Chapter 1

On my 35th wedding anniversary, I was surprised to receive an invitation from my best friend and my husband. The words written on the invitation left me stunned. ‘

“Miss Margaux Clarke and Mr. Richard Sinclair, invite you to the joyous celebration of their thirty-third wedding anniversary.”

Despite being married for thirty-five years, my husband and I had never had a formal wedding ceremony.

I went to confront him, clutching the invitation. But the sound of laughter coming from inside made me stop at the door.

“Dad, your wedding photos with Margaux look really nice. Way better than your photo with Mom,” my son said.

“Your mother is a plain housewife, while Margaux is a dance professor. Surely, she could never match Margaux’s poises and elegance,” Richard replied, waving his hand dismissively.

“Don’t say that,” Margaux chimed in. “Anna would be sad if she knew you were talking badly about her. Besides, isn’t today your anniversary?”

Richard let out a mocking laugh.

“Like she cares about any of that stuff. The only thing she cares about is which groceries are on sale today. Celebrating a special occasion is never in her agenda.”

Standing outside the door, listening to my husband mock me without the slightest restraint, I then realized that my devotion of more than thirty years was nothing more than their laughing material.

I had decided, there was no point in spending whatever years I had left exhausting myself for a family like this anymore.

***

No one knew but Margaux and Richard—I, too, was one of the best students at the dance school thirty-five years ago.

I had won several major championships and a potential to win a national title. If it hadn't been for me getting pregnant, I wouldn’t have given up the solo performance I’d been preparing for two years.

Margaux took over that opportunity, which made her a star overnight. She then offered a teaching position at the dance school, which later gave her a greater chance to advance to become a dance professor.

While I… had never performed on stage again.

Margaux’s voice snapped me out of my reverie. “You’re being too harsh, Richard. As far as I can remember, Anna used to be one of the brilliant dancers too,” she paused, then continued softly, “but if you weren't deliberately getting her pregnant back then, that solo performance would've never fallen into my lap, and I wouldn’t have won the national championship.”

Her words left me completely stunned. It felt as though I’d been plunged into a frozen lake.

Margaux spoke gently, as if she were casually mentioning something insignificant. Yet that supposedly insignificant moment was the reason I’d willingly spent more than thirty years as a housewife.

No wonder I’d gotten pregnant despite always using birth control. Richard had told me that our child and I were bound by fate, and that was why the baby had overcome every obstacle to find its way into my womb. I’d even felt guilty about the pregnancy, believing I’d caused Richard trouble.

Now, looking back, I realized that the past thirty-five years of my life had been nothing but a joke. My heart felt like a sharp blade went through it over and over, and I was left breathless.

Margaux raised a hand to tuck a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. The diamond ring on her left ring finger glittered under the lights.

I recognized that ring.

Three days ago, I'd found it in a drawer in Richard's study. At the time, I'd thought he'd finally remembered that he owed me a wedding and a ring thirty-five years ago. The company had just been getting off the ground, and the budget were tight. He couldn't afford a ring, let alone a proper wedding.

At that moment, holding my hand, Richard said, “Anna, when we have enough money, I’ll buy you a ring with the biggest diamond and throw you the most lavish wedding ever to make up for it.”

Soon, our financial standing improved. When I felt we were stable enough, I brought up marriage, but Richard seemed reluctant.

“We’re too old for that. Aren’t you afraid we’ll be the laughingstock of everyone?” he asked, which was met with laughter from my son.

“Mom, you’re already a grandma. Why on earth would you want to throw a wedding party?” he asked, shaking his head. “Besides, do you even still see your old friends? Who are you going to invite?”

“Exactly,” my daughter chimed in. “It's not like you have any friends outside the family. Why bother throwing a wedding? And honestly, would a wedding dress even look good on you at your age?”

She chuckled.

“Just forget it. You do a great job taking care of the house and Justin.”

At that moment, I swallowed the rest of my words.

I told myself I was being too sentimental. We'd made it through thirty-five years of marriage, and our children were already grown. What difference did it make whether we had a wedding or not? I told myself.

Life would go on as usual. I was content with my life…until I found that ring.

I was so happy when I found it, thinking Richard was finally going to give me the ring he'd promised thirty-five years ago. But now, the sight of it on Margaux's finger felt like a vicious slap across my face.

Over the past thirty-five years, Richard and Margaux had held thirty-three weddings.

Not once had he thought of me. So, I pushed open the door, and the laughter stopped abruptly.

“Anna, you’re here?”

Margaux was the first to notice, sounding rather startled. Then she stood up gracefully. “Please don't see it wrong. Today is your anniversary with Richard. We were all just here to—”

“To what? Celebrate your thirty-third wedding with my husband?” I cut her, my voice surprisingly calm

Margaux's face paled. Tears welled up in her eyes.

“Anna! What the hell are you talking about?” Richard shot to his feet.

I couldn’t help feeling ridiculous watching him rush to defend her desperately. I flung the invitation onto the table in front of everyone.

The moment they saw the red invitation, the atmosphere shifted.

“Mom, Margaux is here because she’s Dad’s patient. This is therapy session,” my daughter said, trying to smooth things over. “You know Margaux lost her husband years ago, and they never got to take a wedding photo. Dad is just trying to help her work through her emotional trauma.”

It sounded plausible, considering Richard is a psychologist. Still...

“Therapy?” I laughed, tears spilling down my cheeks.

“What kind of therapy takes thirty-three years, requires a wedding celebration every year, and involves giving a patient a diamond ring?”

“Give it a break, Mom!” Our son stood up impatiently. “Margaux has had a hard life. She lost her husband and never had children of her own. She just wants to make up for some of her regrets. You’re making a big deal out of nothing.”

The children I had raised with my own hands and the husband I had spent my life with seemed to consider Margaux more family than they considered me. Almost in unison, they took her side, making me feel as though I were the one tearing this family apart.

I couldn't understand what I'd done wrong.

Then, Margaux hurried to explain.

“Anna, I just think you're so lucky. You have Richard and such a wonderful family, while I have nothing. I just wanted to experience what it's like to…” Her voice trailed off as she lowered her head, tears falling one by one onto the back of her hand.

Richard immediately stepped forward and gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. The familiar tenderness of the gesture sent a chill through me. But when he turned to face me, all that warmth disappeared.

“You’re only upset because I haven’t given you the wedding I promised, aren’t you?” he said, his tone almost condescending, as if he were scolding a child for throwing a tantrum.

“Once Margaux and I finish our wedding, I’ll arrange one for you right away. There’s no need to make such a fuss.” He gave me an impatient look before continuing, “you should go home. There’s still a mountain of chores waiting for you. You need to do the laundry, prepare dinner, and help Justin with his art project. Now stop arguing over something so trivial.”

I stood frozen, unable to respond.

At his words, the hurt and anger I'd been holding inside suddenly ebbed away, leaving only a deep, bitter disappointment.

I lowered my gaze to my rough hands. For thirty-five years, they had washed their clothes, prepared their meals, and cared for three generations of this family. Yet for the first time, I barely recognized them as my own.

This wasn't the life I'd been meant to live.

I should have been a celebrated dancer, admired by audiences everywhere, or a respected professor whose work was recognized by her peers.

Instead, I'd sacrificed my future for people who couldn't even see what I'd given up for them.

What a wasted life.

I had no intention of sacrificing another day of my life for this family.

When I raised my head again, I was surprised by how calm I felt. Looking straight at Richard, I spoke without a trace of hesitation.

“If you think it’s trivial, then let's get a divorce.”

The room fell silent.