A Mother's Pain

Lilith narrating...

My daughter was born small.

So small I was afraid to hold her for the first time.

Victoria seemed too fragile for this cruel world. Her tiny little fingers gripped my finger right after delivery, and in that instant I knew I would live only for her.

The doctor said she needed special care.

The first months were hard.

Hospitalizations.

Sudden fevers.

Sleepless nights.

I spent hours sitting beside that hospital crib, watching her breathe, praying she would stay with me.

They were months of pure fear.

But after her first birthday, everything changed.

Victoria grew strong.

She never even caught a cold again.

And that was the greatest relief of my life.

She grew up sweet, smart, and loving. She had her father's eyes, but the smile was mine.

Victoria Vanderbilt Miller

Her little brown curls bounced around the house while she ran after me saying:

"Mommy, catch me!"

And I forgot for a few seconds the hell that was my life.

Because while I lived for our daughter…

Liam lived in a parallel world.

In the first months after Victoria's birth, he still showed up sometimes. He'd pick our daughter up, play for a few minutes, and then disappear again.

But everything got worse when Emma Stone turned up pregnant.

After the birth of her daughter, Liam became even more absent.

Charlotte.

Charlotte (Liam's alleged daughter)

That was the girl's name.

Funny how he managed to be the perfect father to someone else's child while abandoning his own daughter.

We lived in a house that Mr. Christopher had given us right after Victoria was born. It was a beautiful, comfortable house in an upscale neighborhood, but completely empty.

Because houses without love become silent prisons.

Mr. Christopher fell ill soon after and had to go to Europe for treatment. Before leaving, he handed part of the businesses over to Liam to manage.

And the little that still remained of my marriage died right there.

Liam practically moved into Emma's house.

He spent entire days there.

Slept there.

Lived there.

While my daughter and I were forgotten.

Victoria was only three, but she felt her father's absence like no one else.

She always ran to the door whenever she heard a car.

Always asked if it was Daddy.

And every time it wasn't, I could see the disappointment in her little eyes.

Until one day she started asking questions that shattered my heart.

"Mommy… where's Daddy?"

I took a deep breath and smiled.

"Working, sweetheart."

But there was one night…

One night I'll never forget.

Victoria was lying in my lap watching cartoons when she looked up at me with eyes full of tears.

"Mommy… why doesn't Daddy love me?"

My heart stopped.

I felt as though someone had shoved a knife into my chest.

Because no child should ever have to ask that question.

None.

I hugged her tight.

"Your daddy loves you, princess."

But even I could hear how much my voice cracked on that lie.

The days passed.

Then the worst happened.

Victoria started coughing.

At first I thought it was just a cold, but the fever came on fast. She lost her color, grew tired, too weak even to play.

That night, she could barely breathe.

I was frantic.

I asked the driver to take us to the hospital immediately.

The following hours were a blur.

Tests.

Doctors rushing around.

Nurses going in and out.

Until a doctor appeared with a face far too serious.

And in that instant, I knew.

Knew my life was about to end.

"Mrs. Lilith… your daughter has a severe and extremely rare pulmonary disease."

I felt my legs give out.

"No… that's not… that can't…"

"We need to take her to the ICU immediately."

My world went dark.

For the first time in years, I picked up the phone to call Liam.

Our daughter needed him.

I dialed once.

Nothing.

Twice.

Five times.

Ten times.

And he didn't answer.

I kept trying until the call was finally picked up.

But it wasn't Liam.

It was Emma.

"What do you want?" she asked with disdain.

My voice came out shaking.

"I need to talk to Liam… it's urgent."

She laughed softly.

"He's busy."

"Emma, for God's sake… it's a matter of life and death. My daughter is very sick."

There was silence for a few seconds.

Then she answered coldly:

"I'll pass on the message."

And hung up in my face.

I waited.

One hour.

Two.

An entire day.

And Liam never showed.

One week.

An entire week.

And nothing.

At the height of my desperation, I went to Emma's house.

When I arrived, I felt my heart die all over again.

Liam was in the garden.

Laughing.

Playing casually with a little girl who was surely Charlotte.

While our daughter was fighting to survive in an ICU.

I barged into that house without caring about anything.

Liam stood up immediately.

