My daughter tried to kill me. Six years ago, I became a surrogate mother, bearing my bestie, Rose’s, child in my womb even though it could risk my life just because she was a model and a sudden pregnancy could risk her career.

At the time I gave birth to her daughter, she ran away, leaving me all alone with her husband, Liam, and a newly born baby, Lily.

Liam and I got married only to raise Lily together. Ever since that day, I had been raising Lily as my own daughter even though I was treated as a nanny and a cook by my husband, and nothing else.

But, last night on her sixth birthday, I accidentally broke Rose’s photo frame hanging in the main hall.

Lily pushed me on the broken glass, saying, “You broke it intentionally. You don't want my mother to come back and reunite with Dad.”

“You vicious bitch, you should die! You should go to hell and make amends to my mother!”

“Disgusting bitch, if you hadn't seduced my father and killed my mother, how could you have become my stepmother!

Go to hell!”

“I’ll kill you if you don't leave my Dad alone.” She added, her eyes turning red in anger.

The girl I raised for six years suddenly turned against me and began treating me as a homewrecker.

I was into the marriage just for her. If she didn't want me anymore, what's the use of staying there?

I finally decided to leave.

***

“Are you sure you want to leave, Emily?” Mrs. Wane asked on the phone, “Lily is still a child and a girl. Liam would not be able to raise her alone. Can you not stay a little longer?”

A lump was formed in my throat as I replied, “My contract is over, Mrs. Wane. I was asked to take care of Lily for six years and I have fulfilled that period. Now, I’m done with this job.”

“A job…?” Mrs. Wane whispered before she added,

“I never thought you would take it as a job. I have seen you concerned about her like a mother. Even her mother could not have raised her with the love and care you showed for her.”

My throat turned soar as I replied, “I was just doing my job, Mrs. Wright.”

“Fine.” She sighed, “I’ll send you the documents to sign. After you sign the papers, your marriage with Liam will be nullified and… you will be free from Lily’s responsibility.”

As I hung up the call, I burst into tears. I had never taken Lily as a responsibility or raising her a job. She was a daughter to me, the closest person to my heart.

I had never thought of leaving Lily even though I had signed the contract for six years after Rose ran away.

But, I could not forget what happened last night. The memory of last night was still fresh in my mind and was terrifying me.

Just because Rose’s photo frame slipped from my hands when I was bringing it to the hall so that Lily could feel the presence of her Mom at the time of cake cutting, she blurted out so many harsh words to me.

She pushed me on the broken glass and watched me in satisfaction when the sharp pieces of glass scratched my legs and arms, causing me to bleed.

“You deserve to die! You are a whore who slept my father, causing my Mom a huge shock.”

“She was deeply hurt because of your affair with my father and decided to leave.”

“If you hadn't arrived in our lives, my Mom would still be here.”

“You are a bitch! Just get the hell out of our lives. I don't want to see you here.” She yelled, “Leave me and my Dad alone.”

I sighed remembering the horrible day of my life. As I turned to pack my luggage, I found Lily glaring at me with a pair of infuriating eyes.

“So, you finally said the truth, don’t you? You have been waiting all these years to leave me. It must be hard for you to put on a mask of loving mother, wasn't it?” She sneered at me.

“Lily…” I whispered, “I didn't mean…”

Before I could complete my sentence she added, “It's good! Now I don't have to put on an act of loving you and calling you Mommy as well. Get the hell out of here before I get someone kicking you out.”

With that cold threat, she turned to leave. I, on the other hand, dragged myself out of the kitchen, and went straight to my room.

I packed my luggage while waiting for the documents Mrs. Wright was about to send.

In the past six years, I stayed in this home, cooked for Lily and Liam, took care of all their preferences, their health and well being.

But, what I got in response was a curse from my daughter and a cold smirk from my husband who didn't hesitate bedding me whenever he missed his ex wife and having the audacity to say, “You are nothing like her…”

As I finished packing, I heard a knock on the door. It was Liam who hadn't visited his home for the past two days, completely forgetting that he was supposed to bring the birthday cake for Lily’s birthday party.

