Coming Second to That Woman

On New Year's Eve, I prepare a feast. The clock strikes twelve, but my husband, Vincent Porter, still isn't home.

My daughter, Lorelei Porter, tugs at my sleeve and holds up my phone.

"Look Mommy, Daddy is at this lady's house!"

Vincent has posted an update on Twitter. He is with Christine Snow, his childhood sweetheart. They are smiling at the camera, with a boy who looks about ten standing between them. In front of them sits a swan-shaped cake.

The caption reads, "The most special day for the most special you."

My heart sinks into my stomach. A marriage that came later in life can never compete with a pair of childhood sweethearts.

I accept defeat.

Vincent Porter and I had been married for six years. Our daughter, Lorelei, was already five years old, and yet he continued to identify as a single man in public.

I knew he resented me because I was completely worthless in his eyes.

To see him openly spending time with Christine Snow, a mixture of hurt and hollowness gripped my heart.

I hugged Lorelei close to me and comforted her. "It's alright. We can celebrate the New Year together."

Lorelei held my face knowingly. She then gave me a drawing she had made. "Happy New Year, Mommy!"

She had drawn our small family of three, but Vincent was the only one not smiling. That made sense, as he was always annoyed when he had to interact with Lorelei. He certainly wouldn't smile at her.

I felt sorry for Lorelei as I gazed at her. She was surprisingly mature despite her young age.

We had dinner together before she fell asleep in my arms. I carried her to bed and tucked the blanket securely around her.

When Vincent returned, I had just decided to throw the dishes that had gone cold and had oil coagulating on their surfaces into the trash.

My hand froze when Vincent looked at me, his brows knitting together. "Why aren't you asleep yet? I told you not to wait for me.

"What else can you do besides being an annoyance? You only know how to behave like a hopeless wife day in and day out!"

Vincent only knew how to criticize me. I would have tried to explain myself in the past, but now I just nodded. "I'm about to sleep. I'm just taking out the trash now."

Without any hesitation, I threw all the food on the table into the trash bin. My actions stunned Vincent momentarily. He opened his mouth, but no words came out of it.

After I was done tidying up, I retreated to my bedroom. We had been sleeping in separate rooms for a long time. After Lorelei was born, Vincent used the excuse that her cries were too loud and noisy to move into another room. Of course, I was also in charge of taking care of Lorelei.

Vincent was acting strangely today. He stopped by my room of his own volition. I felt bewildered when I saw him standing in the doorway. "Is there something wrong?" I asked.

He seemed to struggle with putting a sentence together before he finally said, "We're going back to the Porter residence tomorrow. Be prepared for that."

Done speaking, he spun on his heel to exit. Yet, something seemed to strike him, and he turned his head back to me. "Clean up your appearance. You'll embarrass me if you look so shabby!"

I smiled bitterly in my heart. "Understood."

I knew that the Porters looked down on me. Whenever we returned to the Porter residence, I would be bombarded by their relentless insults.

Vincent, the illustrious president of Porter Corporation, was excellent from every angle. I was the only dark spot in his perfect life, forcing him to endure his relatives' mocking.

However, he was also the one who chose to marry me. If I could turn back time and get another chance, I'd definitely refuse to marry him.

It was just that Lorelei was in the picture now. I had to consider her feelings whenever I made a decision.

Sleep eluded me that night. When morning broke, I took Lorelei to the shopping mall. When I told her that we were picking out a present for her grandparents, Victor Porter and Daisy Chambers, Lorelei was ecstatic. She even offered her own savings to contribute to the gift.

When we reached the mall, Lorelei immediately set her sights on a pipe made of willow wood.

"Mommy, let's buy this. Grandpa will love it."

I nodded. Victor was a fan of this style of pipes, and it was the creation of a famous carver. The price was a little steep, but I could still afford it.

I asked the sales assistant to get the pipe from the glass display so I could examine it more closely. The more I studied it, the more satisfied I was with its craftsmanship. I paid for it and was about to leave with Lorelei when a familiar voice echoed from behind me.

"Charlie, stop running!"

That voice belonged to Christine.

I turned to see Vincent holding Christine close. His expression twisted when he spotted me.

"Grace, what are you doing here?" He frowned before I could even reply. "Are you stalking me? With your child, no less? Grace Atkinson, how much longer are you going to behave so stubbornly?"

Christine smiled. "Don't be angry, Vincent. Ms. Atkinson must just be worried about you."

"Is she worried about me, or is she suspicious of me? What a way to kill the mood."

I tried to explain, but Vincent just rolled his eyes at me. When I saw the impatience on his face, I suddenly lost the desire to say another word to him.

Still, for Lorelei's sake, I said calmly, "I came here with Lorelei to buy a present. We weren't following you."