The evening settled in with a quiet, expectant hush. The balloons, which were hanging limply, had begun to lose their vibrancy. The perfectly frosted cake, adorned with unlighted candles, settled untouched on the table. It was a painful reminder of the absence that loomed over the celebration.
Emily continued to swing her legs back and forth impatiently. Her party dress was shimmering under the dim glow of the chandelier. But her excitement was dimmed by the lingering uncertainty. Her father was yet to come back home. Jennifer glanced at the clock again. It was as if the numbers were blinking back at her mercilessly. Hours had slipped by, and with each passing minute, Emily's enthusiasm wilted like a neglected flower. "Mom." Emily spoke up, breaking the silence. "Can you call Daddy for me? Let's know what is still holding him." "Alright." Jennifer replied and reached for her phone. She dialed his number while hoping and praying that he would answer with some reasonable excuse. That he was stuck in traffic. That he had to stay late at work. The phone began to ring, but he wasn't picking up. "Pick up, please." Jennifer murmured out of impatience. Just as it was about to end, it was picked up. Jennifer opened her mouth to say something but held back when she started hearing what she wasn't expecting. She could hear voices mingling in a chorus of celebration. “Happy birthday to you… Happy birthday to you…” Jennifer’s blood turned cold immediately. It was a birthday song. The voices... she could recognize them. It was her husband and his ex-girlfriend. His voice was filled with joy. The kind of joy he had denied his own daughter. Albert wasn’t at work. He wasn’t stuck in meetings or traffic. He was celebrating someone's birthday with his ex-girlfriend. Jennifer’s grip tightened around the phone, causing her knuckles to turn white. The realization struck with such force that she had to fight and control herself from breaking down in front of her daughter. The betrayal burned so deep that Jennifer remained frozen while listening. Stella’s voice was louder than others. Jennifer didn't need a prophet to tell her that Stella was the one who picked up the call. Stella had been waiting to strike, and this was the best time. She had intentionally fixed her son's birthday on Emily's day to prove some points. To tell Jennifer that Albert cares about her and her son more than Jennifer and her daughter. Emily, watching her mother’s facial expression, frowned in concern. “Mom? Is everything okay? Where’s Dad? Is traffic holding him up?” Jennifer blinked rapidly, forcing herself to swallow the grief that threatened to spill over. She couldn’t let Emily see the pain clawing at her heart. She plastered on a weak smile, hoping it was convincing enough before speaking up. “He’s just busy, sweetheart. He’s handling a big client. But that’s okay, because we can celebrate together. Just us.” Emily's little face fell. “Oh… so he won’t be coming home now?” She asked, and Jennifer hesitated. She wanted to tell her the truth. She needed to let her know the cruel reality. But how could she? How could she be the one to shatter Emily's heart? Instead, she nodded softly, tucking a strand of Emily’s hair behind her ear. “We can still have an amazing birthday, baby. Just the two of us.” Emily forced a smile, but her excitement had already dimmed. She looked down at the cake. The candles were still waiting to be lit up. Just then, Jennifer's phone vibrated. She checked, and it was a message from an unknown profile. Just as she opened the message, her eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "Mom! What is that?" Emily asked. "It...it's...just a disturbing video you shouldn't see." Jennifer quickly replied. Yeah, it was a video, and in that video, Albert was gifting a boy two expensive children's cars. It wasn't just a random boy, but his ex-girlfriend's son. Albert was celebrating his ex-girlfriend's son's birthday, while his daughter was waiting for him. Jennifer felt totally heartbroken. She could tell who was behind the video. It was no other person but Stella. She was practically proving who Albert loved and cared for. Ever since Albert's girlfriend returned, he barely gives Jennifer attention. A few days ago, Jennifer confronted Stella in a shopping mall, telling her to leave her husband alone, but Stella laughed and told Jennifer that Albert belonged to her. That she has come back to take back what belongs to her. That Albert loved her more than anyone else. That she will prove it to Jennifer. Now, it seemed like she was right. Her husband was celebrating Stella's son's birthday, leaving her daughter in heartbreak. Jennifer clenched her jaw in anger. She wanted to scream, to grab the car keys, drive straight to wherever he was, and scatter everything. This was more than what she had thought. At this point, she didn't know what to tell her daughter. So, she took a deep breath and got up from her seat. She sat beside Emily, lit up the candles, and whispered to her, “Make a wish, sweetheart.” Emily weakly looked at the candle. Her birthday was no longer feeling special. She closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and made her wish. "I wish my father will love me again. I wish he could see the hurt in my eyes when he ignores me and feel the emptiness in my heart when he's not there. I wish he could understand how much his presence means to me and how his absence affects me. I wish my dad could love me unconditionally, value me, and be proud of having me as his daughter." She finished and blew out the candles, hoping that her wishes would be granted.That same day, Stella pulled up outside Jennifer’s small pastry shop. The sleek black car was shining under