Two days after Christmas was Ava's birthday.

The only reason I knew was because she had "graciously" texted me an invitation to her birthday party.

When I pulled up to the beachfront villa in Long Island, they were setting off fireworks.

After a few loud bangs, colorful confetti rained down from the sky, and the villa was filled with the sound of laughter. The crowd was made up of Alessandro's lieutenants and closest confidants—his "business" partners.

Ava was in the center of it all, wearing a birthday hat, her eyes closed as she made a wish.

Someone playfully tried to smear cake on her face, but Alessandro stopped them just in time.

He pulled Ava into his arms, gently picking confetti out of her hair while softly scolding the others.

"Hey, cut it out. My girl likes to look pretty. Don't mess with her."

His words were met with a chorus of playful whistles and laughter.

"Wow, Ava, look how much the boss cares about you!"

"So, Ava, how are you going to thank the boss tonight, huh?"

…

Ava looked a little shy amidst her friends' teasing, sneaking a glance at Alessandro.

I don't know what he whispered in her ear, but I saw her bury her face shyly in his chest.

As I watched the boisterous party, I couldn't help but think of my own lonely birthday this year.

On that day, Alessandro had promised he would come home early to celebrate with me.

So I turned down the party Chloe had planned for me.

I waited at home alone, until there was only one hour left of my birthday. I couldn't stand it anymore and finally called him.

I tried several times, but no one answered.

When the call finally connected, all I heard was Ava's sweet voice saying she didn't want to play the "nurse game" again, followed by Alessandro's lazy "okay," and the sound of a condom wrapper being torn open.

In that moment, clutching my phone, my heart felt like it had been stabbed and plunged into a frozen lake. A thousand arrows pierced through me.