Chapter 1
Maggie arrived at the A country airport, already past nine o’clock.
Today was her birthday.
When she opened her phone, she received a pile of birthday wishes.
All from colleagues and friends.
There was not a single message from Franklin.
Maggie’s smile faded.
By the time she reached the villa, it was already past ten o’clock.
Maid Sara saw her and was stunned: “Madam… why are you here?”
“Where are Franklin and Bella?”
“Master hasn’t returned yet, and Miss is playing in her room.”
Maggie handed her luggage to Sara and went upstairs..
She found her daughter sitting in her pajamas at a small table, concentrating intently on something, so focused that she didn’t even notice someone entering the room.
“Bella?”
Hearing her voice, Isabella turned her head and happily called out: “Mommy!”
Then she turned back to her task.
Maggie wanted to hug her, but was immediately pushed away: “Mommy, I’m busy.”
She hadn’t seen her daughter in two months and missed her terribly, wanting nothing more
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than to hold and kiss her. But seeing her daughter so concentrated, she didn’t want to
interrupt.
“Are you making a shell necklace?” Maggie asked.
“Mm–hmm!” Isabella’s eyes lit up: “In a week, it will be Aunt Julie’s birthday. This is a birthday gift I’m making with Dad for Aunt Julie! We carefully polished these shells together using special tools. Aren’t they beautiful?”
Maggie’s throat tightened. Before she could speak, she heard her daughter say cheerfully with her back turned, “Dad also customized other gifts for Aunt Julie. Tomorrow-”
Maggie’s heart constricted, and she couldn’t hold back anymore. “Bella… do you remember Mommy’s birthday?”
“Huh? What?” Isabella glanced up at her, then looked back down at the beads in her hands, complaining, “Mom, don’t talk to me, you’re making me lose track of the bead order-”
Maggie released her embrace and fell silent.
She stood there for a long time. Seeing that her daughter didn’t look up at her once, Maggie pressed her lips together and left the room without a word.
Sara saw her and said, “Madam, I just called the Master. He said he has something tonight and asked you to rest first.”
“I understand.”
Maggie responded, then remembering her daughter’s words, she paused before calling
Franklin.
It took a while before he answered, his voice distant, “I’m busy, tomorrow we can-”
“Frank, who is it this late?” It was Julia’s voice.
Maggie gripped her phone tightly.
“Nothing.”
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Before Maggie could speak, Franklin had already hung up.
They hadn’t seen each other for two or three months. She had finally managed to come to Country A, and he couldn’t even spare time to come home to see her.
Even for a phone call, he didn’t have the patience to let her finish speaking…
Throughout their many years of marriage, he had always been like this towards her–cold, distant, impatient.
She had gotten used to it, really.
In the past, she would have called him again, patiently asking where he was and if he could
come back.
Today, perhaps because she was too tired, she suddenly didn’t have the energy to do so
anymore.
The next morning, after some thought, she still called Franklin.
There was a seventeen to eighteen–hour time difference between Country A and home. In Country A, today was her birthday..
This time, she came to Country A not only because she desperately wanted to see her daughter and Franklin but also because she hoped their family of three could have a nice meal together on this special day.
That was her birthday wish this year.
Franklin didn’t answer the call.
After a long while, he only sent a message: [Something up?]
Maggie: [Are you free for lunch? Could we have a meal together with Bella, just the three of
us?]
[Alright, let me know once you’ve decided on the location.]
14:50
The Heart I Gave, The Love Lod
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Maggie: [Okay.J
After that, there was complete silence from Franklin.
He hadn’t remembered it was her birthday today.
Although Maggie had mentally prepared herself, she couldn’t help feeling disappointed.
After finishing her morning routine, just as she was about to go downstairs, she heard her daughter talking with Auntie Sara below.
“Is the Young Miss unhappy about Madam’s visit?”
“Dad and I already promised to go to the beach with Aunt Julie tomorrow. If Mom suddenly comes along with us, it would be so awkward.”
“And Mom is so mean, always being harsh to Aunt Julie-”
“Young Miss, Madam is your mother. You shouldn’t say such things, you know it would. break your mother’s heart.”
“I know, but Dad and I like Aunt Julie better. Why can’t I have Aunt Julie as my mom?”
Whatever else Auntie Sara said, Maggie could no longer hear it.
She had raised her daughter single–handedly, but in the past two years, as father and daughter spent more time together, her daughter had grown more attached to Franklin.
Last year, when Franklin came to Country A to expand the market, her daughter had insisted on coming along.
She hadn’t wanted to let go, naturally hoping her daughter would stay by her side. But she was even more unwilling to see her daughter unhappy, so she had agreed.
She never imagined….
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Maggie stood frozen in place, her face draining of color, motionless for a long while.
She had pushed aside work to come to Country A, hoping to spend more time with her daughter. Now it seemed there was no need for that anymore.
Maggie returned to her room and put the gifts she’d brought from home back into her suitcase. Shortly after, Sara called to say she was taking the child out to play, telling her to call if she needed anything.
Maggie sat on the bed, feeling empty and lost. She had dropped everything to rush here, yet no one really needed her. Her arrival felt like nothing but a joke.