the afternoon sun. The car was bought by Albert, but Jennifer was not aware.She stepped out with calculated grace, adjusting her expensive handbag on her arm before glancing at the poor pastry shop with a smirk.She looked around briefly, taking in the neatly arranged pastries displayed behind the glass counter. The warm scent of freshly baked goods was lingering in the air. Then, with a scoff, she muttered under her breath, "So this is where she spends her miserable days."With a confident stride, Stella got closer to the shop. Jennifer was behind the counter, arranging a fresh batch of bread rolls, when she noticed Stella stepping in. The sight of her immediately set Jennifer’s nerves on edge. She knew she wasn't coming for good, that she came to cause trouble, but she forced herself to remain calm, ready to face her.Stella glanced around with an unimpressed expression. "Oh
"But I'm telling you the truth. My mom is late." She said amidst sobs. "I needed money. That's why I'm selling it." "Listen, I will buy it for two thousand dollars—nothing more. And that’s just because I’m being generous." Jennifer pressed her lips together, her pulse racing. "This bracelet is worth far more than two thousand dollars," she argued. "This is not fair." "I'm not forcing you. If you can’t sell it for two thousand dollars, you are free to go." He said, waving toward the door. "I don’t have time to debate this." Jennifer sat still for a moment while her mind raced with thoughts. She was being cheated. She wished there were other stores that buys used jewelry accessories. Her mind flashed to Emily's hopeful smile when she promised her she would be going back to school. Jennifer could still hear the words in her head. "Don’t be scared. I will find a way. You are going back to school tomorrow." At this moment, she has no choice. She had given Emily hope. She has
"Excuse me? How can you say that?" "Look at yourself. Someone like you can't afford an original bracelet. Either leave now, or I’ll call the police. You are trying to sell fake jewelry here, and I won’t tolerate it." Jennifer looked at herself. Her clothes were okay. Just that she doesn't look rich. Nobody will believe her by judging based on her look. The shop is for rich, important people. "Please," she said, trying to control her emotions. "I need money for my daughter’s school fees and medicine." Jennifer said, and the girl rolled her eyes. "Save your sob story. I won’t pity you. Now leave before I push you out myself." The girl said, and just then, the shop owner entered the store. He was an older man, dressed in an elegant suit that immediately set him apart from the workers. He paused when he saw the girl shouting at Jennifer. Telling her to leave. "What’s going on here?" he asked. His voice was calm
Jennifer’s heart clenched at her daughter’s words. She reached out and pulled Emily gently into her embrace. "No, my love," she murmured, stroking her hair. "That’s not true. Your father didn’t mean it—he…he was just angry." Emily shook her head against her mother’s shoulder. She can't be convinced again that her father doesn't mean all that. "No, Mom. He meant every word. He doesn’t care anymore." She lifted her teary eyes. "I want to go back to school." Jennifer pulled back slightly, cupping Emily’s face. "You will go back to school," she promised. "Don’t be scared. If your father won’t pay the fees, I will find a way." Emily’s brows furrowed slightly. "How will you pay it?" she asked. Jennifer sighed but forced a reassuring smile. "Sweetheart, don’t worry about that. Just know that I’m here for you. I will always be here for you. Just keep in mind that your school will be paid." A small, relieved smile appeared on Emily’s face. She wrapped her arms around her mother. "I
That day, Albert came back home and feigned anger, ignoring Jennifer totally. Jennifer tried as much as she could to initiate conversation, but he kept mute. She served him his dinner and he ate without saying anything. That night, Jennifer tried to initiate sex, but he totally ignored her. Something he has never done.The next morning, Albert sat at the dining table, eating his breakfast in silence. Jennifer had prepared breakfast for him on time so he would be pleased. A minute later, Emily walked in slowly, rubbing her sleepy eyes. She had just woken up and was still adjusting to the morning light. She spotted her father, sitting at the dining table, and greeted him . "Good morning, daddy." But Albert didn’t answer. Emily hesitated for a moment, then greeted him again—this time, she corrected herself. "Good morning, Uncle." He hesitated briefly before muttering a blunt, indifferent, "Morning." Emily wasn't surprised or bothered. For days now, every interaction between them f
Albert got to his office and he couldn't do anything. He kept looking at the pile of work that was waiting for him. He was angry that he paid for Emily's medical bills. He couldn't avoid it. He was mumbling some words when a knock landed on the door. "Come in." He said, and looked up to see his ex-girlfriend, Stella, stepping inside his office. She was wearing a tight-fitting dress that accentuated her curves and showed off her toned legs. "Hey dear," she greeted with a smile while walking toward his office desk. "I just thought I'd stop by and see how you are doing." She got to his desk and noticed his facial expression. He look angry and unsettled. "Why is your face like that? What happened?" She asked. Albert hesitated for some moments before replying, "Emily fall sick again and was rushed to the hospital. I just came back from the hospital." "You took her to the hospital? I thought you said you won't spend a dime on her sickness." Stella said. "Yes, that was what