Chapter 1

At the party, my husband had a gift for everyone.

He even gave his ex-girlfriend, Maya, a bottle of designer perfume worth over five hundred dollars.

But when he got to our daughter and me, his hands were empty.

Everyone at the table froze. "Wait, Zach, where are Chloe and Lily’s gifts? Isn't today Lily's birthday?"

Zach blinked, waving his hand dismissively.

"Chloe and I have been married for seven years. We don't need that stuff. And Lily is just a kid, she doesn't care about these things."

Our friends exchanged awkward glances. The atmosphere in the bistro instantly turned tense.

Someone tried to break the ice. "Oh, come on, Zach must have prepared a huge surprise and is saving it for later!"

The others laughed along to ease the tension, but I couldn't force a smile.

Lily looked up at me and whispered, "Mommy, did Daddy forget my birthday?"

I gently stroked her hair and whispered back, "How about we leave Daddy behind, okay?"

Maya smelled the perfume, her eyes lighting up.

"You actually remembered I love this scent? I only mentioned it to you years ago."

Zach replied casually, "When have I ever forgotten anything about you?"

A few people at the table started teasing them.

"Alright, alright, we get it. You have a great memory, Zach."

"Honestly, Chloe is so lucky. With Zach’s memory, he probably never forgets an anniversary or a birthday!"

Zach smiled and turned to look at me.

I didn't say a word. I just kept my head down, wiping Lily’s hands with a napkin.

He reached into his pocket, pulled out a cheap plastic keychain, and tossed it to Lily.

"Here. Go play with this."

Lily stared at it but didn't reach out to take it.

Maya laughed from across the table.

"Zach, you are so cheap! Kids don't like things like that. Lily was staring at my plush keychain last time, she clearly loved that one."

Lily shrank back into my side, shaking her head. "Daddy, I don't want this."

Zach’s face darkened. "I bought you a toy and you're rejecting it? Why are you being so spoiled?"

I frowned and pulled Lily closer to me.

Maya chimed in, "Yeah, Chloe, are you sure you're not babying her too much?"

I took a deep breath and picked Lily up. "Lily isn't being ungrateful. She just doesn't like this."

The table went dead silent for a few seconds.

Zach’s expression shifted, but he quickly forced a smile. "Fine, what do you want then? Tell me, and I’ll buy it."

Lily whispered, "I want the chocolate cake Mommy talked about this morning."

Zach looked confused. "What cake?"

I didn't answer. I carried Lily over to the lounge sofa in the corner of the room.

Lily whispered in my ear, "Mommy, does Daddy not know it's my birthday today?"

I brushed her hair back. "Daddy forgot."

She nodded, not fully understanding, and buried her face in my shoulder.

Zach didn't look at me again. He turned back to Maya and kept chatting.

They were already reminiscing about high school, laughing hysterically.

I looked down at Lily, my heart completely cold.

This was our seventh year of marriage.

He remembered Maya’s favorite woody-scented perfume. He remembered our friend Carter’s bad neck.

But he couldn't remember his own daughter's birthday.

Zach stopped talking, and Maya kept her head down. The atmosphere in the room was incredibly awkward.

My phone buzzed. It was a text from my lawyer.

I glanced at it, then locked the screen.

On my way to the restroom, I heard laughter behind me.

As soon as the restroom door shut, the noise from the hallway grew louder.

"Come on, Truth or Dare! Maya, you lost! Truth or Dare?"

Maya giggled. "Dare."

"I dare you to kiss Zach right now!"

I didn't hear Zach say no. I leaned against the bathroom stall, forcing down the lump in my throat.

On the phone, my lawyer asked me, "Mrs. Miller, have you reviewed the divorce papers? If there are no issues, you can sign them."

I closed my eyes. Outside, after a brief silence, a loud cheer erupted.

"Yes, I’ve read them," I said. "I’ll mail them to you tomorrow."

When I walked out of the restroom, the lounge was empty.

A waiter was clearing the table and looked surprised to see me.

"Are you Zach's wife? He said they were going to a late-night club and already paid the bill."

I looked down at Lily. She was rubbing her sleepy eyes.

"Mommy, where is Daddy?"

"Daddy is busy. Let's go home first."

I slowly unclenched my fists and let out a quiet sigh.

He forgot about us again.