Chapter 3: Her Daughter' Smile, Her Own Tears

The next day was their daughter Shenina’s fifth birthday.

That morning, the Vexler residence was filled with noise and excitement. Servants moved back and forth, carrying decorations, cakes, and gift boxes for the children invited to the party.

Sarah stood in the middle of the grand hall that had been transformed into a garden-like venue.

As a graduate of a prestigious design academy in Europe, Sarah had personally arranged all the decorations for the day—from the balloon arches and the Barbie Dreamland backdrop to the three-tier pastel cake she had carefully designed for weeks.

She made it all with love for her daughter.

The Barbie theme was chosen because Shenina used to love it so much.

When everything was ready, soft music began to play. Guests started to arrive—members of the Vexler family, cousins, and several of Ronan’s business associates.

Family photographers captured every corner of the room, while Sarah waited near the grand staircase with a genuine smile.

Moments later, footsteps echoed from the upper floor. Ronan appeared, descending the stairs with little Shenina in his arms.

Shenina wore a delicate pink tulle dress, her hair neatly combed and adorned with a tiny tiara.

All eyes turned to them. But when Shenina’s gaze met the decorations in the hall, her expression shifted.

The small smile on her face slowly disappeared. Her eyes wandered over the pink balloons, the satin drapes, and the large Barbie cake that stood proudly in the center.

Suddenly, her face wrinkled. She squirmed in her father’s arms.

“Daddy…” her voice was soft, trembling. “I don’t like it…”

Everyone went silent.

Sarah quickly stepped forward with a gentle smile, trying to soothe her.

“Honey, sweetheart… this is the theme you picked, remember? Mommy made it just like you asked.”

But Shenina shook her head hard. “I want red! I don’t like pink anymore!”

Sarah stared at her, confused. “But last week when Mommy asked, you said you wanted this. You even chose the sample yourself when Mommy showed it to you…”

Shenina burst into tears. The little girl buried her face in Ronan’s shoulder, hugging him tightly.

Ronan said nothing, only patted her back softly, while the guests began whispering among themselves.

From the guest table, Miranda, Sarah’s sister-in-law, spoke loudly with a mocking smile.

“How can a mother not know her own child’s favorite color?” she said sharply. “Truly pathetic.”

Some guests stifled their laughter. Sarah lowered her head, her lips trembling.

She turned toward Shenina, her eyes filling with tears. “Sweetheart, Mommy’s sorry… Mommy didn’t know you like red now. Mommy can change it, okay? We can switch the balloons—”

But before she could step closer, a cold voice stopped her.

“That’s enough, Sarah.” It was Ronan’s voice.

He held Shenina tighter, his expression flat. “You already made her cry on her own birthday.”

Sarah shook her head slowly. “I didn’t mean to… I just wanted—”

Her mother-in-law, Madam Vexler, interrupted sharply.

“You shouldn’t ruin my granddaughter’s happy day,” she said. “If you were a good mother, you would know how to keep your child in a good mood.”

Those words struck harder than anything else. Sarah lowered her head even more, gripping the hem of her dress tightly.

She tried to approach, her eyes full of tears. “Ronan, please let me hold her for a moment. I just want to apologize to her.”

But Ronan stepped back, putting distance between them.

“There’s no need,” he said coldly. “You really are a bad mother.”

Sarah fought to hold back her tears. Her throat felt dry, and her chest tightened with unbearable shame.

All eyes were on her—the mother who failed to make her daughter happy on her birthday.

She wanted to step forward, to fix things, but every move felt wrong. The laughter of the other guests sounded like knives cutting into her heart.

Then, someone appeared at the entrance of the back garden.

A woman in an elegant red dress walked in, her charming smile instantly drawing everyone’s attention.

Mia.

Miranda immediately stood and greeted her with a warm hug.

“Oh, Mia, dear! You finally come!” she exclaimed cheerfully.

That tone, so full of affection, was one Sarah had never once heard directed at her.

Sarah could only stand still, watching helplessly.

Mia walked toward Ronan and Shenina. She smiled softly and bent down to match the little girl’s height.

“Happy birthday, Shenina. Auntie brought a surprise for you,” she said cheerfully.

Shenina, still pouting in her father’s arms, looked up at her with wide eyes.

“What surprise, Auntie Mia?” she asked innocently.

Mia chuckled. “A special guest…Mickey Mouse in red! He’ll be here any minute!”

In an instant, Shenina’s face lit up. She clapped her hands excitedly, her laughter filling the air that had been silent moments before.

“Really?! I want to see Mickey Mouse!” she squealed.

Ronan smiled faintly, then set her down. The little girl immediately grabbed Mia’s hand without hesitation, while her other hand was still held by Ronan. The three of them walked together toward the cake table in the center of the garden.

And there, in front of all the guests, Shenina blew out her candles with Ronan and Mia by her side.

The cake that Sarah had designed with all her heart.

Her eyes began to glisten. She stood at the edge of the crowd, forcing herself to smile and clap like everyone else. But inside, the pain built up until she could barely breathe.

The moment that should have been warm and precious with her daughter had turned into a painful scene—where someone else stood in her place as a mother.

In a whisper so soft it barely left her lips, Sarah murmured to herself, “It should have been me there with my daughter… not her.”