Chapter 1
Natalie's POV:
Lily blinked, not quite understanding.
She lowered her head and gently poked the cheap frosting with one finger.
"But Mommy, Daddy said he'd bring home my favorite strawberry cake tonight. He promised me the new puzzle too."
My throat tightened. I was about to comfort her when the lock clicked and Ryan Foster walked in.
He was carrying an elegantly boxed, two-tier strawberry cake.
Lily's dull eyes lit up at once. She carefully slid down from her chair and walked toward him.
"Daddy, you remembered my birthday..."
Ryan instinctively moved the cake out of reach, avoiding her outstretched hands.
"Don't ruin it."
He set it on the entryway cabinet, impatience edging his voice.
"Ava has been having nightmares. She won't stop asking for a strawberry cake from this bakery, and Claire is in no state to calm her down. I stood in line for two hours. I'm taking it over there later."
He removed his coat. Only then did he notice the dining table.
The palm-sized cake and Lily’s birthday crown folded from cardboard made him pause.
"Is today Lily's birthday?"
I sat gripping my water glass.
"You forgot her birthday, and you left her alone in a burning building."
Guilt flickered in his eyes, then vanished beneath self-righteous anger.
"How many times are you going to drag that up, Natalie? Ava was closer to me. Claire has severe depression. If anything happened to Ava, Claire wouldn't survive it. Lily is your daughter. You got her out, didn't you?"
I stared at him.
The fire at the amusement park had spread with terrifying speed. Ryan had been holding Lily's hand, but the instant he heard Claire scream, he let go without hesitation.
He turned, scooped up Ava, and ran.
I was trapped behind the fleeing crowd and watched a burning beam crash beside Lily.
If a firefighter had not reached her in time, she would have died.
"She spent three days in intensive care because of smoke inhalation," my voice trembled. "She has severe burns on the right side of her face, and her reconstructive surgeries will cost a fortune. You emptied our savings and froze my credit card."
Ryan frowned.
"Claire needed a change of environment after the fire, so I used the money for a down payment on a new home. Her old place is full of painful memories, and that's dangerous for her depression. You're her best friend. Can't you show a little compassion?"
I cut him off.
"You bought her a home while I had to borrow money for our daughter's treatment!"
His expression darkened.
"I froze your card because you've been storming into Claire's hospital room and acting unhinged. You needed time to calm down."
He came to the table and looked down at me.
"Claire is a single mother with no one else. Could you try being generous for once?"
The man before me suddenly looked like a stranger.
Lily tugged on the hem of my shirt.
"Mommy, I don't want any cake. Please don't fight with Daddy."
Ryan looked down at her. The moment he saw the dark red scar twisting across the right side of her face, he instinctively looked away.
"Claire and Ava are coming to dinner tomorrow," he said.
Pointing at Lily's face, he added, "Find her a mask, or keep her in her room. Ava is sensitive. Don't frighten her."
I shot to my feet.
"Ryan, this is Lily's home!"
"Exactly. That means she should know how to behave."
He ignored me, picked up the strawberry cake, and headed for the door.
"I'm staying at Claire's tonight. Think about what you've done."
The door slammed behind him.
Lily looked up at me, tears trembling in her eyes.
"Mommy, am I really ugly?"
I crouched and held her tightly.
"No. You're the most beautiful girl in the world."
I took out my phone and called the overseas number an old classmate had given me.
"Dr. Blake, please arrange Lily's reconstructive surgery for next week. Yes. We'll leave as soon as possible, and we won't come back."
After the call, I looked at the little cake on the table and began cutting it.
"Lily, have some cake. After that, we're getting out of here."
