I thought that getting pregnant would be the key to a future together. And in a way, it was. Gilbert, with all his family pressures, agreed to marry me. But I was naïve. I convinced myself that once we were married, once we had a family, his heart would soften. I’d finally be able to reach him.

I was wrong. Dead wrong.

Gilbert remained cold as ever, a stone wall that refused to budge no matter how hard I tried. His apathy wasn’t just toward me—it extended to Keenan as well. He never saw our son as a blessing, just an inconvenience. He was blind to the pain we both suffered, blind to how his negligence contributed to Keenan’s deterioration.

And now, Keenan was gone. Our little boy—gone.

Lucy, always quick to dramatize, clutched her cheek and wailed in exaggerated agony. "Gilbert, look at my face! It hurts so much! Why is Lily so uneducated? What if this leaves a scar?"

My hand had struck her with every ounce of the pain I’d carried for years. Her cheek was already swelling and I felt no remorse.

Gilbert’s eyes narrowed, dangerous and cold, as he turned to me. "Lily, apologize to Lucy."

Apologize? After everything?

I stood there, staring at him in disbelief. It was like all the pain, the frustration, the years of trying to make things work, had hit a breaking point. Apologize to Lucy, the woman who had been the center of his world, even while his son was dying?

I straightened my back, my voice calm but firm. "Apologize? After all that she and you have done? You expect me to apologize?"

Gilbert’s expression hardened. "Don’t make this worse, Lily. You’re acting out again."

I stood there, meeting Gilbert’s furious glare with defiance. "And what if I don’t?" I asked, my voice steady but cold.

His anger deepened, his voice dropping to a dangerous tone. "Lily, don’t make me angry."

In the past, I would’ve shrunk under that threat. I used to fear his anger, the way it could twist and control me. But not anymore. Not now. He didn’t deserve that power over me anymore. Angry or not, he had already done the worst—he deserved to face the consequences.

Lucy, never one to miss an opportunity to escalate, stamped her foot dramatically. "Gilbert, I don’t care about an apology. She slapped me and I want her to pay double!" Her voice dripped with venom, her eyes gleaming as she looked at me, daring me to react.