“Daniel, you’re home?”

Alina Hayes stood in the living room with flower shears in hand, her heart racing as she watched her husband step inside.

Five o’clock in the afternoon—Daniel was home early, a rare occurrence that had happened only a handful of times in their five years of marriage. Maybe he remembered? Maybe this year would be different?

Daniel didn’t even look at her. His eyes remained fixed on the phone in his hand, his thumb moving rapidly across the screen.

“Mm.”

Not ‘hello.’ Not ‘I’m home.’ Just a hum without a glance.

Alina set down the shears and vase, wiping her slightly trembling hands. Five years, and she still got nervous every time she spoke to her own husband.

“I… I made a reservation at that Italian restaurant you like. For tomorrow night. I thought we could—”

“Just cancel it.” Daniel’s voice was flat, still not looking up from his phone screen. “I have an important dinner tomorrow night.”

Something gripped Alina’s chest. “But tomorrow—”

“Alina.”

This time Daniel looked at her—not with affection or regret, but with the same look he used for his secretary when arranging his schedule. Efficient. Impersonal. Cold.

“This is important. You understand, right?”

Of course Alina understood. She always understood. That had been her role for five years—understanding, accepting, not complaining. A good wife. An undemanding wife.

“Alright. I’ll cancel the reservation.” Alina’s voice was barely a whisper.

Daniel was already walking toward the stairs before Alina finished her sentence, as if this conversation was over and there was nothing more to discuss.

“Daniel?”

Alina didn’t know where her courage came from. Why, after five years of rejection, she still hoped. Why her heart was still foolish enough to believe that one day, this man would see her—truly see her—as a wife, not just a resident of his house.

Daniel stopped on the third step. His back faced Alina. He didn’t turn around. Even to listen, he didn’t need to look at her.

“Tomorrow is a special day,” Alina said.

There was a long pause. A very long pause. Alina could hear her own heartbeat, could feel the foolish hope growing in her chest. Maybe he remembered. Maybe—

“What special day?”

Three words that shattered everything. Spoken in a genuinely confused tone, not feigned. Daniel truly didn’t know. Or more accurately, didn’t care to know.

Alina felt something crack in her chest—slow, painful, like glass breaking in slow motion. Five years of marriage, and her husband had never remembered their wedding anniversary, not once.

“It’s nothing.” Alina’s voice sounded foreign to her own ears—too calm for a broken heart. “Just forget it.”

Daniel continued up the stairs without looking back. As if their conversation had been no more important than a discussion about the weather.

Alina stood frozen in the living room. The vase in her hands felt heavy. The white lilies she’d carefully chosen that morning—Daniel’s favorite flowers that the man had never even noticed—suddenly looked ridiculous. Like her efforts. Like her hopes. Like her unrequited love.

Her phone vibrated in her dress pocket. A social media notification. Without thinking, Alina opened it—and the world around her stopped spinning.

A video. Daniel at the airport. Smiling—a smile he never gave Alina. In his hands, a large bouquet of red roses. And beside him…

A woman. Beautiful. Long wavy hair, a model’s slender figure, a face that even after five years remained just as stunning. Clarissa Sterling. Daniel’s ex-wife.

The video’s audio began to play:

“Mr. Blackwood! Is it true you’re picking up Miss Sterling?”

“We’re very happy Clarissa is back.” Daniel’s voice sounded warm—a tone he never used when speaking to Alina.

“Miss Sterling, are you back for a family reunion?”

Clarissa smiled at the camera, then looked at Daniel with a too-familiar gaze. “I’m back because I missed my family. Especially my son.”

My family. My son.

As if five years of Alina caring for Daniel Jr. had never happened.

Alina stared at the screen with trembling hands. Comments filled the column:

“They’re still the perfect couple!”

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