A walk on thorns

Chapter 41| Devising

Anisha's POV

Not just successful at collapsing my marriage, but I am also a glaring example of a bad mother. Rubina has never truly experienced what a daughter deserves from her mother, not a dedicated TV time, not a favorite meal, not even those small, fleeting moments that make childhood special. She never got any of it, not from me.

I can’t lie, it stings. Lately, I’ve found myself envious of the bond she has built with Sabrina. That girl is her world, the person she loves most, the one she never stops talking about. My heart shattered the day I discovered Rubina asleep outside Sabrina’s door. The image haunts me still, the realization of my own shortcomings cutting deeper than I thought possible.

I know it’s my fault. I am the cause of this distance between us, the architect of her pain. And yet, Sabrina, relentless, selfless Sabrina, is determined to fill every gap I’ve left behind. She’s hellbent on giving Rubina all the love, attention, and joy I’ve failed to provide. With every passing day, I see Rubina slipping further away, and with time, Sabrina will surely replace me in her heart.

What keeps me tethered is the sliver of hope Rubina gave me today. She wants me to be there for her birthday, even after everything. Those simple words, words she could have chosen not to say, are the only thing holding me together right now. They assure me I still matter to her, at least a little. Otherwise, I’d be completely lost, clueless about how to make things right.

Sabrina just left, her voice still echoing in the room, full of excitement as she detailed the grand plans they’ve made. The dress code is pink, Barbie-themed, of course, because they’re opting for a format straight out of the movie. My little girl deserves this, doesn’t she? The love, the magic, the memories. And they’re planning to give her the best of it, all the things I couldn’t.

If Rubina is going to be happy, then I’ll find happiness in that. But satisfaction? No. That will never come. Because deep down, I know it should be me planning all this. It should be me taking charge, making my daughter feel cherished. How can I, though? Stuck in this storm of regrets, haunted by my own mistakes, how can I even think straight?

The truth? If Sabrina hadn’t reminded me, I wouldn’t have remembered her birthday at all. Not until she came home from school in tears, like she does every year, her small shoulders trembling as she realized, once again, that her mother had forgotten her.

This mother-daughter relationship needs fixing, badly, desperately. But I can’t fix us without fixing the root of the problem. The truth is, the mother-and-father relationship is what’s holding everything back. And I don’t know how to repair that.

Sabrina's POV
“You. Look. Dashing!” I couldn't help but give out a major compliment as I slid into his car, my breath catching in my throat. The words escaped me without a second thought. He looked incredible.

He was wearing a crisp white button-up shirt beneath a tailored grey blazer that hugged his broad shoulders like it was custom-made for him. The navy blue trousers added a refined elegance, emphasizing his long legs. My eyes briefly traced down to his grey Nike sneakers, effortlessly cool, and then up again to the silver buckle of his Tiffany belt. My breath hitched as my gaze rested on his Bulgari Flora sunglasses, perched perfectly on his straight nose, only accentuating the sharpness of his features.

As if the ensemble wasn’t already perfect, his watch, a black Rolex Daytona, gleamed subtly on his wrist, completing the picture of sophistication. But nothing compared to him, the way his jet-black silk hair fell effortlessly into place, his neatly groomed beard outlining his chiseled jawline, and the faint smile tugging at his lips. MJ wasn’t just handsome; he was magnetic, a force I couldn’t resist.