My Daughter Called Her Mommy… Not Me

I was dying of brain cancer.

Before it takes me completely, I brought my daughter out to celebrate her seventh birthday.

I planned everything myself. No assistants. No secretaries. Just me.

In the morning, Nana and I brought wrapped toys to the childrens wing. Plush dolphins. Coloring sets. Mermaid dolls with glittery tails. She handed each one over like it mattered. I watched her kneel beside hospital beds. Seven years old and already kinder than the world deserved.

At night, I told her we had one more stop. A charity gala. A place where people with too much money pretended they had hearts.

As the wife of Gusion Colombo, one of the richest men in the country, doors opened easily. Valets bowed. Cameras flashed. Volunteers thanked me like I was still someone of value.

No one knew I was dying.

Stage four brain cancer does not announce itself. It steals quietly. My balance. My words. My memories. Some mornings, I forgot Nanas birthmark behind her ear and cried in the bathroom until it came back to me.

I never told Gusion.

He hated weakness.

Stop throwing money at doctors, he said once, eyes never leaving his phone. Youre fine! You just like attention.

I smiled then. Like a good wife.

That night, the hospital ballroom was washed in white light. Glass chandeliers. Ivory tablecloths. A banner across the stage read:

**FOR THE CHILDREN. FOR THE FUTURE.**

Nana squeezed my hand. Mommy, why are there so many sad kids here?

Because theyre brave, I said. My head throbbed. My vision swam. Just like you.

She beamed.

Then she froze.

Her fingers dug into my palm.

Mommy, she whispered. Daddys here.

My stomach dropped.

He told me he had meetings. He told Nana he would call later. He said he was too busy saving the world.

I followed her gaze.

Gusion stood on stage, tall and immaculate in a tailored suit, a microphone in his hand. The crowd applauded as he spoke about compassion. About family. About hope.

Hope.

He talked about children fighting for their lives. About standing by the people you love. About choosing courage when things get hard.

Each word landed like a slap.

Then he smiled.

The smile I hadnt seen in years.

Tonight, he said, voice warm, practiced, this cause means even more to me. Because love is also about choosing someone. Publicly. Fearlessly.

My ears rang.

A velvet box appeared in his hand.

Gasps rippled through the room.

Hanabi stepped onto the stage.

My parents adopted daughter. The girl who called me big sister. The one who cried in my arms when men hurt her. The one who said, Brother-in-law is family. Dont be weird.

She wore white.

Of course she did.

Gusion dropped to one knee.

Right there. In a hospital filled with dying children. In front of donors and doctors and cameras. In front of my daughter.

Will you marry me? he asked softly. Please say yes, baby.

Hanabi covered her mouth, tears spilling. She nodded again and again. Yes. Yes, I will. I love you.

Applause thundered.

My parents stood. Clapped. Smiled.

Phones lifted. Videos recorded. A proposal turned into a headline.

The ring slid onto her finger. A diamond so large it caught the lights and fractured them into something blinding.

Something inside my chest split open and never closed.

Nana tugged my dress, bouncing. Mommy, Daddy is proposing! Auntie Hanabi is going to be a princess! She looked up at me, confused. Is it her birthday too?

I couldnt answer.

My lungs refused to work. My vision tunneled. The room tilted like I was about to collapse right there on hospital marble.

Then my mother saw me.

Her clapping slowed. Her smile faltered.

One by one, faces turned.

Whispers crawled across the ballroom.

I stood there holding a childs hand, surrounded by sick children and false saints, while my husband pledged forever to another woman under a banner about the future.

Gusion finally turned.

Our eyes met.

There was no panic. No guilt. No shame.

Just that familiar irritation. Like I was a stain on a perfect picture. Like I had chosen the worst possible moment to exist.

Hanabi noticed me then.

Instead of shame, she looked annoyed. Like Id interrupted her moment.

Gusion let out a long breath and crossed his arms. Miya, he said calmly, can we not do this here?

My hands were shaking. Do what? I asked, What exactly am I doing wrong right now?

He sighed again, louder this time. Please dont turn this into a whole thing. Nanas here. People are watching.

A whole thing? I laughed, but it came out wrong. Broken. You proposed to her. In front of my family. On my childs birthday!"

He rubbed his forehead like I was giving him a headache. Youre overreacting. You always do this. Everything becomes dramatic with you.

Something inside me cracked.

I didnt even remember lifting my hand.

The sound of the slap echoed across the plaza. Sharp. Loud. Final.

For a second, everything stopped.

