Chapter 1

Twenty-five years of being overlooked as a wife and dismissed as a mother.

My husband Steven prefers my best friend Liliana, and my son Terry and grandson Roy treat me like a maid. 

I thought I could endure this life forever, but when Steven gave my dream trip to Liliana, I couldn't take it anymore. 

I decided to leave and stop wanting their love.

...

Today is September 15th. My twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.

I woke up at six like always, slipped out of bed without waking Steven, and went downstairs to start the coffee. While it brewed, I wiped down the counters, swept the kitchen floor, and started a load of laundry.

Everything felt exactly like every other morning. Steven hadn't said anything last night. Hadn't mentioned it this morning either before he left for his early meeting. But that was fine. We were in our forties now. Maybe anniversary celebrations were just something you grew out of.

I picked up Roy's toys from the living room floor, and that's when I saw it.

A gift box sat in the middle of the coffee table, wrapped in beautiful paper with a silk ribbon. My heart kicked in my chest. I put down the toys and just stared at it for a second, almost afraid to touch it.

He remembered.

My hands were shaking as I carefully untied the ribbon and peeled back the wrapping paper. Inside was a slip dress, deep blue, the kind of fabric that slides through your fingers like water.

He actually remembered.

After all these years, after all the forgotten anniversaries and broken promises, Steven had gotten me a gift.

I grabbed the dress and practically ran to the bedroom. It felt expensive, real quality. When I pulled it on, it fit perfectly, like it was made for me. I turned in front of the mirror and watched the fabric move, and for just a second I saw the woman I used to be, the one from twenty-five years ago.

"Twenty-five years," I whispered to my reflection. "After the first year, we never celebrated another anniversary. But this year he remembered!"

The front door opened downstairs.

"Steven!" I ran out of the bedroom, my heart pounding. "Thank you—"

He was standing in the doorway, and the color drained from his face before rushing back in an angry flush.

"What the hell are you doing? Why are you wearing that dress?"

I stopped cold. "I found it on the table. I thought—"

"That's for Liliana!" He came toward me, his whole body rigid with fury. "It's her birthday today! You can't just put on someone else's gift!"

Everything went sideways. "But today is our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary..."

Steven laughed, this awful bitter sound. "Anniversary? Ainsley, we're in our forties. Are you seriously still hung up on this stuff like some teenager?"

I felt like he'd punched me in the stomach. I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly aware of how stupid I looked in this dress. This dress that was never supposed to be mine.

"Take it off right now," he said, his voice flat and cold. "Then go buy an identical one to replace it. Liliana's a neat freak. She won't wear anything you've worn. And if you can't find one, get out of this house."

My throat was so tight I could barely breathe. "You promised me something twenty-five years ago. You said we'd go to Iceland for our honeymoon, that you'd take me to get proper wedding photos. But I got pregnant, and you said we'd go when the baby was bigger. You've said 'next year' every single year since then..."