Lily always knew that Daniel’s mother, Eleanor, disliked her. But she never imagined just how far the woman would go to try and ruin her wedding day. Eleanor attacked the dress, destroyed the cake, and then, in one final act of cruelty, took the microphone to humiliate Lily in front of everyone. But Daniel made a choice that no one, not even Eleanor, saw coming—a choice that left his mother completely stunned and utterly alone. I’ll never forget the first time Daniel brought me to his parents’ enormous estate. I

On the night of our first wedding anniversary, I stood in my best dress, excitement bubbling inside me. The candles flickered on the beautifully set table, the duck à l’orange rested perfectly on the plate, and my heart felt full. But then the phone rang. “Hey, sweetheart,” Thomas’s voice came through, casual as ever. “I’m already halfway to the airport.” I frowned, gripping the phone tighter. “What airport?” “There’s an emergency meeting. Clients, you know how it is…” My heart sank. “Thomas, today is our anniversary.” “And I haven’t forgotten!

Ryan Crosby sat at the kitchen table, his math book wide open in front of him. His pencil tapped against the page as he frowned at the confusing numbers. He sighed, rubbing his forehead. “How am I supposed to solve this one?” he muttered to himself, his eight-year-old mind struggling to understand the problem. Ryan had a big math assignment due the next day. He had tried looking up answers online, but none of the explanations made sense to him. He wished his mom was home to help, but she