My palm burned, but it didnt matter. The pain inside my chest was worse. Much worse.

Gusion turned his head slowly, jaw tight. When he looked back at me, there was still no regret. Just irritation.

Wow, he said flatly. Did that make you feel better? Was that really necessary?

I stared at him, stunned. I felt like I was drowning in plain sight.

Around us, people gasped. My mothers mouth fell open. My fathers face darkened, not at Gusion, but at me.

Miya, my father said sharply, his voice carrying that familiar authority he used in boardrooms and press conferences. Enough. Dont embarrass the family!"

Embarrass the family.

Not him.

Not her.

Me.

I laughed again, but tears were already blurring my vision. So you all knew, I said quietly. All of you knew.

My mother stepped forward, smoothing her expensive coat like she was calming herself, not me. Miya, sweetheart you and Gusion havent been close for a long time. We thought this was the healthiest outcome.

The healthiest outcome? My voice cracked. You mean lying to me? Letting her sleep with my husband? Standing here clapping while he replaces me?

Gusion cut in, clearly tired. Miya, stop. This isnt helping anyone. Youre exhausting yourself.

Exhausting.

I wanted to scream.

This is my daughters birthday, I said, louder now. You didnt even call her this morning. You told me you were busy. And now youre here proposing to my parents adopted daughter like I dont exist.

Hanabi stepped closer, eyes glossy, voice soft in that fake way she perfected. Miya, please dont look at me like that. I never meant for you to find out like this.

She reached for my hand.

I pulled away instantly. Dont touch me.

Her face hardened. Why are you acting like this? she snapped. I didnt steal him. You barely noticed him anymore. You were always tired, always sick, always gone. What was he supposed to do? Sit around and wait?

My stomach twisted. So this is my fault, I whispered. I get sick, and you climb into my marriage.

She shrugged, eyes cold now. I was there for him. I listened. I supported him. Someone had to.

I laughed bitterly. You mean you waited until I was weak.

Gusion stepped between us. Enough, he said. This conversation is going nowhere.

Nowhere? I looked at him, really looked at him. You lied to me. You humiliated me. You erased me. And youre annoyed because I reacted?

Hanabi lifted her hand then, the diamond catching the sun. You should stop pretending this was ever going to last. He chose me.

Before I could speak, my mother smiled.

Miya, she said gently, Hanabi is pregnant.

The world tilted.

What? My voice barely came out.

Hanabi placed a hand on her stomach, proud. Smiling. Yes. Its Gusions. Im carrying his baby.

I couldnt breathe.

My husband.

Her child.

While I was alone in hospitals. While I was told I was dramatic. While I was slowly dying and no one cared.

My mother nodded, pleased. This is what Gusion needs. A fresh start. A proper family.

Then I felt a small tug on my sleeve.

I looked down.

Nana.

Her big eyes were filled with confusion and hope, the kind only a child can carry without knowing it hurts.

I like Auntie Hanabi, she said softly. Shes nice to Daddy. If Daddy loves her maybe its okay, Mommy. Maybe she can be my mommy too.

That was it.

That was the moment I shattered.

Everything around me went out of focus.

Hanabis little smile, like shed finally won something shed been waiting for. Gusions face, calm and empty, like this was just another meeting he needed to get through. My parents standing there saying nothing, letting it happen. And Nana my baby looking up at me with that hopeful smile, not understanding that my heart was breaking right in front of her.

I knew if I stayed one more second, I would fall apart. Or scream. Or do something I couldnt take back.

So I turned around.

I grabbed Nanas hand, tight, like she was the only solid thing left in the world.

Miya! Gusion called after me. Where are you going now?

I didnt answer.

I just walked.

My legs felt weak, like they might give out any second, but I kept moving. Nanas small hand was warm in mine. She kept looking back, confused.

I didnt stop.

...

The house felt dead when we got back.

Nana fell asleep almost the moment her head hit the pillow.

Im sorry, I whispered to her, even though she couldnt hear me. Im so sorry, baby.

I stayed there longer than I should have. Just watching her. Memorizing her face. Because everything else in my life had already been taken from me.

When I finally left her room, I didnt walk. I collapsed onto my bed like my bones had given up. The sobs came hard and ugly, shaking my whole body until there was nothing left inside me.

Gusion Colombo.

Billionaire. Tech empire king. Investor everyone worshipped.

Gusion used to chase me like I was the only thing that mattered. When my family sent me to Paris for business, he booked a flight the same night.

