The next morning, Miranda put on her makeup and waited by the bed with Mia’s favorite little dress in hand.

When Mia opened her eyes and was met with her mother’s gentle smile, she looked slightly unsure. She turned over and curled up like a kitten, burying her face in the pillow.

“Sweetheart, do you want to wear your pretty little dress today?” Miranda asked with a soft smile.

Mia flipped onto her back and glanced at the pink princess dress. She nodded eagerly. “Yes!”

Miranda carried her beautifully dressed daughter downstairs. Felix was already waiting on the living room sofa. It had become his daily routine to take Mia to school before heading to the office.

“Daddy, do I look pretty?” Mia asked as she twirled happily in front of him.

Felix looked at her with unmistakable affection in his eyes. “Yes,” he said without hesitation. “You look beautiful.”

He picked her up, and Miranda took the backpack from Mrs. Young before heading out with them.

The school was nearby, just outside the gates of their villa community. It was one of the most expensive private kindergartens in all of Atlantis City.

Once they arrived, Mia hopped out of the car. Miranda walked her to the entrance, adjusted her backpack, and asked with a smile, “I’ll come pick you up early this afternoon. Want to bake a cake together?”

Mia beamed and nodded excitedly. After greeting the principal and teachers, she walked into the school with a bounce in her step.

Miranda watched her daughter disappear inside, eyes filled with tenderness. Then she turned and looked toward the car.

Felix was still seated behind the wheel. He looked as steady and composed as ever—charming and poised. But his eyes, like a winter night, always held a cold, distant chill.

“I’ll walk home. You go on to work,” Miranda said as she approached his side of the car.

Felix pressed his lips together and turned the steering wheel with graceful ease. The black Rolls-Royce pulled away and disappeared into traffic.

Miranda stood there, watching the car go. After all these years of marriage, she still didn’t really understand him.

Even though she had known all these years that what he felt for her was gratitude, not love, she had still waited foolishly.

She had waited for him to love her. And that wait had lasted six years.

But Miranda no longer blamed anyone else. She blamed herself for choosing the wrong person and she was ready to accept the consequences.

When she arrived home, Mrs. Young came up to her. “Ma’am, what would you like for breakfast?”

“Two boiled eggs and half a corn cob,” Miranda replied calmly.

Mrs. Young paused for a moment, then headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

“Something about her expression seemed different today. It seems colder than usual,” she thought.

And last night, there hadn’t been a single argument between her and Felix.

Normally, if he didn’t come home for weeks, she would be visibly upset. But this time, even after something as serious as Mia being hospitalized for a lung procedure, she hadn’t said a word.

Upstairs in the third-floor study, Miranda sat deep in thought.

Just a month ago, she had taken the stage as the top graduate at a major medical forum in Merika. Her speech had already drawn attention from more than a hundred of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies.

All she had to do was say yes, and she would gain access to the best research labs and billions in investment.

But she had never shared any of this. At home, and in the eyes of the world, she was just a housewife in a gilded cage, dismissed as someone with nothing to offer.

And then there was her husband, Felix Gibson.

At eighteen, he had already become a star consultant on Wall Street. By twenty-three, he had taken over the company and made a name for himself as a ruthless legend in the investment world. In just four years, he had climbed to the very top of the national wealth rankings.

Just then, Miranda’s phone buzzed with a message from her close friend, Sophie Shaw, a lawyer.

“Mira, I was out having lunch with a client today. Guess who I ran into?”

Three photos followed.

In the pictures, Felix was seated in a private room, entertaining a group of foreign clients. And right beside him, dressed to impress, was Xena.

She wore a form-fitting silk dress, elegant and seductive. In the third photo, she was laughing, her expression playful and captivating. Felix, meanwhile, had his gaze fixed on her, calm and focused—like a picture-perfect couple.

“Mira, don’t overthink it. Don’t let this get to you,” Sophie added.

“I won’t,” Miranda replied.

To Felix, she had always been the wife he couldn’t show off. But Xena—she was a woman he could display proudly.

An internationally renowned pianist. A darling of the fashion world. A brand ambassador for top jewelry houses. Every part of her image added to Felix’s prestige.

By 3:30 p.m., Miranda was already parked outside Mia’s school, determined to be the first one to pick up her daughter.

Around 4:00 p.m., a red Ferrari pulled up and stopped across from her.

