Chapter 1

On my daughter’s fifth birthday, my husband turned her party into a welcome-home bash for his precious ex.

I stood there, clutching the birthday cake, and looked at Ethan Reed.

He only frowned, his voice dripping with impatience. "We can celebrate Lily’s birthday another day, Chloe. Stop throwing a tantrum over nothing."

Just then, our five-year-old daughter, Lily, walked through the door.

I opened my mouth to comfort her, but Hailey Miller beat me to it. She knelt down, grabbed Lily’s hands, and smiled sweetly. "Hey sweetie, I brought a special gift just for you. It's in your room!"

Innocent and confused, Lily followed her into the bedroom.

The next second, a piercing, blood-curdling scream echoed through the house.

I rushed inside. There, on Lily’s little bed, lay the cold, skeletal remains of a dog. Right next to it was its fully preserved, intact fur.

It was Buddy. Lily's beloved golden retriever.

Lily’s face went dead white. Her chest heaved violently as her asthma triggered on the spot.

"Ethan! Get her and her sick things out of my house right now!" I screamed, pulling my trembling daughter into my arms.

But Ethan immediately stepped in front of Hailey, shielding her from me.

"Hailey hates live dogs, Chloe. She did this so Buddy could stay with Lily forever. She was only trying to be nice!"

I stared at him, my heart turning to ash.

In that single moment, I realized this marriage was dead.