Chapter 1: The Nanny

The day of my daughter Laura's fifth birthday was also my seventh wedding anniversary with James Frost.

I had spent the entire day preparing his favorite dishes, decorating the living room with colorful balloons, and carefully placing a princess-themed birthday cake in the center of the dining table.

Early that morning, before James left for work, I had quietly asked him to come home early.

"Please don't forget Laura's birthday," I had said with a hopeful smile.

He simply nodded before walking away.

That single nod was enough to keep me waiting all day.

By nine o'clock that evening, the food had already turned cold.

The candles on the cake had been replaced twice because they had melted while we waited.

Laura sat quietly beside me, her little eyes fixed on the unopened cake.

"Mom," she asked softly, "is Dad still working?"

I forced a smile despite the ache in my chest.

"Yes, sweetheart. Dad must be busy."

"Let's wait a little longer."

She obediently nodded, although her tiny stomach growled loudly.

Unable to bear seeing her hungry any longer, I stood up.

"How about we eat first? We can celebrate with Dad later."

Just as I finished speaking, the sound of the front door unlocking echoed through the house.

"Dad!" Laura shouted happily as she ran toward the entrance.

Relief washed over me.

Maybe I had misunderstood him.

Maybe he had remembered after all.

But the moment I looked up, my entire world collapsed.

James walked inside carrying a little girl dressed in a pink princess dress.

She couldn't have been older than six.

She clung comfortably around his neck as though she belonged there.

It was a sight I had never witnessed before.

In five years...

James had never carried Laura like that.

Not even once.

The little girl looked around curiously before pointing directly at me.

"Dad," she asked innocently, "who is she?"

Time seemed to stop.

I looked at James, desperately waiting for him to explain.

Instead, his expression softened as he gently stroked the girl's hair.

"Baby," he said kindly,

"She's the nanny I've hired to take care of you."

My breathing stopped.

The words struck harder than any slap ever could.

A nanny.

After seven years as his wife...

After giving birth to his daughter...

After caring for his parents, his home, and every member of the Frost family...

I had become nothing more than a nanny.

"Mom..."

Laura quietly ran back and hugged my leg.

I gently held her trembling little body while forcing myself to stay calm.

Inside, my heart had already shattered.

When I became pregnant years ago, James had wanted me to terminate the pregnancy.

I refused.

I believed that once our child was born, he would eventually open his heart.

I had been foolish.

He never hated children.

He simply hated the child I gave birth to.

Looking at the little girl in his arms, I finally understood everything.

James wasn't incapable of being a loving father.

He had simply never wanted to be one for Laura.

I swallowed the lump in my throat before taking a respectful step forward.

Then I bowed politely.

"Mr. Frost," I said calmly.

"Please pay me for the work I've done during the past seven years."

James frowned.

"Didn't I just transfer money to your account last week?"

"That was money for your wife and daughter," I replied.

"What I'm asking for now is payment for taking care of the Frost family as your nanny."

He stared at me for several seconds before taking out his phone.

A notification appeared almost instantly.

Twenty thousand dollars.

"Is that enough?" he asked coldly.

I looked at the amount before smiling bitterly.

Seven years.

Twenty thousand dollars.

Apparently that was the price of my youth.

Before I could respond, the little girl frowned.

"Dad, I don't like this nanny," she complained.

"Fire her."

I slowly looked into her eyes.

For some reason, they seemed strangely familiar.

"How unfortunate," I answered calmly.

"I don't like you either."

"Ask your father to pay everything he owes me, and I'll gladly leave."

"Catherine!" James shouted.

"She's only a child! Why are you arguing with her?"

"Because I want to."

"Just because I love you doesn't mean I'll love everyone connected to you."

"Especially not the daughter you brought into my home."

The little girl immediately burst into tears.

"Dad!" she cried.

"She called me an illegitimate daughter!"

James's face darkened instantly.

"Enough!"

"Apologize to Brenda right now!"

I laughed quietly.

For seven years, I had apologized countless times.

For loving him.

For marrying him.

For giving birth to Laura.

For simply existing.

But not today.

"I'm sorry," I said while meeting Brenda's frightened eyes.

"This house belongs to Laura and me."

"If anyone should leave..."

"It's the two of you."

Silence filled the living room.

James stared at me as though seeing me for the very first time.

What he didn't know...

Was that this wasn't simply an argument.

It was the beginning of the end.

Because only three days earlier...

My doctor had told me I didn't have much time left to live.