Miranda’s grip tightened on the steering wheel.

It was Xena.

She was in the driver’s seat, reapplying her makeup. Clearly, she had arrived early on purpose, waiting to meet Felix when he came to pick up Mia.

A woman who could hold onto Felix’s heart for this long had to be clever and calculated.

For the past two years, Miranda had never once confronted her face-to-face. Even when she lost her temper, she kept it in check, thinking that maybe Felix would return to their family.

But reality had only proved otherwise. The more she held back, the more reckless they became.

This time, Miranda wasn’t going to shrink back and stay silent.

She opened the car door and stepped out first, her eyes cold as she looked toward Xena’s car.

Xena spotted Miranda and froze for a second. “So it’s not Felix picking Mia up today,” she silently remarked.

When she noticed Miranda’s gaze locked on her, Xena smiled confidently. She stepped out of the car with elegance and began walking over.

Miranda’s fists clenched as she stared at that face with unmistakable disgust.

Xena smiled sweetly. “Hello, Miss Stone. I’m sure you know who I am by now. Let me formally introduce myself. I’m Xena Spencer, Felix’s close friend.”

“I don’t care who you are,” Miranda said flatly. “Just stay away from my daughter.”

Xena raised her eyebrows, then suddenly chuckled. “Miranda, do you really think just because I like your husband, that makes me the villain here?”

Miranda didn’t even bother responding.

Xena scoffed. “Well, what if I told you the man I love was stolen by another woman and forced into marriage? Wouldn’t that make you just as awful?”

Miranda looked her dead in the eye and remarked coldly, “Saying something that shameless like it’s perfectly justified? You really are one of a kind.”

Xena’s fingers brushed lightly over the necklace at her throat. Miranda’s gaze followed.

Dangling boldly from her neck was a striking sapphire necklace.

Xena didn’t need to say a word. Miranda already knew it was from Felix. After all, he had been with her these past two weeks.

At that moment, the school gates opened.

Without saying another word, Miranda turned and walked briskly toward the entrance.

Behind her, Xena watched her go with a faint smirk.

But in her eyes, there was clear disdain.

Miranda was the first parent to arrive at the classroom that afternoon. She had dressed up with care, making Mia beam with pride as she came skipping out, backpack in hand.

“This is my mommy!” she announced happily to her classmates.

Miranda smiled and scooped her up. “You did great today, sweetie.”

Back home, Mia had already asked Mrs. Young to prepare all the ingredients for cookies and cake. She trailed after Miranda, excited to watch her mom bake. The smell of almond cookies soon filled the living room, warm and sweet.

“I want a cookie!” Mia clapped her hands eagerly.

“They’ll be ready soon,” Miranda said with a laugh, then deliberately dabbed a little flour on her own cheek.

Mia spotted it right away. She didn’t say anything at first and just ran off to grab a tissue. Then she tugged at Miranda’s sleeve.

“Mommy, there’s flour on your face. I’ll wipe it off for you.”

Miranda bent down, pretending to be surprised. “Oh, really?”

As Mia carefully wiped her face, Miranda’s eyes misted over. “My daughter really is such a kind, thoughtful child,” she thought.

When Mia was done, she looked up proudly. “Did I do a good job?”

“You were amazing,” Miranda said sincerely.

She used only the best ingredients to bake the cake, keeping sugar levels low for a healthier treat. Soon, the little cake was done. It was nearly 6:30 p.m., and the sky outside had begun to darken.

Mia glanced toward the window and pouted. “Why isn’t Daddy home yet?”

Miranda had a feeling Felix wouldn’t be coming back that night. After the confrontation at school with Xena, she figured he was probably with her instead.

Just then, the phone rang. Mrs. Young answered.

“Yes, of course. I’ll let her know,” she said, then turned to Miranda. “Ma’am, Mr. Gibson said he won’t be home for dinner. He has a meeting.”

Miranda nodded. “Then it’ll just be the three of us tonight.”

From now on, she wasn’t going to let anyone ruin her time with her daughter.

After dinner, Miranda and Mia played soccer on the grass outside. Miranda even faked a fall. Mia ran over at once, eyes wide with worry. Miranda limped playfully, but all she saw in her daughter’s eyes was pure concern.

Her heart softened. She felt moved beyond words.