I cant go a whole week without you, hed said, standing in the hotel lobby with flowers, smiling like hed won something.

I laughed and called him crazy.

He pulled me close and said, Yeah. Crazy about you.

Back then, he was warm. Possessive. Proud to be mine.

We got married fast.

Our honeymoon was Sydney. A whole month of luxury and soft mornings and nights that felt endless. He promised me forever like it was a fact, not a lie. When Nana was born, he hovered over me like I might break.

Dont move, hed say. Ive got everything. Just rest. I love you more than anything.

I believed him. God help me, I really did.

Then Hanabi came home.

Shed been overseas for years studying fashion. When she returned, she was polished. Beautiful. Confident. The kind of woman people looked at twice.

Gusion noticed.

I noticed him noticing.

The way she laughed too easily around him. The way he suddenly paid attention. The way conversations stopped when I walked into the room. I told myself I was imagining it. She was my sister. He was my husband.

I didnt want to see it.

Until one night, I walked into our bedroom and found them in my bed.

Together.

I couldnt breathe.

Gusion? My voice sounded small. Weak.

Hanabi jumped up, pulling the blanket around herself. Gusion didnt even sit up properly.

Relax, he said, rubbing his face like I was annoying him. She wasnt feeling well. She fainted. I was just helping her.

And I let it go.

Because Nana was sleeping nearby.

Because I was tired.

Because I didnt want my world to end.

Now I knew how stupid that was.

They didnt just betray me once. Theyd been doing it for a long time.

I lay there staring at the ceiling, my chest tight. The worst part wasnt even the affair. It was that I still loved him.

After everything, my heart still wanted him. Still missed the man he used to be. I hated myself for it.

Then my phone rang.

Mom.

I almost didnt answer. But some weak, broken part of me still hoped. Still wanted my mother.

Hello? My voice cracked.

She sounded calm. Annoyed, even. Are you still crying? For fucking sake, Miya, this is getting ridiculous.

My breath hitched. Mom did you really just say that?

She sighed like I was exhausting her. Hanabi is younger than you! She maybe adopted but you should love her. She hasnt had a happy life. She deserves to be loved too.

And me? I whispered. What about me?! Im your daughter too. Dont I deserve anything?

There was a pause. Then my father took the phone.

Miya, he said firmly, you need to think rationally. Hanabi is sick. She has cancer. The doctors said she might only have a year left.

The words hit me hard.

What? My hands started shaking.

Shes dying, he continued. All she wanted was to marry the man she loves before its too late. Can you really be that heartless?

Heartless. What about me? I am dying too.

She loves my husband, I said softly. A-and youre telling me I should be happy about that?

Yes, my mother cut in. At least she loves someone we know. Someone respectable. Not some random man. You should be grateful.

Grateful. Wow.

My father added, Gusion will be her husband now. For Nanas sake, its best if you cooperate. Dont make this harder than it already is.

Something inside me broke clean in half. I screamed until I passed out.

I didnt say another word.

I threw the phone across the room. It hit the wall and shattered before sliding down to the floor. Then I buried my face into the pillow and screamed until my throat burned and my body shook.

I woke up to a silence that felt wrong. My head was pounding, heavy and sharp at the same time.

Then I sat up.

Nanas bed was empty.

My heart dropped straight into my stomach.

Nana? I called out, already standing, already panicking.

I ran down the hallway, checking her room again like she might magically appear. Bathroom. Living room. Kitchen.

Nana! My voice cracked.

Nothing.

My hands were shaking so badly I almost dropped my phone when I called my mother.

She picked up after a few rings, sounding perfectly awake. Perfectly calm.

Oh, she said lightly. Youre finally up.

Where is my daughter? I asked. I was barely breathing. Wheres Nana?

With us, she replied like it was obvious. Its her birthday. Of course shes with family.

My knees almost gave out. You took her? While I was asleep? Without telling me?!

She sighed, long and dramatic. Miya, you were exhausted. We didnt want to wake you up in that state.

In that state? My voice rose. You had no right! Shes my child.

Hanabi and Gusion organized something special, she continued, ignoring me. A real party. Balloons, performers, hundred of kids. Not some pathetic dolphin show. Pff! Shes smiling so much. You should be grateful someone is finally doing this properly.

My fingers dug into my palm. Give me the phone. Let me talk to her. Right now.

There was a pause. Then a soft laugh.

Dont ruin her mood, daughter, my mother said. Shes happy. For once. Don't be a killjoy like you always used to be."

