Chapter 4

Miranda was the first parent to arrive at the classroom that afternoon. She had dressed up with care, making Mia beam with pride as she came skipping out, backpack in hand.

“This is my mommy!” she announced happily to her classmates.

Miranda smiled and scooped her up. “You did great today, sweetie.”

Back home, Mia had already asked Mrs. Young to prepare all the ingredients for cookies and cake. She trailed after Miranda, excited to watch her mom bake. The smell of almond cookies soon filled the living room, warm and sweet.

“I want a cookie!” Mia clapped her hands eagerly.

“They’ll be ready soon,” Miranda said with a laugh, then deliberately dabbed a little flour on her own cheek.

Mia spotted it right away. She didn’t say anything at first and just ran off to grab a tissue. Then she tugged at Miranda’s sleeve.

“Mommy, there’s flour on your face. I’ll wipe it off for you.”

Miranda bent down, pretending to be surprised. “Oh, really?”

As Mia carefully wiped her face, Miranda’s eyes misted over. “My daughter really is such a kind, thoughtful child,” she thought.

When Mia was done, she looked up proudly. “Did I do a good job?”

“You were amazing,” Miranda said sincerely.

She used only the best ingredients to bake the cake, keeping sugar levels low for a healthier treat. Soon, the little cake was done. It was nearly 6:30 p.m., and the sky outside had begun to darken.

Mia glanced toward the window and pouted. “Why isn’t Daddy home yet?”

Miranda had a feeling Felix wouldn’t be coming back that night. After the confrontation at school with Xena, she figured he was probably with her instead.

Just then, the phone rang. Mrs. Young answered.

“Yes, of course. I’ll let her know,” she said, then turned to Miranda. “Ma’am, Mr. Gibson said he won’t be home for dinner. He has a meeting.”

Miranda nodded. “Then it’ll just be the three of us tonight.”

From now on, she wasn’t going to let anyone ruin her time with her daughter.

After dinner, Miranda and Mia played soccer on the grass outside. Miranda even faked a fall. Mia ran over at once, eyes wide with worry. Miranda limped playfully, but all she saw in her daughter’s eyes was pure concern.

Her heart softened. She felt moved beyond words.

That night, after bath time, Mia was so worn out that she fell asleep on her own by 9:30 p.m. Miranda quietly closed the door behind her and let out a soft sigh.

With the house finally quiet, she stepped into the study next door and began drafting a research proposal for her latest project. It was something she had been quietly working on for years.

She was grateful she had never given up. But over the years, in her effort to be a good wife, and out of fear of how Felix might react, she had kept many things from him.

Beneath the warm glow of the desk lamp, Miranda looked calm and composed. There was a quiet strength in her eyes.

She wasn’t going to hide anymore.

Her father, Dr. Eugene Stone, had been one of the country’s most respected medical scholars. Before his death, he had mentored many of the field’s top researchers and dreamed of one day founding a lab to complete the unfinished work he had started.

After closing her laptop, Miranda rubbed her temples and got ready to head back to the bedroom to sleep next to Mia.

It was just past midnight.

Unable to sleep, Miranda suddenly heard the sound of the front door opening. Felix was home.

In the past, whenever he came home late, Miranda would get up to greet him. If he had been drinking, she would quickly make him a tea to sober up. If he was just tired, she would warm up a glass of milk to help him sleep.

Marriage had taught her many skills—cooking, cleaning, reading someone’s mood. Eventually, she had trained herself into a thankless housekeeper who served without complaint.

Footsteps approached the bedroom. Miranda quickly shut her eyes.

The door opened, and Felix appeared at her bedside. The air carried the faint scent of alcohol and the soft, familiar perfume Xena always wore.

Felix leaned over to tuck the blanket around Mia and gave her a gentle kiss. Miranda kept her eyes closed, but she couldn’t avoid the kiss that brushed against her forehead.

The warmth of his lips made her whole body tense.

As soon as Felix left the room, Miranda sat up and grabbed a wet wipe, scrubbing the spot where he had kissed her.

She felt dirty. He had just come from another woman’s bed.

Over the next three days, Miranda and Mia began to grow close again. After all, she had raised Mia since birth, held her close through every milestone.

Mia’s love hadn’t disappeared. It had only been displaced. With patience and warmth, Miranda believed she could earn back that trust and dependence.

By Friday afternoon, Miranda had been working on her research proposal all morning. Feeling thirsty, she headed downstairs—only to see Felix coming up.

She had come down from the third floor. They locked eyes for a moment before she brushed past him and went downstairs to make some tea.

“Still mad?” Felix asked, a trace of irritation in his voice.

Miranda paused and turned to him. “Mad about what?”

“Never mind.” He waved it off and continued upstairs.

Miranda frowned. Lately, she had been forgetting a lot about their past fights.

Then it came back to her. Two weeks ago, in a fit of frustration, she had torn up Felix’s passport to stop him from taking Xena on a holiday abroad.

They didn’t speak for a week afterward. Eventually, Miranda had crept into his bedroom after Mia fell asleep and tried to repair things by initiating intimacy.

That was what he meant just now.

But Miranda knew, no matter how she tried to stop him, Felix would still take Mia overseas to spend Christmas with Xena.

Just then, Miranda’s phone rang, pulling her out of her thoughts. She answered with a smile, “Hi, Lucas.”

“Mira, I finished reading your paper. It’s absolutely incredible. I can’t wait to sit down and talk with you about it,” came the excited voice on the other end.

“Thank you for saying that.”

“Are you free in the next couple of days? I’d love to meet up.”

“Can I check my schedule and get back to you?”

“Sure. Just let me know when you’re free.”

After hanging up, Miranda carried her teacup upstairs. She checked the time on her watch. She didn’t want to be late picking Mia up from school.

Felix had come home past midnight last night, so he was likely still asleep. Miranda didn’t plan to disturb him.

But on the second-floor landing, she heard his voice. He was on the phone.

“I’m flying out next Monday. Yeah, I’ll bring Mia with me.

“If there’s anything you want, just say the word.”

Miranda instinctively stepped back into the hallway, staying out of sight. As he walked toward his room, his voice drifted back through the silence.

“I’ll give you everything you ask for.”