Chapter 1

As a storm raged through the night in Atlantis City, Miranda Stone dialed her husband Felix Gibson’s number.

The call went through, but no one answered.

In her arms, their daughter, Mia Gibson, burned with a 104-degree fever. Delirious and barely conscious, she kept crying out, “Daddy… Daddy… I want Daddy…”

Holding her tightly, Miranda rushed downstairs and turned to their housekeeper. “Mrs. Young, we’re going to the hospital.”

“Should we wait for Mr. Gibson to come home?” Mrs. Young asked.

“There’s no need.”

Tonight was his first love’s birthday. He wasn’t coming home.

Miranda’s heart felt even colder than the storm outside. Her daughter lay burning in her arms, cheeks flushed red with fever, letting out faint, pained whimpers. Meanwhile, her father was off celebrating with another woman.

As they sped toward the hospital, the rain poured harder. Miranda, frantic over Mia’s condition, pressed down on the gas. Suddenly, a car sped past from the opposite lane. Miranda flicked her hazard lights and swerved to warn them, but the other car kept barreling forward.

She quickly turned the wheel, and the car slammed into the concrete barrier.

In the back seat, Mrs. Young clutched the child tightly and let out a scream.

Miranda managed to hit the brakes in time. The front of the car had only struck a short pillar, not hard enough to cause major damage. But in that moment, she broke down completely. Her tears poured without restraint.

Years of heartache and silent suffering came crashing down all at once.

From the back seat, seeing her curled over the steering wheel, shaking with helpless sobs, Mrs. Young called out in distress, “Ma’am! Ma’am, we still need to get to the hospital! Mia’s burning up even more!”

Snapped back to reality by those words, Miranda wiped her face, reversed the car, and drove to the hospital.

At the ER, she jumped out with Mia in her arms. When the nurse tried to prick Mia’s finger for blood work, she cried and thrashed in fear. Miranda held her down firmly. As Mia screamed in agony, Miranda felt like her heart was being torn apart.

The diagnosis revealed multiple viral infections. At least seven virulent strains were present, and the chest CT showed extensive whiteout in both lungs.

“Her condition is very serious right now. We recommend performing a lung lavage procedure,” the doctor said solemnly.

Mrs. Young was startled. “What? She’s so young. Is it even safe to do something like that?”

Miranda took the CT scan from the doctor and studied it carefully.

The doctor blinked, surprised. “You… you can read this?”

She nodded without hesitation. “Once her fever comes down, please schedule the procedure.”

Mrs. Young hesitated, then asked softly, “Ma’am, shouldn’t you at least talk to Mr. Gibson about this?”

Miranda looked down at Mia’s burning face and gently brushed her damp forehead.

“No,” she said firmly. Her voice held no hesitation.

In that moment, it felt like she had finally made up her mind about something far more important.

*

Three days later, Miranda sat beside Mia’s hospital bed. The lung lavage had been completed. Mia’s face was still pale and weak as she slept soundly.

Just then, Miranda’s phone lit up with a message: “What is it?”

Just three words—cold, dismissive, and full of arrogance.

Miranda looked at the screen, then put her phone down without replying.

In the break room, Mrs. Young’s phone rang. She glanced at the screen and quickly picked up. “Hello? Mr. Gibson?”

“Did something happen at home?”

Mrs. Young froze. “No… no, nothing, sir. Are you back in the country?”

“Yes.”

“Alright then, don’t worry. Everything’s fine at home.”

After the call ended, Mrs. Young muttered to herself, “Why won’t she let me tell him what’s been going on these past two days? He’s clearly back in the country.”

Miranda held Mia’s hand. Her own eyes were red from exhaustion, and she finally allowed them to close but sleep wouldn’t come.

Just then, Mia stirred as if trapped in a nightmare. She reached out with a frightened hand, mumbling, “Daddy… Aunt Xena… I’m scared… I’m scared…”

Miranda gently clasped her hand and whispered, “Mommy’s here.”

Mia jolted awake, trembling with fear. The moment she saw Miranda, she twisted away in frustration. “I don’t want Mommy! I want Aunt Xena!”

Miranda swallowed her tears and softly patted Mia’s back, helping her drift off again.

*

On the seventh day, Miranda carried Mia home from the hospital.

That was when her body finally gave out.

She asked Mrs. Young to keep an eye on Mia for a while, then headed upstairs to sleep for an hour.

When she woke and came back down, Mrs. Young looked flustered. “Ma’am… you’re awake. Mr. Gibson came home earlier. He took Mia out for dinner.”

Miranda’s throat tightened. Without a word, she turned and went back to her room.

Downstairs, Mrs. Young let out a long sigh. “With a husband by her side, she shouldn’t have to live this way,” she thought.

Upstairs, Miranda picked up her phone and dialed Felix’s number.

The call went through.

A woman’s cheerful voice answered, “Felix is in the restroom with Mia. Do you need something?”

Miranda’s breath caught in her chest. Her lips trembled before she quietly ended the call.

She closed her eyes. The man she had once married against her father’s wishes—the man she had given up her education for—had left her utterly defeated.

She thought back to her wedding day. Her father had quietly asked her, “Will you regret this one day?”

Beaming with happiness, she had promised, “Dad, don’t worry. I won’t regret it.”

And so, without hesitation, she gave up school and stepped into marriage.

Two years ago, Miranda discovered that Mia had been hiding in Felix’s room, secretly talking on the phone with Xena Spencer—his beloved first love. The way they spoke, it was as if they were mother and daughter.

It was on that drive to the hospital with Mia that Miranda finally saw things clearly.

She regretted this marriage.

And she knew it was time to end it.

No matter how much love one poured into a one-sided marriage, it would always fall apart.

From now on, she would devote the rest of her life to loving herself.

Just then, her phone buzzed.

It was a new email notification.

Miranda stood and walked up to the study on the third floor. She opened her laptop and clicked on the email.

It was from the Department of Medical Research at a world-renowned medical university.

She closed her eyes and whispered, “Dad… you were right. Thank you for giving me a way out.”

In her mind, she could still hear his final words before he passed:

“My daughter is not allowed to become a nobody. You must be my pride. Even if you get married, never give up on your education.”

For six years, Miranda had quietly stayed the course. Without telling anyone, she had followed the academic path her father set for her.

And now, she had finally made it.