The Fireworks He Set For Her

On New Year's Eve, while I was pregnant, my husband, Rafael Phillips, left me stranded on the side of the road to go celebrate with his assistant, Jenna.

From the passenger seat, Jenna put on this fake, saccharine act, pretending to care. "Maybe you should bring her along," she suggested, like she was doing me some huge favor.

Rafael barely glanced at me, shivering in the cold, and said flatly, "Jenna's been doing great lately. I want to spend New Year's with her."

Then, like an afterthought, he added, "You're pregnant—you shouldn't be out anyway. Besides, you wouldn't get it. Romance isn't really your thing."

"Don't call me. Don't bother Jenna. Understood?"

He didn't even wait for my answer before speeding off.

As I turned, the sky exploded with fireworks—Rafael's million-dollar "romantic gesture" for Jenna. I laughed bitterly and walked myself to the hospital.

After today, I'd never have to beg Rafael to come to another prenatal appointment again.

Clutching my stomach, I went through with it.

When I woke up after the procedure, the first thing I saw was more fireworks lighting up the sky outside my window. But my vision blurred, and all I could think was: My baby will never see how beautiful they are.

Behind me, a young nurse gushed, "That's Rafael Phillips, the president of Hyperion Ventures! He paid for a five-hour fireworks show for his girlfriend. How romantic!"

Ten years together, and Rafael never once set off fireworks for me.

"It's over in minutes—what's the point? Lily, you're so wasteful."

The man who called me wasteful just dropped a fortune on a spectacle for someone else.

I took a deep breath and called my mentor.

"Professor, about that offer to study abroad… I'm in."

He practically cheered. "Lily, with your talent, you should've been a star by now!"

Yeah. Too bad.

Too bad I gave up the piano for Rafael. Too bad I became a housewife, letting my hands gather dust while he forgot every promise he ever made.

A week later, I finally went home.

Shockingly, Rafael was there. Between work and Jenna, he hadn't stepped foot in this house for months.

He took one look at me and sneered. "Finally decided to come back? What, you threw a fit because I spent New Year's with Jenna? Were you waiting for me to beg you?"

"I was in the hospital," I said flatly.

He froze. "Why didn't you tell me?"