That night, after bath time, Mia was so worn out that she fell asleep on her own by 9:30 p.m. Miranda quietly closed the door behind her and let out a soft sigh.

With the house finally quiet, she stepped into the study next door and began drafting a research proposal for her latest project. It was something she had been quietly working on for years.

She was grateful she had never given up. But over the years, in her effort to be a good wife, and out of fear of how Felix might react, she had kept many things from him.

Beneath the warm glow of the desk lamp, Miranda looked calm and composed. There was a quiet strength in her eyes.

She wasn’t going to hide anymore.

Her father, Dr. Eugene Stone, had been one of the country’s most respected medical scholars. Before his death, he had mentored many of the field’s top researchers and dreamed of one day founding a lab to complete the unfinished work he had started.

After closing her laptop, Miranda rubbed her temples and got ready to head back to the bedroom to sleep next to Mia.

It was just past midnight.

Unable to sleep, Miranda suddenly heard the sound of the front door opening. Felix was home.

In the past, whenever he came home late, Miranda would get up to greet him. If he had been drinking, she would quickly make him a tea to sober up. If he was just tired, she would warm up a glass of milk to help him sleep.

Marriage had taught her many skills—cooking, cleaning, reading someone’s mood. Eventually, she had trained herself into a thankless housekeeper who served without complaint.

Footsteps approached the bedroom. Miranda quickly shut her eyes.

The door opened, and Felix appeared at her bedside. The air carried the faint scent of alcohol and the soft, familiar perfume Xena always wore.

Felix leaned over to tuck the blanket around Mia and gave her a gentle kiss. Miranda kept her eyes closed, but she couldn’t avoid the kiss that brushed against her forehead.

The warmth of his lips made her whole body tense.

As soon as Felix left the room, Miranda sat up and grabbed a wet wipe, scrubbing the spot where he had kissed her.

She felt dirty. He had just come from another woman’s bed.

Over the next three days, Miranda and Mia began to grow close again. After all, she had raised Mia since birth, held her close through every milestone.

Mia’s love hadn’t disappeared. It had only been displaced. With patience and warmth, Miranda believed she could earn back that trust and dependence.

By Friday afternoon, Miranda had been working on her research proposal all morning. Feeling thirsty, she headed downstairs—only to see Felix coming up.

She had come down from the third floor. They locked eyes for a moment before she brushed past him and went downstairs to make some tea.

“Still mad?” Felix asked, a trace of irritation in his voice.

Miranda paused and turned to him. “Mad about what?”

“Never mind.” He waved it off and continued upstairs.

Miranda frowned. Lately, she had been forgetting a lot about their past fights.

Then it came back to her. Two weeks ago, in a fit of frustration, she had torn up Felix’s passport to stop him from taking Xena on a holiday abroad.

They didn’t speak for a week afterward. Eventually, Miranda had crept into his bedroom after Mia fell asleep and tried to repair things by initiating intimacy.

That was what he meant just now.

But Miranda knew, no matter how she tried to stop him, Felix would still take Mia overseas to spend Christmas with Xena.

Just then, Miranda’s phone rang, pulling her out of her thoughts. She answered with a smile, “Hi, Lucas.”

“Mira, I finished reading your paper. It’s absolutely incredible. I can’t wait to sit down and talk with you about it,” came the excited voice on the other end.

“Thank you for saying that.”

“Are you free in the next couple of days? I’d love to meet up.”

“Can I check my schedule and get back to you?”

“Sure. Just let me know when you’re free.”

After hanging up, Miranda carried her teacup upstairs. She checked the time on her watch. She didn’t want to be late picking Mia up from school.

Felix had come home past midnight last night, so he was likely still asleep. Miranda didn’t plan to disturb him.

But on the second-floor landing, she heard his voice. He was on the phone.

“I’m flying out next Monday. Yeah, I’ll bring Mia with me.

“If there’s anything you want, just say the word.”

Miranda instinctively stepped back into the hallway, staying out of sight. As he walked toward his room, his voice drifted back through the silence.

“I’ll give you everything you ask for.”

A sharp pain pierced Miranda’s chest. She kept telling herself she didn’t care anymore, but the anger was still there.

This time, she wasn’t going to let Mia go abroad with them. She wouldn’t give Xena the chance to get close to her daughter or twist her thoughts.