Killjoy? I choked. I am here real mother! Do you even hear yourself?

Miya, she said slowly, like she was explaining something simple to a stupid person, you need to stop clinging. Gusion has moved on. He love Hanabi and Hanabi will be a better influence. Shes calmer. Healthier. She has time.

Something dark twisted in my chest. Youre saying shell replace me.

Im saying, my mother replied coldly, that maybe Nana deserves someone who isnt always pretending to be sick, crying, or causing scenes.

My vision went white.

Bring my daughter home, I said, shaking. If you dont

Enough!" she snapped. Stop being selfish.

The line went dead.

I stood there staring at my phone, my whole body trembling. I felt small. Powerless. Like I had no right to my own child.

My thumb moved on its own.

I opened Instagram. And my heart shattered all over again.

The first post was Hanabis.

A clean, glossy photo. Her hand intertwined with Gusions. The engagement ring shining right in the center.

"Fate brought us together. Love made us brave. Counting down the days until I become Mrs. Colombo."

Thousands of likes.

Hundreds of comments.

Finally! You two make so much more sense.

She looks way more suitable than his wife, sorry not sorry!

I always felt he married the wrong one.

True love wins in the end.

People I knew. People who smiled at me. People who attended my wedding.

Then I scrolled.

Another photo loaded.

I stopped breathing.

Nana.

Sitting on Gusions lap. Laughing. Her arms wrapped around Hanabis neck. Hanabi kissing her cheek. Gusion smiling like this was his real family.

Like I never existed.

A sharp pain exploded behind my eyes. My head started spinning, the pounding unbearable. I fumbled for the painkillers on the nightstand, my hands clumsy and weak. I swallowed two without water.

It didnt help.

My mouth filled with a metallic taste.

Something warm slid down my upper lip.

I wiped it without thinking.

Red.

Blood.

My chest tightened. My breathing went shallow and fast. I dialed my mother again.

No answer.

My father.

Nothing.

My hands shook as I scrolled down and pressed Gusions name. The call rang once. Twice. Then it went straight to voicemail.

I laughed, but it came out weak and ugly. Of course he wouldnt answer. Why would he?

My hands were shaking so badly I could barely press the numbers. I called 911.

H-hello My voice didnt sound like mine anymore.

911, whats your emergency? the operator asked.

I I need help, I said, trying to stay upright, my shoulder pressed to the wall. Somethings wrong. My head hurts so bad and I cant I cant

The phone slipped from my hand.

The last thing I heard was the operator calling my name over and over, her voice fading as everything went dark.

---

Bright lights burned my eyes when I woke up. A steady beeping filled the room. The smell of disinfectant made my stomach turn. I was in a hospital bed. Alone.

A nurse rushed in when she saw my eyes open. Ms. Colombo, youre awake. Thank God. How are you feeling right now?

My throat felt like sandpaper. How long how long was I out?

You were brought in late last night, she said softly. Paramedics found you unconscious at home. You had a severe migraine episode and a nosebleed. Is there anyone we should call for you? Your husband? Family?

Family.

The word hurt more than my head.

I gave a small, broken laugh. No, I said quietly. Theres no one left to call.

The nurse looked at me like she wanted to say something, then thought better of it. She just nodded.

The next morning, they discharged me. I went home alone.

The moment I stepped inside, I felt it. That heavy presence. Like the air had shifted.

He was there.

Gusion sat on the couch like he belonged there, suit perfect, phone in one hand, briefcase on the floor. He looked bored. Impatient. Like he was waiting for a meeting to start.

My chest tightened. Why are you here? I asked. My voice sounded small.

He stood up calmly, opened his briefcase, and pulled out a thick stack of papers. A pen clipped neatly on top. He held them out to me.

We need to settle this, he said. Sign these.

I stared at the papers, my hands trembling. What is this?

He didnt even hesitate. Divorce papers. Everythings already arranged. Assets, custody schedules, legal terms. I just need your signature so we can move forward.

Divorcewhat?

I looked at his face. There was nothing there. No regret. No apology. Not even discomfort.

After everything, I whispered, this is all you have to say to me?

He sighed, clearly annoyed. Miya, dont make this harder than it needs to be. This is the cleanest solution for everyone. Especially Nana.

My heart sank.

I stared at the divorce papers in Gusions hand, my whole body shaking like I might fall apart any second.

Sign it, he said again, calm and flat, like the years we spent together were just some expired contract. Like I had already been written off.

I took the papers from him. My hands were trembling so hard the pages rattled. Then I tore them in half. Once. Twice. Over and over, until they were nothing but scraps falling to the floor.

