To their surprise, Victoria beamed:
- Awesome! Mom, can I hold the baby and push the stroller? Like my doll, but real, right?
Sarah hugged her:
- Of course, my treasure. We’ll rock, bathe, and change diapers together. No boredom—we’re a team!
At dinner, they watched a Santa Claus comedy, the room filled with laughter. Victoria nestled between her parents, feeling their love. Her grandma knitted a scarf, overjoyed for Sarah’s happiness.
Michael held his girls, truly content. He’d become a husband, homeowner, and devoted father—essential for a man’s happiness.
Lauren, his ex, grew lonelier. Her fleeting romances couldn’t fill the void. She craved stability, a man like Michael. Parties and fashion shows lost their allure, and she drank—wine, then champagne, then whiskey—to drown her sorrow.
Her lowest moment came upon seeing a magazine article about Dr. Michael Bennett, lauded for his skill and kindness. A photo showed him on a couch with a pretty young woman, a seven-year-old girl resembling him, and a baby in her mother’s arms. The caption read: “Happy husband and father with wife Sarah and daughters.”
Lauren stared at Michael’s joyful face, his pride evident. Tearing the page to shreds, she downed brandy and whispered:
- I could’ve been her, if I hadn’t been so reckless. My loneliness is my punishment.
Once, she’d found Michael dull. Now, she saw her mistake—left with wealth but no happiness, an aging woman, truly alone.