That evening, Felix stayed home for dinner. While Mia clung to him, Miranda kept her distance. After dinner, around 8:30 p.m., she took a shower. When she came out and couldn’t find Mia, she followed the sound of her voice to Felix’s room.

She was just about to push the door open when she heard Mia’s cheerful voice.

“Aunt Xena, did you already leave the country?”

“Yeah, I just arrived today. I really wish you could’ve come with me!”

“We’ll see each other soon! Daddy said he’s bringing me to visit you in a few days!”

“Then I’ll get your gifts ready—lots of pretty Christmas dresses!”

“I want lots of princess dresses. And a shiny crown too!”

“Of course. I’ll prepare everything in advance. I even ordered your favorite whipped cream cake.”

Xena’s doting voice floated through the door.

Miranda stood frozen behind it, listening silently until the call ended.

“Alright, we’ll talk soon,” Felix said.

“I’ll be waiting!” Xena replied.

“Bye, Mia! Love you!” she added in fluent Danesian.

“I love you too!” Mia echoed in sweet, perfect Danesian.

The closeness in their exchange hit Miranda like a blade to the chest. She could barely breathe.

She opened the door with a composed smile.

“Mia.”

“Mommy! Daddy and I are going on a trip soon. Do you want to come too?” Mia looked up earnestly, eyes full of hope.

In her heart, she simply wanted everyone who loved her to be there with her.

“Mia, can Mommy talk to Daddy for a bit? Why don’t you go play in the toy room?” Miranda gently stroked her daughter’s hair.

Mia nodded obediently. “Okay!”

As she ran out, Mrs. Young called from the hallway, “Mia, I’ve cut up some fruit—come have a snack!”

Miranda quietly closed the door behind her.

Under the chandelier, Felix lounged on the sofa, his tie already loosened and shirt unbuttoned halfway down. A faint smear of strawberry jam—probably from dinner with Mia—still clung to his shirt.

“We need to talk,” Miranda said, breaking the silence.

Felix looked up. It was clear he had been waiting for her to say something.

“I don’t think you should take Mia abroad this time,” she said. “If you want to visit your mother and grandmother for Christmas, that’s fine. But I want Mia to stay here with me.”

“They haven’t seen her in a while. It’s only ten days,” Felix replied, his tone flat.

Miranda’s chest rose and fell. She met his eyes.

“You could come too,” he offered.

She clenched her fists. Her voice sharpened. “I could. But can you promise me that woman will stay away from my daughter?”

Felix tugged at his already-loosened tie—his usual tell when he was getting impatient.

“Xena doesn’t mean any harm,” he muttered. “You don’t need to be so on edge.”

Miranda’s body trembled.

“Fine,” she said. “I’ll go. But I don’t care what’s going on between you and Xena. Just keep her away from my daughter.”

Felix’s mother and grandmother had lived overseas for years. The last time Felix visited them was back in August. She couldn’t stop him from visiting his family, so she had no choice but to accompany them.

Suppressing her anger, Miranda returned to the bedroom. Just then, her phone rang.

She paused at the foreign number flashing on the screen, then picked up. “Hello?”

A warm male voice came through. “Mira, have you made up your mind? Will you join the program?”

Miranda immediately recognized the caller. “I’m sorry, James. There’s something more important I need to do.”

“I looked into your marriage. Your husband’s cheating, and your daughter’s not close to you. You could walk away from that and return to science. With your talent, you’d make real breakthroughs.”

Miranda gave a grateful nod. “Thank you, James. I appreciate your kindness, but I have my own plans.”

“You’re trying to win your husband back?” he asked with a soft sigh.

“No,” she replied calmly. “I just want to be there for my daughter.”

“Alright. I believe we’ll meet again.”

“I’m sure we will,” Miranda said with a smile, the name James echoing softly in her heart.

James Moore had once worked alongside her father. Over the years, he had looked after her like a big brother.

Now, she had made up her mind. No matter what, she would rebuild her relationship with her daughter. There was no way she would let her live under the same roof as a woman like Xena.

That night, she gently told Mia that she would be going abroad with her.

Mia’s eyes lit up as she threw her arms around Miranda’s neck, excitedly sharing the fun things she wanted to do overseas. As Miranda listened, she thought about how, in trying to save her marriage, she had neglected the most important person of all—her daughter.

She had been neglecting Mia all along.

