For the fifth time since I’d married him, no one remembered my birthday.
While making dinner, I cooked an extra plate of shrimp pasta for myself.
After everyone had helped themselves, I had just picked up my fork when Matteo stopped me.
“Talia, don’t eat that. You know Sofia loves shrimp.”
My parents chimed in. “Exactly. You’re the older sister. Let her have it.”
I’d heard variations of that line for years.
I no longer had the energy to argue. I just nodded.
“Then can I have the leftovers?”
Matteo frowned. He set the entire platter in front of Sofia.
Then he casually speared a single asparagus stalk onto my plate.
“You probably snacked while you were cooking. Just have some vegetables.”
I froze, a sharp, sudden pain blooming in my chest.
It was Sofia’s least favorite vegetable.
And I was allergic to it.
“It’s my birthday,” I said, my voice tight.
“Can’t I have even a few bites of the shrimp I made myself?”
The table fell silent for a beat.
“Sis, this is all my fault,” Sofia said, though her hands didn’t move an inch.
“I’ll give you the shrimp right now!”
My mother cut her off. “Give her what?”
Matteo sounded irritated.
“Talia, you’re an adult. It’s just a birthday. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?”
“If you want shrimp that badly, I’ll Venmo you a few hundred bucks. Go buy your own.”
Just a birthday.
But Sofia was only a year younger than me.
Every year on her birthday, Matteo booked restaurants.
He bought lavish gifts. He sent her money at the stroke of midnight.
Suddenly, the whole scene felt ridiculous.
I smiled.
“No need.”
“Matteo, let’s get a divorce.”
From Now On I Grow Toward Spring Chapter 19 After he hung up, he looked completely hollowed out. I didn’t wait. I stood and walked toward the door. Behind me, I heard his hoarse voice call my name. I didn’t turn around. Just as I reached the exit, an unfamiliar number
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From Now On I Grow Toward Spring Chapter 18 Early the next morning, Matteo came again. He stood outside the law firm, waiting for me with an exquisitely packaged cake. The moment he saw me, he held out a gift bag. “Talia, I neglected you for five years. This is the birthday
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From Now On I Grow Toward Spring Chapter 17 My words seemed to stab him. He grabbed my arm in a panic, then fumbled for his phone and started a FaceTime call. “Talia, look. They really do miss you.” On the screen, my parents looked years older. The moment my father
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From Now On I Grow Toward Spring Chapter 16 As he spoke, his voice grew softer. “But I only did it because I love you. If she weren’t your sister, why would I have ever cared about her?” “Talia, from now on, I’ll put you first. I’ll change. Just trust me one more
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From Now On I Grow Toward Spring Chapter 15 “Sir, please show her some respect,” Ethan said, his voice firm. “She doesn’t want to go with you. Can’t you see that?” Matteo’s face turned to ice. “Who are you? This is between my wife and me. It’s none of your business.” I
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From Now On I Grow Toward Spring Chapter 14 I froze, a little stunned, and took the box from him. We hadn’t seen each other in five years, yet he’d remembered my birthday. I opened the box. Inside was a delicate Möbius strip necklace. He looked at me, his voice gentle.
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From Now On I Grow Toward Spring Chapter 13 All the things I had never had, Sofia received every single year. Sofia looked like she wanted to say more, but my mother pulled her back. “Sofia, stop it. We finally have news about Talia. Let Matteo go find her.” These past few
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From Now On I Grow Toward Spring Chapter 12 My mother snatched the divorce agreement from the floor and flipped through it, her face a mask of shock. “How could she divorce you over something so small?” As she spoke, she pulled out her phone to call me, only to realize I had
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From Now On I Grow Toward Spring Chapter 11 The HR manager looked at him, surprised. “Matteo, didn’t you know? Talia already resigned. The reassignment notice is void.” “What? That’s impossible.” Frowning, he stared at the resignation letter HR handed him. The paper was light, but it felt impossibly heavy in
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From Now On I Grow Toward Spring Chapter 10 He took a deep breath and called his assistant. “How was Talia after I left?” His assistant, assuming he was worried I was jealous, answered quickly. “Don’t worry, sir. Talia didn’t make a scene. Even with that huge cut on her leg, she packed
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