"What are you doing here?"

I started crying.

"Victoria is dying… our daughter needs you."

Emma appeared right behind him.

And the two of them laughed.

Laughed.

As if I were crazy.

As if my pain were a joke.

"Stop lying, Lilith," Liam said, irritated. "Don't make up diseases using my daughter's name just to get my attention."

My desperation grew.

"I'm telling the truth! She's in the hospital! She needs you!"

But he didn't believe me.

Didn't want to believe me.

Then Emma grabbed his arm and said:

"Get rid of her."

And that was exactly what he did.

I was driven out of that house like a stray dog.

I sat on the curb, completely destroyed.

Trembling.

Alone.

Then I grabbed my phone and called Michele.

My best friend.

My sister-in-law.

As soon as she answered, I started crying desperately.

I told her everything.

Every detail.

And I heard Michele scream on the other end of the line:

"I'll kill Liam if anything happens to Victoria!"

I went back to the hospital, unable to stop crying.

But when I got there, I found the entire Vanderbilt family gathered.

Camille.

Michele.

And Mr. Christopher.

He had returned from Europe.

As soon as he saw me alone, he asked immediately:

"Where is my son?"

I looked at him and felt something die inside me.

"At his other family's house."

Christopher's face hardened.

"What?"

"He's with his other daughter… said we were just trying to get attention."

Christopher was furious.

So furious his hands were shaking.

"Bring Liam here now!" he shouted at the security guards.

In that instant, a doctor appeared.

"Mrs. Lilith… I need to speak with you."

My entire body went cold.

"Your daughter is very critical. We're doing everything we can… but she may not make it through the night."

I fell to my knees.

And cried.

Cried like a lost child.

Camille and Michele held me while I fell apart right there in that cold hallway.

Then I begged the doctor:

"Please… I need to see her."

He allowed only five minutes.

When I entered that ICU…

My world ended.

My little girl was covered in machines.

So small in that enormous bed.

So fragile.

She slowly opened her little eyes when she noticed I was there.

And even in that state…

She smiled at me.

My God…

She smiled.

I held her tiny hand carefully.

"We'll go home soon, sweetheart."

Then Victoria spoke in her weak voice:

"Mommy… why doesn't my daddy love me?"

I felt my heart break into a thousand pieces.

But I forced a smile.

"Your daddy's working, princess. As soon as he can, he'll come see you."

She gave a tired little smile.

And began to slowly close her little eyes.

Then the machines went off.

Everything happened too fast.

Doctors rushed in.

Nurses pulled me away.

I was screaming desperately.

"NO! NOT MY DAUGHTER! NO!"

They took me out of the room.

And I stayed there outside… hearing the desperate sounds coming from the ICU.

After long minutes, the doctor came out.

And I knew.

Knew before he even opened his mouth.

"I'm so sorry, ma'am… we did everything we could… but she didn't make it."

I don't remember my scream.

I only remember the pain.

The feeling that my soul had been ripped from my body.

Camille collapsed to the floor, crying.

Michele was screaming in despair.

And I…

I simply ceased to exist.

That was when Christopher entered the hallway with Liam.

The doctor explained what had happened.

And Christopher lost his mind.

He grabbed Liam by the collar with violence.

"SHE DIED BECAUSE OF YOU!"

In that moment, I noticed something in Liam's eyes that I had never seen before.

Guilt.

Regret.

Despair.

He fell to the floor, crying.

But it was already too late.

Too late to apologize.

Too late to be a father.

Too late to love our daughter.

I spent hours sitting on that cold floor, unresponsive.

I don't even remember who took me home.

My daughter's funeral…

The burial…

Everything happened as if I were outside my own body.

I didn't feel anything anymore.

Because the most important part of me had been buried alongside Victoria.

When I returned home with Michele, I made my decision.

Liam Vanderbilt died to me that day.

I looked at Christopher and said calmly:

"I want a divorce."

He closed his eyes for a few seconds before nodding.

"I'll help you with everything, sweetheart."

Then he held my hands and added, his voice breaking:

"It was my fault… I forced you to marry a heartless, irresponsible man."

But in that moment, I no longer cared about blame.

Or regret.

Because nothing in the world would bring my daughter back.

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