I was stunned.
Today is my birthday?
I hadn’t celebrated my birthday in years—five, to be exact. So much of my life had been swallowed by a relentless pursuit of survival—working to pay off debts, searching endlessly for my stolen baby—that I had forgotten what it felt like to have a day just for me. The reminder should have felt joyous, but all I could think about was Olivia.
The image of her kissing Elijah earlier that day resurfaced, a knot tightening in my chest.
I glanced at Elijah, unsure what to say or how to act. The uncertainty of our situation hung over me like a dark cloud. I wanted to ask if he had agreed to Olivia's request to attend the gala together, but the words got stuck in my throat.
What if the answer wasn’t what I wanted to hear?
Instead, I mumbled an awkward
