TAKE ME FOR GRANTED

"Come on, Rory, say 'Daddy'…"

Under the warm yellow lights, a woman cradled a baby in her arms, leaning against my husband's chest with a radiant smile.

Beside them, my parents watched with soft, loving expressions.

"Rory's birthday celebration is starting. You've done so much, Jess," my father, Watson Brown, gently said.

Jessica Quinton looked overwhelmed as she cautiously asked, "Can we really have the birthday celebration?"

Seeing the worry on her face, my mother, Hannah Royce, pulled her into a comforting hug.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she said, "You've been through so much. If Kayla hadn't woken up so suddenly, you wouldn't have had to live in hiding like this. This time, we'll keep it low-profile. Even if we have to keep it from Kayla, we're giving you and Rory the celebration you both deserve."

My husband, Samuel Pelroy, lovingly tapped Jess' nose. "Mom's right," he said with a smile.

Standing outside the window, I felt a chill wash over me as I watched them play the perfect, happy family.

Three years ago, I fell into a coma after a car accident. I woke up a month ago, and everyone wept tears of joy at my recovery.

When I was discharged and moved back home a few days ago, I quickly realized something wasn't right.

Our bedroom had been completely redecorated.

Even the closet was filled with clothes that didn't fit me or match my style at all.

When I asked about it, Mom gently held my hand and said, "Bella stayed here recently. She said she missed you and wanted to look after you for a while, so we agreed."

Bella Hastings was my best friend since childhood, and I had no reason to doubt her.

When I walked into my parents' bedroom hoping to have a heartfelt chat that night, I found them holding baby clothes and toys, smiling warmly as they chatted.

The moment they saw me, their smiles froze. They quickly hid the items behind their backs.

Before I could say a word, they scolded me.

"Why didn't you knock before coming in?"

I was stunned.

They had always treated me like their precious daughter. They never once asked me to knock. In fact, they used to scold me for it.

"Why are you treating us like strangers?" they would say.

But now, their faces were filled with displeasure and their tone was harsh.

Realizing their overreaction, my mother quickly got out of bed and pulled me close.

"We're just not used to it yet," she murmured.

I forced a smile, brushing off the strange feeling in my chest. However, I no longer felt like chatting, so I returned to my room.

Samuel was in the shower, and I couldn't understand why it was taking him over an hour.

He used to be done in ten minutes.

I sat on the couch and waited. Eventually, Samuel stepped out of the bathroom with his phone in hand, smiling affectionately.

It was a smile I knew better than anyone. It had been my favourite.

I couldn't help but ask, "What's making you smile like that?"

He seemed to snap out of a daze, and the smile faded almost instantly. As if afraid I might check his phone, he quickly turned off the screen and tossed it aside.

Then, he leaned over and wrapped his arms around me. That was when I noticed the faint red mark on his neck.

"Are there even mosquitoes this time of year?" I asked, genuinely puzzled.

Samuel froze.

The air between us grew thick with tension.

Just then, his phone rang.

A photo lit up on the screen, showing a woman who looked almost exactly like me.