For a second, his eyes darkened. Then he smiled. Slow. Controlled.

He reached into his wallet, pulled out a black ATM card, and flicked it onto the coffee table.

Theres a million dollars on that, he said casually. Consider it your settlement. Youll be fine.

Settlement.

The word burned. Like I was some long-term employee being laid off. Like my love, my body, my years meant nothing more than a payout.

Before I even realized it, I slapped him. Hard.

The sound echoed through the room. My hand stung, but my chest hurt worse.

Gusion barely reacted. He turned his head slowly, touched his cheek, and looked at me with mild curiosity.

Do you feel better now? he chuckled.

I grabbed the card and broke it and threw it back at him. Keep it! I dont want your money. I want my life back.

He gave a small, cruel smile. That life is over, Miya. You should start accepting reality.

Then he leaned closer, his voice low and sharp. Nana already sees Hanabi as her mom now. Children adapt fast.

My blood went cold.

The kitchen door opened.

Hanabi stepped out, holding Nanas hand. They were smiling. Both of them. Like this was normal. Like this was home.

Nana was hugging a huge robot toy, shiny and expensive, the kind Gusion bought without even checking the price. Her eyes were bright as she looked up at Hanabi.

Thank you, Mommy Hanabi! Nana said happily. I love it so much!

The word hit me like a punch.

Na Nana, I whispered, barely able to breathe. Baby, Mommys here.

She looked at me, but there was no excitement. Just confusion. Distance.

Why are you upset, Mommy? You always like that! I hate it. Mommy Hanabi bought me this and played with me all day. She makes Daddy smile. Shes really nice.

Hanabi laughed softly and brushed Nanas hair back. Then she looked at me, calm and unbothered.

Miya, dont look so shocked, she said gently. Ive been the one taking care of Nana lately. Shes just responding to love.

Nana nodded seriously. Mommy Hanabi plays with me and stays with me. Youre always tired. I want us to be happy. You should sign the papers so we can be a real family.

I felt all the air leave my lungs.

Before I could say anything, Hanabi turned to Gusion and kissed him. Slow. Deep. Right in front of me.

Nana giggled. Daddy and Mommy Hanabi love each other! Yehey! I'm so happy.

I didnt move. I couldnt.

I just stood there, frozen, watching my husband kiss the girl my parents raised as my sister, while my daughter smiled like this was her new world.

It felt unreal.

But it wasnt.

This was my reality.

Gusion pulled away from Hanabi with a satisfied smile, like hed just won something. Then he looked at me, his eyes cold and almost amused, the way he used to look at people he was done with.

Be reasonable, Miya, he said, handing me another copy of the papers. Just sign it already. Theres no point dragging this out and embarrassing yourself.

Nana hugged her toy tighter and looked up at me, her little face full of urgency. Mommy, please sign it, she said softly. Daddy and Mommy Hanabi are happy. I want us to stay happy too.

Happy.

They already looked happy. Like a perfect family that had erased me without effort. It felt like being stabbed twice and told to smile about it.

My legs gave out a little as I stepped back, my vision blurring. I I need to be alone, I whispered, my voice barely holding together.

I turned and rushed into my room before anyone could stop me, slamming the door shut. The second it closed, I collapsed onto the floor, my body shaking as silent sobs tore through me.

I had lost everything. My husband. My child. My parents. I had been replaced in every role that mattered.

Why wasnt I enough? Why was I the one breaking while they got to move on and be happy? Why!

My head throbbed violently, pain mixing with the ache in my chest until I couldnt tell which one hurt more. I stayed there curled on the floor for a long time before I reached for my phone with shaking hands.

There was only one person left.

The line rang twice before a familiar voice answered. Miya?

I broke. Lancelot please, I sobbed. I need help. I cant stay here anymore.

His breath caught. What happened? Tell me everything.

Gusion, I whispered. Nana. They dont need me. They already replaced me. I dont have anything left.

Miya, he said firmly, grounding me with his voice, you still have me. And Im not letting you face this alone. Not now, not ever.

Tears streamed down my face as he continued. Come to me. Ill get you out of that house. Ill make sure you disappear if thats what you need.

Then he hesitated, his tone softening. Theres something else you need to know. I didnt want to tell you like this.

What? I asked, wiping my face.

Our hospital is starting a clinical trial, he said carefully. A new treatment for brain cancer. Its risky, but it might actually work. Its your best shot.

My whole body went still. You you knew?