He walked slowly as I came near me, saying in a tired voice, “Sorry, I couldn't come last night. I was busy.”

“It was your daughter’s birthday, Liam.” I said, my voice neutral.

“I know. But, I also know why we got married in the first place.” He said lazily, “I know you would have taken care of all things perfectly.”

“You are right. I was brought here to take care of Lily and keep her happy. That's what I’m supposed to do every time.” I muttered, my voice filled with self mockery.

Only now did Liam raise his head from his phone to look at me. But, the next second he added, his voice filled with irritation, “Don't start throwing tantrums again. You aren't as old as Lily, and I’m already very tired, Emily. You know I didn't mean that.”

I did not say anything on this. Instead, I walked closer to the door, intending to leave him alone in the room. But, before I could reach the door, he grabbed my hand and pulled me in his arms, saying softly,

“I’m sorry, Emily. I shouldn't have said that. Lately, I have been ignoring you. You must be feeling neglected.”

“It’s because I have been hearing news about Lily's mother these days and I want to find her so…” he paused, realizing saying too much might hurt my feelings. .

He then smiled as he stroked my hair, saying in a passionate voice, “Let’s forget about everything else.Tonight, I'm all yours, Emily. You have been working hard in raising Lily. Take it as your reward.”

With that, he began unbuttoning his shirt as he assumed he was doing a favour on me by bedding with me for a night.

I laughed at his overconfident thoughts inside as I got up from his lap. While looking at him with a pair of distant eyes, I said,

“Save it for someone else, Liam. I’m not your wife anymore.”

He narrowed his eyes before asking in a confused voice, “What do you mean?”

“The time period of our contract marriage is getting over tonight, Liam. Starting from tomorrow, I’ll no longer be your wife.” I said, my voice firm.

But, Liam only stared at me in a daze for a moment before he buttoned up his shirt and got up angrily, saying, “I thought you are mature than this, Emily.”

“I said I was busy. That's why I missed the birthday party. I didn't expect you to throw a tantrum on a small matter like this.” he groaned in anger.

“It's not about you, Liam.” I yelled, “We got married so that I could give a mother's love to Lily. But, she didn't want me anymore. She thinks I’m the reason her mother ran away.”

“If she doesn't want me around her, what's the point of me staying here?” I asked.

But, Liam only chewed his lower lips as he smirked, “So, Lily said something to you and you put on all this drama just to turn me against my daughter, right?”

I was taken aback by Liam's response. I never expected him to think I was a cunning step mother who would scheme against her step daughter by snitching about her.

“You know I love her like my own daughter, Liam. How dare you doubt my love for her?” I asked angrily. I could tolerate anything but an accusation on my love for Lily.

“Then why are you leaving her? If you love her, stay here and raise her like her mother. Stop throwing tantrums on me. I have other things to handle as well.” He said coldly.

“I’m leaving because your daughter has threatened me, Liam. She prays to God that I die. She curses me everytime she sees me. She keeps finding ways to hurt me. How do you think I can stay here, let alone raise her?”

I asked as I told him what happened at her birthday banquet. Liam sighed as he rubbed the space between his brows before he yelled coldly,

“Lily… Come here.”

Lily immediately walked in.

“You hurt your mother last night. Apologize to her” Liam said before yelling, “Now!”

“She is not my mother.” Lily shouted, “I’m not going to apologize for what I said to her. I want her to die!”

After throwing out these words, Lily ran out of the room. I smiled ironically as I said, “What do you think about it, Liam?”

“Lily is just a child, Emily. She must have heard something from someone and started reacting like this.”

“You can't blame Lily for her misbehavior. You have been raising her for the past six years. If she behaves like this, it means you failed to teach her properly. It's your failure, Emily.”

With that he grabbed his phone and walked out after throwing out these words.

“You have already ruined my mood. I’m going to spend the night with Sophie. You take care of Lily. She is angry. Don't let her sleep hungry.”

How can I forget Sophie? She was the lady who slowly destroyed everything I built in these past six years.

