Milford hesitated for a moment, but before he could say anything, Malissa burst into louder sobs, her voice quivering with theatrical despair.
“Forget it. I know I’m just a burden in this house,” she cried. “It’s all my fault, right? Fine. I’ll take Eddy and go—I’ll go down to the grave and keep your brother company!”
Then, she spun around dramatically and ran off.
Milford’s eyes followed her retreating figure, full of worry. But before chasing after her, he shot me a venomous glare.
“This is the daughter you raised?” he snapped. “A little girl already capable of lying and becoming a manipulator... She always picked on her aunt, too. What next? Was she going to bully her baby brother too?”
He stepped closer, his voice full of righteous anger.
“My brother died young. Lisa has no one to rely on but me. Is it really so hard for you two to just accept her? You’re unbelievable, Lorraine. You’ve completely lost your sense of decency.” With that, he turned on his heel and left us standing there, bloodied and bruised, to go after her.
Enid watched his back disappear, her tiny hands clutching the hem of my shirt, her big eyes filled with confusion and hurt.
“Mama,” she whispered, “is it because I’m a girl? Is that why Daddy likes Auntie Malissa and Eddy more than us?” She continued, “I’m sorry… It’s my fault. I made things hard for you…”
Even after Milford hit her—after all the pain—my daughter didn’t hate him. Not even a little. She blamed herself for being born the way she was.
I knelt down and pulled her into my arms, my heart shattering all over again.
“No, baby. None of this is your fault,” I murmured, my voice thick with tears. “You’re the best thing in my life. The kindest, bravest little girl I’ve ever known.”
“Sweetheart,” I kissed the top of her head and whispered, “You don't need that kind of father. Not anymore.”
I carried Enid back to the guest room and asked the old butler to call a private doctor. He came quickly and administered a rabies shot.
From Enid, I finally learned the truth about the past year.
Milford had poured all his attention into Malissa and her unborn child, completely ignoring his own daughter. Malissa, on the other hand, had tormented Enid in secret—and sometimes even right under his nose. And every time Enid tried to tell her father the truth, Malissa would twist it, accuse her of lying and Milford would believe her without question.
It was also them—Milford and Malissa—who told Enid I had been killed by “bad people.”
Enid cried herself to sleep night after night, clutching a wooden tablet with my name carved into it like it was all she had left. She even let the dog bite her, just so it wouldn’t damage my memorial.
After I finally coaxed her to sleep, I sat at the edge of the bed, but there was no peace in my heart.
I had told her we didn’t need that kind of father anymore—but she hadn’t agreed. She didn’t say a word.
I knew. Deep down, she still missed him.
No matter how often Milford criticized her for being a girl, said she was weak or worthless, she still longed for his love. Still saw him as her dad.
Should I give Milford one more chance—for her sake?
I was lost in thought when suddenly, I felt myself pulled into a warm embrace. The scent of milk and postpartum sweat clung thick in the air.
“Lori,” came a voice from behind me, trembling with emotion. “Thank God… you’re alive. You made it back to me.”
Milford pressed soft kisses along my neck, his voice low and caring, “I promised my brother I’d take care of Lisa... that I’d give him an heir. When she found out she was pregnant, she had a terrible time with it—constant sickness, fainting spells. I had to stay by her side. That’s why I wasn’t there to save you.”
“I have looked everywhere for you. But then, I heard you were dead... Lori, it broke me.”
I pushed him away, swallowing down the nausea that rose in my throat. My voice was calm, but there was steel beneath it.
“I’m back now. Very much alive. Yet, you're still going to marry her. Isn't that correct? You DO still plan on making her your wife.”
Milford gave a helpless sigh, as if I were being unreasonable. “Of course not. You’re my wife. You always have been. The wedding’s just for show—I’m not signing any papers.”
“I need to give Lisa and Eddy some kind of status, so people won’t gossip. That’s all this is—just a performance. You know that. We’re the real thing. Legally, emotionally—everything. You’ve always been so understanding, Lori. You won’t make a big deal out of this... right?”
So that was it. He still expected me to live in the shadows—officially dead, unofficially his. Hidden. Forgotten. Then, with the same casual entitlement, Milford started to undo the buttons of my blouse.
“Lisa’s already given me a son,” he murmured. “We should catch up, don’t you think? If we have a boy and with Enid… the three of them together would make a perfect little family. Harmony. Balance.”
He wanted to complete his pretty little family picture—with me as the secret corner of the frame.
