Chapter 4

My head had been so full of finding a birthday gift for my mother-in-law that I'd almost forgotten to give myself a proper thirtieth birthday.

I opened the delivery app and ordered the most expensive cake on it, with a note to bring it to my private room.

Then I added a few seafood dishes I usually never let myself order.

From now on, I was only going to be good to myself. No more making myself small.

Next door, the conversation went on, and it seemed to have turned to me.

"...Oh, if only you'd met our Miles sooner, Ollie, we never would've gotten stuck with someone like—"

"A country girl, and an out-of-towner at that. You can tell at a glance her family has no money. She just wanted our city residency—"

"If she can't produce a son, we'll ship her back to the countryside to farm!"

"Ollie, your family's got money, and our Miles has all those degrees. Now that's a real match!"

Through all of it, Miles didn't say a word to argue.

And not a single message came from him either.

I listened calmly to them tearing me apart, ate one bite after another, and for the first time felt what a pleasure eating could be.

To think how Miles once said takeout was unhealthy, so I'd stumbled through learning to cook, delighted to make his meals, scalding a whole hand in the process. It seemed laughable now.

I wondered, now that he and a little princess like Olympia were living together, which of them took care of the other.

I was nearly done eating, and my cake still hadn't been brought out.

I asked the server, and it turned out they'd mixed up the room number and already delivered the cake next door.

"I'm so sorry, ma'am. The cake just went in, they probably haven't touched it yet. I'll go get it back for you."

I wiped my mouth and stood.

"No need. I'll go get it myself."

When I reached the door of their room, the server was wheeling the cake in, and Miles said, delighted, "Ollie, I can't believe how thoughtful you are. You even got a cake for Mom."

My mother-in-law was beaming too.

"What a sweet girl. Thank you, dear! Looks like the family heirloom just has to go to you now!"

Olympia froze for only a second before she jumped up and cooed, "Auntie, it's my first time here, so I didn't prepare anything expensive. I just thought I'd throw you an early birthday. I hope you won't mind."

With that, she deftly unboxed the cake and set it in front of my mother-in-law, then crouched at her side, all sweet talk, urging her to sing the birthday song.

My mother-in-law's eyes went wide with surprise. "Ollie, isn't this from the most expensive cake shop in the city? One of these has to run a thousand or two! Ollie, you shouldn't have spent so much!"

Olympia laughed. "Nothing's too expensive if it's for you, Auntie! As Miles's mother, you deserve a cake this fine!"

Miles said tenderly, "Ollie, meeting you is the luckiest thing that's ever happened to me."

The lights in the room went out, a party hat was set on my mother-in-law's head, and the birthday song started up.

Just as she pursed her lips to blow out the candles, I shoved the door open and flipped the lights straight back on.

Miles stared at me, disbelieving, and cried out.

"Nessa? What are you doing here?"