and said okay.

…

The next day, I showed up in a T-shirt and jeans.

In the past, I always wore glamorous, eye-catching dresses for their sake.

But now, I only wanted to be comfortable.

My parents-in-law looked surprised when they saw me, but they didn't say anything.

Matilda held my hand. "Sylvia, I haven't seen you in a while. Why have you lost some weight?

"Don't you dare follow those young girls and diet yourself thin. A woman needs a little softness. Is Lawrence not feeding you properly? When he gets here, I'll give him a good lecture."

My silence clearly caught them off guard.

After all, I used to be the one who kept the conversation going.

When Lawrence walked in holding Willow's hand with Miles beside them, the private room fell into complete silence.

The Breaking Point

Willow was the first to speak. "Sylvia, I'm sorry to intrude like this. I got you a small gift."

Her voice was gentle and humble, but the look in her eyes was full of triumph.

I ignored her and let her stand there holding the bag, but the child beside her snapped.

He lowered his head and charged straight at my stomach. "You bad woman! How dare you bully my mom! Get out!"

It was only when he was about to slam into my legs that Lawrence's expression finally changed. He grabbed the boy, his expression dark.

"Who taught you to talk to her like that?"

He looked every bit the strict, responsible father. It was just a shame that he wasn't behaving that way toward our child.

Miles was frightened by his tone and burst into tears, throwing himself into Matilda's arms.

Matilda, who had always been obsessed with cleanliness, let him smear snot all over her custom-made dress without a word.

She patted his back softly, soothing him. Her eyes were filled with affection, not a trace of surprise.

So… Matilda knew about this.

They were all in on it.

Willow's face stiffened. After Lawrence settled her into the seat beside him, he sat down next to me and said quietly, "She's still young, and it's her first time being a mother. Be a little more understanding toward them."

I watched the happy family before me, my heart growing colder by the second. I didn't say a word as I pulled a document from my bag and handed it to him.

Lawrence took it, didn't even look at it, and signed his name.

"In the future, just use the card for whatever you want. You don't need to ask me to sign anything. My money is your money. Spend it however you like."

Matilda had finished calming Miles down. She gave me an awkward smile.

"That's right. If this brat makes you angry in the future, just spend his money. Sylvia, children don't know any better. Don't be mad at him. You're Lawrence's wife, and that will never change. But our family also needs an heir."

Her words sounded like comfort, but they were clearly an indirect rebuke.

She was blaming me for not being able to have a child, failing to give the Ashford family an heir.

What she didn't know was that Lawrence was the one who didn't want children when we got married. He was the one who had a vasectomy long ago.

When I stayed silent, Willow lowered her head and began to sob.

"I'm sorry, Sylvia. I didn't teach Miles well. You can hit me or scold me."

As she spoke, she grabbed my hand and tried to slap her own face with it.

I instinctively pulled away, but she suddenly collapsed backward as if all strength had left her body, falling hard onto the floor.

Everyone panicked.

Lawrence was especially shaken. He shoved me aside and pulled her into his arms.

I lost my balance and slammed into the table behind me. A sharp, piercing pain shot through my lower back, and I crumpled to the floor.

Only then did Lawrence seem to realize what he had done. He hurriedly let go of Willow and turned to help me up.

Nevertheless, I felt nothing except bone-deep cold. I pushed him away, stood up on my own, and stuffed a copy of the signed agreement into his hand.

I said flatly, "Lawrence, let's get a divorce."