Chapter 4: The Perfect Family Begins to Crack

A week passed after Lily left the Lennon residence.

For the first time in ten years, she no longer woke before sunrise to prepare breakfast for people who barely acknowledged her existence.

Instead, she started every morning with a walk through the nearby botanical garden.

The fresh air cleared her mind little by little.

She had spent so many years living for everyone else that she had forgotten what it felt like to simply exist for herself.

Although the pain hadn't disappeared completely, it no longer consumed every waking moment.

Meanwhile, life inside the Lennon household had become strangely chaotic.

Mark stood inside the kitchen staring helplessly at the stove.

"Anthony!" he called.

"Breakfast is ready."

The ten-year-old walked downstairs before wrinkling his nose.

"Dad... this toast is burned."

"And the eggs are raw."

Mark looked down awkwardly.

"We'll order something instead."

"Again?"

Anthony sighed.

"We've eaten takeout every day this week."

Mark frowned.

"What's wrong with takeout?"

"Mom always made breakfast."

The words escaped Anthony before he could stop himself.

The kitchen suddenly fell silent.

Neither of them spoke for several seconds.

Finally, Mark grabbed his car keys.

"Let's go."

"We'll eat on the way to school."

As they drove away, dirty dishes remained piled inside the sink.

Laundry baskets overflowed in the hallway.

Even Anthony's school uniform hadn't been ironed.

These had once been problems Mark never noticed because Lily quietly handled them every single day.

Now they confronted him everywhere he looked.

After dropping Anthony at school, Mark headed straight to Sophie's apartment.

She welcomed him warmly.

"You look exhausted," she observed.

"Rough morning?"

Mark rubbed his temples.

"Nothing seems organized anymore."

"The house is a mess."

"Anthony keeps complaining."

"I don't even know where Lily kept half the things in that house."

Sophie smiled sympathetically.

"You're under a lot of pressure."

"Maybe I should help."

"Help?"

"I could stop by after work."

"Cook dinner."

"Clean up a little."

"Anthony already enjoys spending time with Tammy and me anyway."

Mark hesitated.

"Wouldn't that trouble you?"

"Of course not."

"You've done so much for me over the years."

"It's the least I can do."

Mark finally nodded.

"Thank you."

Sophie's smile deepened.

Everything was unfolding exactly as she had hoped.

Later that afternoon, Lily met Emma Collins again.

"I have an update," Emma said.

"The witness request is being processed."

"It may still take another week."

"That's alright," Lily replied calmly.

"I've waited ten years already."

"Another week won't matter."

Emma studied her client carefully.

"You've changed."

"A week ago you looked like someone carrying the entire world on her shoulders."

"Today..."

"You seem lighter."

Lily smiled faintly.

"Because I finally stopped carrying people who never intended to walk beside me."

"I spent years believing if I loved them enough, everything would return to normal."

"Now I understand something."

"Love cannot survive where only one person is trying."

Emma nodded approvingly.

"Exactly."

"No relationship should require one person to disappear so another can be comfortable."

That evening, Lily visited a nearby bookstore.

While browsing the shelves, she unexpectedly ran into an old college classmate.

"Lily?"

"Is that really you?"

She turned around in surprise.

"Grace?"

The two women hugged warmly.

"It's been years!" Grace laughed.

"How have you been?"

Lily hesitated.

"I'm... starting over."

Grace looked confused.

"Starting over?"

"I left my husband."

Grace's eyes widened.

"Mark?"

"What happened?"

For the first time, Lily briefly explained everything.

Grace listened without interrupting.

When Lily finished, Grace shook her head slowly.

"I always thought something felt strange."

"What do you mean?"

"Every time I saw Mark and Sophie together..."

"They acted more like a married couple than friends."

"I assumed you were alright with it."

Lily forced a bitter smile.

"I convinced myself I had to be."

"Otherwise everyone called me selfish."

Grace reached across the table and gently squeezed Lily's hand.

"You deserve so much better."

"Don't let anyone convince you otherwise."

Those simple words touched Lily more deeply than Grace realized.

Meanwhile, Sophie's evening visit to the Lennon residence began perfectly.

She prepared dinner.

She laughed with Anthony while helping him finish homework.

She even folded laundry before Mark returned home.

"Wow," Mark said as he entered the dining room.

"Everything smells amazing."

"Just a simple meal," Sophie replied modestly.

"I remembered Anthony likes braised chicken."

Anthony grinned.

"It's delicious!"

"Thanks, Aunt Sophie!"

For a brief moment, everything appeared peaceful.

Until Tammy accidentally spilled juice across the table.

"Tammy!" Sophie snapped sharply.

"Look what you've done!"

The little girl immediately lowered her head.

"I'm sorry, Mom..."

"Sorry won't clean this mess!"

"Go to your room!"

Tammy's eyes filled with tears as she hurried upstairs.

Anthony stared in surprise.

He had never seen Sophie lose her temper before.

"She's just a child," Mark said gently.

"You didn't have to yell."

Sophie quickly realized her mistake.

She lowered her head apologetically.

"I'm sorry."

"I've been under a lot of stress lately."

"Please don't misunderstand."

Mark sighed.

"It's alright."

"Everyone has bad days."

But something inside him felt slightly unsettled.

Whenever Anthony made mistakes, Lily never shouted.

She patiently cleaned everything before gently explaining what he'd done wrong.

Why had he never appreciated that?

After dinner, Anthony quietly knocked on Tammy's bedroom door.

"Can I come in?"

Tammy nodded.

"Does your mom always get angry like that?" he asked.

Tammy looked down at the floor.

"Sometimes."

"Especially when people aren't watching."

"But..."

"She says I must never tell anyone."

Anthony frowned.

"Why?"

"Because everyone thinks she's nice."

"She doesn't want them changing their minds."

Anthony didn't know how to respond.

The cheerful image of Aunt Sophie suddenly felt a little different.

Across town, Lily returned to the hotel carrying several books she had purchased.

As she entered the lobby, the receptionist smiled warmly.

"Mrs. Harper?"

Lily looked confused.

"I'm sorry?"

"Oh!" the receptionist laughed awkwardly.

"I mixed up the room numbers."

"My apologies, Mrs. Lennon."

Lily smiled politely.

"Actually..."

"Soon that won't be my name anymore."

The receptionist looked embarrassed.

"I'm sorry."

"No need."

Lily answered softly.

"Sometimes letting go of a name is the first step toward finding yourself again."

Later that night, she opened one of the books while sipping tea beside the window.

Her phone buzzed.

This time it wasn't Mark.

It was an unfamiliar number.

"Hello?"

"Mrs. Lennon?"

"My name is Daniel Cross."

Lily's entire body stiffened.

Daniel Cross.

The former suspect Emma had mentioned.

"Your lawyer gave me your number," he continued.

"I think..."

"It's finally time someone heard what really happened ten years ago."

Lily slowly stood from her chair.

Her heartbeat echoed loudly in her ears.

"When can we meet?"

"Tomorrow afternoon."

"There's something I've kept hidden for far too long."

After ending the call, Lily remained standing beside the window.

Outside, city lights shimmered beneath the night sky.

Tomorrow...

She might finally hear the truth that had stolen an entire decade of her life.

And somewhere across the city, without realizing it...

The perfect family everyone admired had already begun falling apart.