Chapter 4

The next two weeks were a strange, dreamlike blur. Liam's unexpected promise had transformed their small apartment.

Lily was a whirlwind of excitement. She spent hours drawing pictures of her perfect party, designing invitations, and carefully writing out a list of all her classmates. For the first time, she wouldn't have to lie about her father being on a business trip.

Sarah watched her daughter's pure, unadulterated joy and felt a cautious optimism bloom within her. Maybe, just maybe, he was finally changing.

The night before the party, Lily was too excited to sleep. "Can I call him, Mommy? Just to say goodnight?"

Sarah hesitated, a familiar knot of anxiety tightening in her stomach. But she couldn't deny her daughter this. She dialed Liam's number.

It rang and rang. No answer.

Lily's face started to fall. "Try again," she pleaded.

Sarah did. This time, after several rings, someone picked up. But it wasn't Liam.

"Hello?" a little girl's voice chirped on the other end.

Sarah's blood ran cold.

Then another voice, achingly familiar. "Chloe, honey, give Mommy the phone."

It was Olivia.

Sarah's hand flew to her mouth. She hung up immediately, her heart pounding.

Lily looked at her, her eyes full of questions. "Who was that?"

"Wrong number," Sarah lied, her voice shaking. "I think... I think Mr. Hayes must have changed his number."

The lie tasted bitter.

Lily's shoulders slumped. She didn't press the issue, but the light in her eyes dimmed. Before bed, she hugged her old doll tightly. "He's still coming tomorrow, right, Mommy?"

"Of course, sweetie," Sarah whispered, stroking her hair. "He promised."

The next day, the park was filled with the sounds of happy children. All of Lily's classmates had come, their parents chatting and laughing. The bouncy castle was inflated, balloons bobbed in the breeze, and a large cake sat on the picnic table.

Everything was perfect. Except Liam wasn't there.

As the hours passed, Sarah's forced smile grew tighter. Lily kept looking towards the entrance, her hopeful expression slowly fading.

One of the boys from her class, a notorious troublemaker, pointed at her. "See? I told you! You don't have a dad!"

Lily's eyes filled with tears.

And then, he arrived.

Liam walked into the park, looking handsome and carefree. But he wasn't alone. Olivia was on his arm, and holding his other hand was her daughter, Chloe.

Chloe, wearing a princess dress, looked around at the party with a smug expression. She marched up to Lily.

"My daddy is going to throw me a much bigger party than this for my birthday," she announced loudly.

Liam heard her. He looked from Chloe to Lily, his face impassive. He made no effort to correct Chloe, no gesture to comfort his own heartbroken daughter.

He just stood there, watching, as Lily's world fell apart.