I suspected, he admitted. I saw your records. I knew you were fighting this by yourself.

My chest hurt in a different way then. Not sharp. Just heavy.

Come to me, he said gently. Let me help you. With the treatment. With leaving. With everything.

I gripped the phone, my heart racing. For the first time in a long while, there was a door open in front of me.

Im coming, I said quietly. Im coming, Lancelot.

The house was silent. Not peaceful silence. The kind that screams at you.

Gusion, Hanabi, and Nana were gone. They had moved into their new mansion, the kind you see in magazines, all glass and light and promise. A place full of laughter and plans and a future that didnt include me. They left like I was already erased.

It should have destroyed me. Maybe part of me did break. But sitting alone in that empty living room, staring at the divorce papers I rewrote myself, something cold settled in my chest.

I wasnt going to fight for a marriage that was already a joke. I wasnt going to beg for a daughter who had already chosen another woman. I wasnt going to mourn parents who never chose me.

No. I was going to disappear. And one day, I would come back as someone they would never dare look down on again.

...

With Lancelots help, everything happened quietly. I finalized the divorce on my terms and took nothing from Gusion. Not a dollar. Not a share. I wanted zero ties, zero debts, zero reminders.

Then I crossed a line I could never uncross.

Through one of Lancelots medical contacts, I found someone who could help me vanish completely. An unclaimed body. A woman close to my age, my size. Someone the world had already forgotten.

I dressed her carefully in one of my favorite dresses. My hands shook as I slid my wedding ring onto her finger. Then I unclasped the necklace Gusion once gave me, the one I held onto long after love was gone.

Nana used to tug on it when she was little.

Mommy, is this magic? shed asked, wide-eyed.

No, baby, Id laughed. But Daddy gave it to me, so it matters.

Then it is magic, shed said, curling into me.

That memory almost broke me. Now she clung to Hanabi instead.

I placed the necklace around the corpses neck and stepped back. The woman on the bed was no longer a stranger. She was Miya Colombo.

That night, before everything burned, I made one last call.

It rang. Once. Twice. Three times. No answer.

I already knew why. My mother had called earlier, her voice falsely gentle.

They left for Paris this morning, she said. It was good for Hanabi's health.. You should understand.

Paris. A honeymoon for them. A family trip for my daughter. Without me.

I stopped calling and opened my messages.

To Gusion Colombo:

Thank you for teaching me how disposable I was to you. Thank you for making it easy to let go when you showed me I meant nothing. I hope Hanabi gives you the happiness you never gave me.

I added one last line.

Goodbye.

I sent it.

Then I lit the match.

I watched from the shadows as the fire swallowed the house. The memories. The pain. The woman who had begged to be loved.

Nana used to run through those halls shouting my name.

Mommy, look at me!

She used to wrap her arms around my neck and whisper, I love you.

Now she was calling someone else Mommy.

I crushed the ache down. Feelings were useless where I was going.

By the time the fire trucks arrived, it was too late. The body was unrecognizable. And just like that, Miya Colombo was dead.

The next morning, the news exploded everywhere.

...

GUSIONS POV

The jet landed smooth, exactly how my life worked when I kept emotions out of it. I adjusted my cufflinks, stepped onto the runway, and thought about how clean everything felt once Miya was out of the picture.

Paris had been perfect. Hanabi loved it, every luxury suite and private dinner, smiling like she finally belonged where money talked louder than history. She held onto my arm like shed earned the title, like being the adopted daughter of Miyas parents somehow made her untouchable now. Nana had loved it too. She called Hanabi Mommy without hesitation, laughing, happy, already rewritten.

I told myself that meant Id won.

As the car rolled into the estate, I checked my phone out of habit, already annoyed. I had missed calls from assistants, lawyers, people who usually knew better than to panic. Then I saw her name.

Miya Colombo.

I opened the message with a smirk that slowly faded.

"Thank you for teaching me how disposable I was to you. Thank you for making it clear I never mattered. Congratulations on your new family. Goodbye, Gusion."

It annoyed me more than it hurt. Closure always came too late for people like her.

Hanabi turned on the TV, stretching out on the couch like she owned the place.

Relax, she said lightly. Youre home now. Nothing from your past can touch us anymore.

Nana nodded beside her, swinging her legs. Daddy, can we have pancakes tomorrow? The fancy kind.

The anchors voice cut through the room before I could answer.

Miya Colombo, the wife of billionaire CEO Gusion Colombo, was found dead overnight in a house fire!