“Baby, Mommy loves you.”

“I love you too, Mommy,” came Mia’s soft, sweet voice, followed by a warm kiss on the cheek.

“You’ll always be the best mommy in the world. I never want to leave you—ever,” Mia said, cupping Miranda’s face in the soft glow of the bedroom light.

Miranda held her close and kissed the top of her little head. “Mommy loves you too. Always.”

*

On Monday, the family headed to the airport.

Eighteen hours later, they arrived in Danesia. Felix’s assistant, Gavin York, pushed the luggage cart while Miranda carried her bag. Mia, who had slept most of the flight, was still curled up in Felix’s arms, wrapped securely in his coat.

They exited the airport and climbed into a warm business-class van. Felix adjusted Mia’s position in his arms, his deep gaze falling gently on her sleeping face. He gently brushed a stray hair from her brow.

The three-car convoy sped through the stormy night. As Miranda looked out at the unfamiliar cityscape, a quiet weight settled over her chest.

Soon, she would have to face her mother-in-law, Susan Quinn, and her sister-in-law, Sienna Gibson.

Eight years ago, when Felix was twenty, he got into a serious car accident and fell into a coma. He was rushed to the hospital where her father worked. The moment she heard the news, Miranda took a leave from school and went straight to the hospital to care for him.

At the time, Susan was overwhelmed with grief and didn’t object to Miranda staying.

Miranda looked after him day and night, taking over the nurses’ duties without complaint. For an entire year, she stayed by his side. When Felix finally woke up, Miranda couldn’t suppress her feelings any longer. She confessed her love and said she wanted to marry him.

But she hadn’t expected Susan to overhear the confession. The very next day, Susan pulled her aside and offered her one hundred million dollars to leave her son.

Miranda struggled with the decision. She was packing her things to return to school when Felix appeared at the door. He looked thin and tired, but his eyes were bright and steady.

“Let’s get married,” he said.

Miranda still remembered that moment. His voice was calm, his expression unreadable, but there had been something resolute in his eyes.

On their wedding day, her father’s assistant quietly told her the truth. It was her father who had given Felix the footage of her caring for him in the hospital for a whole year. That was why Felix married her. It was not for love, but out of gratitude.

Back then, she had believed that if she just loved him enough, one day he would love her back. Looking back now, she realized how naive her nineteen-year-old self had been.

After nearly an hour’s drive, the convoy pulled into an upscale neighborhood in Danesia. The cars finally stopped in front of a grand, brightly lit estate.

The housekeepers were already waiting by the door. Miranda got out first, holding her bag. She turned to see Felix stepping down with their daughter held securely in his arms.

Mia, still groggy from the flight, nestled sleepily against his shoulder, her messy hair and flushed cheeks making her look all the more adorable.

“Daddy, are we at Grandma’s house?” Mia asked with a yawn.

Just then, a regal figure descended the stairs from the second floor. Her voice rang out with delight, “Is that my granddaughter? Grandma’s here!”

But when her eyes landed on Miranda, who stood quietly with her bag, a faint trace of displeasure flashed in her gaze.

“Hi, Mom. It’s been a while,” Miranda greeted politely.

“Oh my sweet Mia! You’ve gotten taller again. Come give Grandma a hug!” Susan said joyfully, scooping the child into her arms.

She gently patted Mia’s plump little frame. “Daddy’s taking good care of you—look how chubby you’ve gotten.”

Felix, however, reached over and took Mia back into his arms. Susan didn’t protest, knowing her son was concerned about her health.

Then she turned to the housekeeper and instructed, “Go prepare a guest room for the guest.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the housekeeper responded.

Miranda’s heart sank. That line wasn’t for the housekeeper. It was for her. A reminder that her presence hadn’t been part of the original plan. Otherwise, her room would have already been prepared.

“I’m hungry, Grandma! I want something to eat. Hey, where’s Aunt Sienna?” Mia asked, acting as if she were completely at home.

“Alright, I will have the maid fix something for you,” Susan said warmly. “Your aunt went skiing abroad with some friends. She won’t be back until New Year’s.”

Miranda let out a quiet breath. Sienna didn’t like her either. Honestly, she was relieved she didn’t have to see her.

Just then, Felix’s phone rang. Miranda glanced over and saw him glance at the screen before stepping outside to take the call.