The room was warm and filled with joy,as if the three of them were the real family.
I was wrong to call Daniel.
He didn't deserve to see Lily one last time.

I turned and left.
After Lily's funeral,I returned home.
The house was as I'd left it,with food and a birthday cake on the table,rotten.
The thought of Lily tugged at my heart, and my tears began falling down uncontrollably.
Lily was such a good girl,my little angel.
That day,I'd made her favorite dishes.She buzzed around me,saying,"Thank you,Mommy,"offering to wash dishes so I wouldn't be too tired.

Her birthday wish was simple:for her dad to come home and cut the cake with her.
But Daniel wouldn't even grant that one small wish.His heart and eyes were only for Claire and Emma,ignoring Lily.
I was blind to choose such a man as Lily's father.I regretted it so deeply.
Daniel and I met through a blind date.Our marriage was happy at first.

Then one night,he rushed out after a call.That's when I learned his childhood sweetheart was back.
Daniel and Claire had dated,but his mother disapproved,forcing them apart.
Since Claire and Emma returned,Daniel and I argued constantly.
Claire would call him for trivial things—a broken lightbulb,a clogged drain—as if Daniel were her husband.
And I couldn’t object,otherwise he would say that I was selfish and petty.
The next morning,I went to Daniel's office and tossed divorce papers at him.
"Daniel,let's get a divorce."
He froze,then glared at me,furious.
"Rachel,this is a hospital.I'm working!"
"You think I'm not busy enough?Always causing trouble!"
I sneered.
Busy with what?
Saving Claire's daughter,celebrating her birthday.
Too busy to attend Lily's funeral!
He had the nerve to complain?
But I was done arguing,I was here because I didn’t want anything to do with him in the future.
"Daniel,sign."
His face darkened.
"You know Emma has asthma.If your tantrum that day delayed her treatment and something severe happened,could you bear the consequences?"
"Claire's been through enough.Can't you have some compassion instead of being jealous and selfish?"
I said flatly,"Divorce,and you can care for Claire and Emma however you want,once you sign this."
Daniel grew angrier.
"First you lie about our daughter's death,now you threaten to divorce.Rachel,when will you stop all this nonsense?"
I curled my lips into a faint smile.
Looking at the man I'd loved for nearly a decade,I felt nothing but calm.
I was done fighting,done “making a fuss".
"Daniel,one last time:sign the divorce papers."
Seeing my resolve,he frowned.
"Rachel,don't you get it?I'm partly responsible for Claire's situation."
"If I hadn't broken up with her,she wouldn't have married some random man and suffered every day.Now she's finally free,raising a kid alone—it's tough!"
I laughed.
Did his guilt toward Claire justify his act of sacrificing our daughter's life?
Is he felt guilty towards Claire,he could pay with his own life,not our daughter’s!
And Claire's misery?That had nothing to do with me.
Everyone has their fate.Her suffering was her own choice,not my doing.
I closed my eyes."If you don't want the whole hospital laughing at you,sign."
Daniel exploded.
He stood up,shouting,"Rachel,you're ridiculous!"
He stormed out.
My voice was cold but steady."Three o'clock this afternoon,I'll be at the courthouse."
Daniel turned away,cursing,"Crazy woman!"
And during this whole time,he never once asked about Lily.
My heart was dead.
Leaving the hospital,I saw Claire and Emma.
Emma was eating ice cream,smugly saying,"Mommy,wasn't I convincing,pretending to have an asthma attack?Uncle Daniel didn't suspect a thing."
Claire looked at her lovingly."Yes,Emma,you're Mommy's star.Keep it up,and Uncle Daniel will always take care of us."
I clenched my teeth so hard that they nearly shattered.
Emma's asthma attack was fake.She was fine.
But my Lily was indeed gravely injured,and Daniel didn't notice!
I remembered buying Lily a beautiful princess dress.She was thrilled.
Then Claire brought Emma over.
Emma cried,demanding Lily's dress.
I refused,but Daniel snatched it from Lily,saying Emma had few dresses,so Lily should give it up.
Lily was heartbroken.
I was livid.
Worse,when Emma broke her leg at school,she framed Lily of tripping her on intention.
Lily swore she didn't,and I believed her.
But Daniel,without asking Lily,believed Emma outright,scolding Lily until she cried.
I had a big quarrel with him over it.
Later,other kids confirmed Lily didn't trip Emma.
Daniel didn't apologize.Instead,he told Lily to look after Emma,calling her Lily's little sister.
What a joke.I only had one daughter—Lily.Emma was no sister!
I glared at Emma,eating her ice cream.
A child so young,already a compulsive liar.
Furious,I grabbed her ice cream and threw it on the ground.
Emma burst into tears.
Before I could speak,Claire sobbed,"Rachel,take it out on me,not Emma.Don’t hit her,she's just a kid."
I frowned.When did I hit Emma?
Before I could retort,Daniel strode over,shoving me to the ground.
He roared,"Rachel,are you nuts?Hitting Emma?"