4

Sienna's POV

Liam went silent. I could feel it in the way he looked at me, as if he was still processing the words I had just said. All this time, I had almost never said “no” to him. No matter how small or complicated his requests were, I always found a way to fulfill them. I was so used to pleasing others—especially him—that I forgot I, too, had limits. But today, I finally found that limit.

Emily gave a small smile, trying to ease the tension like she always did. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be a burden. I’ve already troubled you enough by staying here. Hoping to taste your cooking on top of that—I feel embarrassed.”

She stood and walked toward the door. But before she could leave, a sharp little voice rang out.

“Mommy is mean!” Noah shouted, glaring at me. He even smacked my arm lightly. “Don’t be mean to Aunt Emily!”

My body stiffened instantly.

Liam reached out for Emily’s arm and looked at me like I was the cause of all the chaos that morning. “You’re still upset about this morning? Didn’t I tell you Emily only came in to borrow a charger?”

I looked at both of them. My face remained blank—too tired to be angry.

“I’m not feeling well,” I replied calmly. “My body’s exhausted. I don’t have the energy to cook.”

Noah shot me a sharp look. “Sick? Ew, why didn’t you say so earlier! Aunt Emily’s body is weak, you know. What if she catches your sickness?”

I could barely breathe.

The child I carried, gave birth to, raised with all my love—now worried more about a woman who only arrived a few weeks ago. Suddenly, I felt like a stranger in my own home.

Noah had always been an angel, but lately, something had begun to change. Was I seeing my son less? Could that be a sign that Liam and Emily were becoming a negative influence on him—even as they pretended to be understanding?

Noah tugged on Liam’s hand. “Dad, we have to buy medicine for Aunt Emily. She can’t get sick!”

“I’m fine, Noah,” Emily said gently, trying to calm him.

But Liam was already looking at her with full concern. “It’s okay, let’s listen to Noah. You remember how long it took for you to recover last time? Better to be safe.”

And just like that, they left. The three of them now looked like a perfect little family—without me.

I was still seated at the dining table, staring at the bowl of dumplings that had gone cold again. Full. Untouched. Just like my role in this house: prepared with love, yet unwanted.

Slowly, I cleaned up the remains of breakfast and carried them into the kitchen. I dumped everything into the trash. Tasteless. But my heart was even more so.

After all these years with them, I was still no one. Liam only knew me through a contract, and Noah… even he now chose Emily over me.

As I stood staring at the cold kitchen floor, my phone buzzed.

A message from Liam.

[We’re at the supermarket. Pick us up now.]

I stared at the screen without emotion, then grabbed the car keys. I didn’t reply. I didn’t ask. I just left.

I parked not far from the supermarket’s exit. From a distance, I could see Noah clinging to Emily’s arm, grinning.

“Aunt Emily, I want ice cream!”

Emily chuckled and pinched his cheek. “If Noah wants it, of course Auntie will buy it.”

I approached them slowly and spoke in a soft but firm voice. “Noah, did you forget what the doctor said? Your stomach is still sensitive. Ice cream will make you sick.”

Noah immediately whined. “But I only want one…”

Before I could explain further, Emily turned to me and responded casually, “Sienna, if a kid wants ice cream, just give it to him. No need to be so uptight.”

I looked at her, sharp. “He’s my son. His health is not yours to comment on.”

Just as I finished speaking, Liam arrived, pushing a shopping cart. His eyes immediately landed on the three of us. He saw Emily and Noah’s sulking faces, then looked at me.

“Emily just wanted to buy him ice cream. Why make a fuss?”

I sighed. “The doctor said Noah shouldn’t have cold food until his stomach stabilizes. It’s not the right time yet.”

But Liam didn’t listen. His eyes pierced through me. A gaze that once made me tremble, now only left me numb.

“If you keep being so rigid, he’ll only grow more distant,” he said quietly but sharply. “You could’ve just said, ‘One spoonful only, the rest Mommy will eat.’ Done. But instead, you escalate everything.”

That sentence struck like a whip. Painful. Brutal. Undeniable.

I stood frozen.

In their eyes, I no longer mattered. Every kindness I’d ever given now held no value. I wasn’t just losing in love. Even in the one thing I tried hardest to protect—Noah’s health—I still lost.

I didn’t reply. I just gave a faint smile. One that even felt unfamiliar to myself.

Since Emily’s return, everything changed. From a wife, I became a housekeeper. From a mother, I became a nanny. And now… I was just an outsider.

I turned around. The afternoon breeze brushed against my face as I walked toward the car. My steps were calm—not from peace, but because my heart had frozen.

Inside the car, I sat still. Staring straight ahead. My left hand on the steering wheel, my right hand gripping the fabric of my skirt—now damp with cold sweat.