Chapter 2

I brought Lily inside, made her some warm ginger tea, and cooked dinner.

Lily kept crying, asking why her daddy lied to her.

My heart ached terribly.

I had waited for Austin for six long years, but I could never win even a fraction of his time.

And now, my daughter was forced to walk the same painful path of waiting.

I had to stop this. No matter what.

While I was running a bubble bath for Lily, Austin finally stumbled through the front door.

He held a cheap, plastic takeout box from a fancy restaurant, looking like he wanted a reward.

"Look, I brought you guys some gourmet snacks! Lily, do you like it?"

I had already seen Hailey's Instagram story. She and Austin had just dined at a luxury rotating rooftop restaurant.

This box was just a free leftover giveaway from the restaurant.

Lily frowned and pushed it away.

"My classmates say this is just cheap free stuff from restaurants, Daddy. You don't care about me at all."

Austin rubbed his nose, quickly trying to change the subject.

"Sorry, baby girl. Daddy was just way too busy today."

He walked into the bathroom and hugged me from behind.

"Chloe, don't be mad. I promise I’ll marry you next time."

I ignored him. He kept coaxing.

"We’ve been together for so long anyway. We don't need a piece of paper to prove our love, right?"

"Once this busy season at work is over, I’ll make it up to you."

I asked him flatly,

"When exactly will you be done being busy?"

He froze, unable to answer.

"First, you said you were busy with the company's IPO. I waited."

"Then, you said Lily was too young and needed care. I waited too."

"Now, Hailey has been back for three years, and you haven't mentioned our wedding once. I had to beg you just to get you to City Hall."

I raised my eyes, staring at him blankly.

"How much longer do I have to wait just to get one hour of your time?"

"Do Lily and I have to live like dirty secrets forever without a legal name?"

His face instantly darkened.

"Don't say things like that. You know I don't mean that."

"You and Lily are the most important people in my life, but..."

He looked frustrated.

"But Hailey is still traumatized by her divorce. She gets severe panic attacks and chest pains whenever she sees couples getting married. We have to be understanding."

He gently stroked my hair, his voice softening.

"She saved my life back in college, Chloe. I can't bear to see her suffer."

"Once her son starts elementary school, things will settle, and I'll send them back to Europe."

I had heard this excuse a thousand times.

Hailey was Austin's college sweetheart. She had saved him once when he was being severely bullied.

But she dumped him when his first startup failed, getting pregnant by a wealthy businessman instead.

Years later, the businessman dumped her, leaving her penniless. Naturally, she crawled back to Austin.

That night, Austin had held me and cried, claiming he hated her.

"She abandoned me when I was at my worst! You and your mother gave me the strength to live, Chloe!"

"I will never forgive her!"

I had wiped his tears, promising to stay by his side forever.

But the very next day, he bought a luxury apartment in the building next to ours and moved Hailey and her son right in.

"I don't love her anymore, Chloe. But her kid is innocent. Once she gets a job, they'll leave."

That was the beginning of my endless waiting.

Three years had passed, and they were still here.

I suddenly spoke up,

"I'm done waiting for you."

"Go do whatever you want. Just don't bother me."

He didn't notice the absolute exhaustion in my eyes. He pointed at the bathtub.

"Don't let Lily play in the water for too long. Look how sleepy she is."

A sudden rage flared up in my chest.

"She isn't sleepy! She has a fever! Can't you see that as her father?"

"If you hadn't promised to take her out, she wouldn't have stood on the porch waiting for you in the freezing cold!"

Austin stood frozen, looking guilty.

"I... I'm so sorry. I really forgot. I'll get her some medicine right now."

But by the time I finished reading Lily two bedtime stories, he still hadn't brought the medicine.