Sophie was Rose’s sister. When Rose ran away, she tried to grab the opportunity and marry Liam, the sole heir of the Wane family.

But, Liam’s mother, Mrs Wane, chose me over her. Ever since that day, she had been secretly manipulating Lily, making her believe I was the reason Rose left her and her Dad.

And, it seemed like she finally succeeded.

Lily was not like this before. She used to call me Mommy, and ran after me the whole day. Her whole world revolved around me and mine around her.

It was also the reason Liam and I never discussed the contract and silently accepted this family, just for Lily’s sake.

But now, everything has changed. Lily hates me. Liam, who always saw me as a bed warmer, thinks I’m getting irritated day by day.

There wasn't any string holding me back to the Wanes’ mansion.

I watched the wall clock. It was 8’ o clock. It was Lily’s dinner time.

Even though I was having a tough time and planning to leave, I could not tolerate seeing Lily sleep hungry. I shook my head to get rid of all thoughts as I rushed to the Kitchen, to cook for Lily.

As soon as I entered the kitchen, my gaze met Lily’s cold eyes. She was standing right before my eyes, holding a hot pan in her hands.

As soon as she saw me, she burst out angrily, “Have you done snitching about me to Dad? If you are done, then cook for me. My Dad doesn't pay you for nothing.”

Her last sentence echoed in my head for a long while. However, I didn't want to waste my time arguing with her. I knew she was hungry and that she didn't eat anything else other than what I cooked for her.

So, I hurriedly made something for her and served her dinner. She sat on the dining table as she dug in. Not long after she threw up, saying, “Day by day, You are getting worse at cooking.”

“Mommy, you are the best!”

“The food you cook is all amazing, Mommy.”

“No one understands me the way you do, Mommy.”

“Will you please cook for me the rest of my life?”

“Mommy, will you teach me how to cook when I grow up?”

Suddenly these words echoed in my head that she had been telling me all these years. Now, suddenly she doesn't like the food I cook.

I held my tears back as I replied in a low voice, “Don't worry, you don't have to eat these dishes any longer. Your new Mommy will cook you tasty dishes.”

Lily remained silent for a long while before she smiled, her smile so innocent and cheerful as she said, “That's great! I don't have to tolerate your face any longer.”

“After you are kicked out from this house, maybe my Mom will come back.” She added.

A lump was formed in my throat seeing how happy she sounded by the news of my departure. Just when I felt hopeless, Lily added,

“Since it's your last day at our home, I want to do something for you.”

I was surprised at her enthusiasm as she rushed to the kitchen and came back with a bowl of ice-cream.

She put the bowl on the dining table and said, “It's your favourite ice cream, isn't it?”

“Yeah…” I muttered while staring at the bowl of ice-cream. I couldn't help feeling amazed that my daughter still remembered what I liked even though she hated me.

“Take it.” She said, “It's for you.”

I was taken aback, and was only staring at her in a daze. Whereas she looked at me with a pair of cold eyes, saying, “If you don't want to eat it, it's okay. I’ll give it to Aunty Sophie. She will love it.”

With that, she raised her hands to grab the bowl. But, I held it first, saying excitedly, “I’ll eat it. Since you have made it for me, it's going to be my all time favorite ice-cream.”

She didn't smile or show any emotions on her face. Instead she watched me taking the bowl and taking bite after bite, a cold mirthless smirk on her face that I wasn't going to forget any time soon.

I felt the taste of the ice-cream bitter, not knowing if it was about the taste or the cold expression Lily was putting on.

But still, I finished the whole bowl of ice-cream thinking it was the first thing my daughter did for me. After I finished the whole bowl of ice-cream, Lily looked at me with a pair of curious eyes and asked,

“Did you like it?”

“I loved it, Lily.” I said. She only grinned in her response before replying,

“That's great! After all, it's going to be the last thing you eat.”

I frowned, wondering what she meant. Meanwhile she added,

“I mixed the rat poison in it. You are going to die in a few minutes, Emily, and I’m going to celebrate this day every year as my freedom.”

Lily's words left me speechless, and before I could react to it I spit a mouthful of blood, making me feel miserable.