Chapter 1

The nanny brought Sophia back from kindergarten, and her eyes were swollen from crying.

“Mom, does Sophia not have a dad...?”

She sobbed, feeling utterly wronged.

“Dad promised to come to my parents’ meeting, but when he showed up, he said he was Amy’s dad.”

“Mom, everyone says that Sophia doesn’t have a dad…”

My chest tightened in pain. With red eyes, I pulled my daughter into my arms.

I wanted to comfort her, but when I thought about James’s cold indifference, the words got stuck in my throat.

I regretted everything.

I had waited for three years, thinking that finally, he had come to his senses, that he was willing to return to Spain and reunite with us.

But no... it was just because Jessica had said she wanted to return to Spain.

Without a second thought, he bought the plane ticket, made all the arrangements, even transferred his ex-girlfriend’s daughter to the best kindergarten.

When we went to the airport to meet him, Sophia wore her prettiest dress and nervously asked me,

“Mom, will Dad like me?”

I nodded, “Sophia is Dad’s only daughter. Of course, he will.”

But when we arrived at the airport, full of hope, we saw James holding Jessica’s hand and carrying a three-year-old girl in his arms.

I froze, standing there with Sophia.

James glanced at me briefly and said, “Sorry, I need to settle Jessica and Amy first. You two go home for now.”

He didn’t even look at Sophia once, but gazed at Amy with so much tenderness.

At that moment, all my hope drained away, and I closed my eyes in despair.

“I’m sorry, Sophia, it’s all my fault. Next time, I’ll go to your parent-teacher meeting.”

After I washed Sophia’s face and managed to coax her to sleep, her little brows furrowed tight.

“Dad, hold me…”

My heart felt like it was being pierced with a needle.

If it weren’t for what happened three years ago, maybe Sophia wouldn’t have to suffer like this.

Three years ago, my father, seeing how much I had silently loved James, decided to take matters into his own hands. He drugged James, sent him to my bed, and let things unfold.

I was stunned. “Dad, are you trying to kill me?”

My dad sighed. “I’ve known for a long time, you like James. He likes you too, but he just won’t say it. That night, when he got drunk, I heard him call your name. I felt sorry for you two, so I thought, why not just make it happen.”

I resisted with everything I had, but before I knew it, a burning heat spread through my body.

My dad chuckled. “I put something in your drink too. Make sure to enjoy this night.”

Then, he locked the door.

After that night, James woke up and coldly said, “Lily Murphy, I’ll take responsibility for this. I’ll marry you.”

I thought that the happy life I dreamed of was about to begin.

But at a gathering some time later, I overheard him talking with his friend.

“James, don’t take her for granted. Lily’s got a great body, money, and she loves you. Just enjoy life with her.”

James took a drag on his cigarette and sneered.

“At first, I did like her, but I didn’t expect her to be this easy.”

“When I think about how she drugged me and forced herself on me that night, it just... disgusts me.”

I hadn’t figured out how to explain everything to him, but two weeks later, he got a visa and left the country.

And that night... gave me a child.

I gave birth to our daughter, Sophia, and waited day and night for him to return.

But what I got instead was his tangled mess with Jessica and her daughter.

In the empty villa, silence enveloped me. I pulled out my phone to call James and ask when he was coming back.

Suddenly, the door opened, and James walked in coldly.

He glanced at the sleeping Sophia and casually said, “Tomorrow, Amy will come over to play. You and Sophia should go out.”

I looked at him, confused. He smirked and added, “Amy has a strong sense of ownership and doesn’t like other little girls calling me Dad.”

The anger that had been building inside me finally exploded.

I laughed bitterly, “James, do you even remember who your real daughter is?”

“Do you know what happened to Sophia today at kindergarten…”

James’s brows furrowed slightly, and he interrupted me.

“Lily, I don’t need you to remind me of this.”

“Today at kindergarten, I’m sorry, Amy needs to go to her parents’ meeting too. Jessica’s parents divorced, and she’s raising her child alone, overwhelmed.”

“Besides, even before I met you, I swore to Jessica that I would never let her feel wronged.”

“I’ve already married you as you wished. You can’t stop me from caring about them. I owe them this.”

James finished speaking and threw his coat aside, heading for the bathroom.

The sound of water gushed from the shower, drowning out my helpless sobs.

If I had known, if I had known that our life after marriage would turn out like this, I would rather have died than succumb that night.

I looked at the divorce agreement I had just typed on the computer, a bitter smile tugging at my lips.

If it weren’t for Sophia, with my personality, I would have probably filed for divorce by now.

Chapter 2

But when I thought of how Sophia had been wronged, I still wanted to fight for her, not wanting her to grow up without a father.

When Sophia woke up early in the morning and learned that her father was back, she jumped excitedly out of her little bed.

“I’m going to show Dad the drawing I just made!”

Children have short memories, and after yesterday’s incident at kindergarten, Sophia had already forgiven James.

She cheerfully ran downstairs.

But when she saw Jessica and Amy there, James was gently peeling an orange for Amy.

“Dad, who are they?”

Seeing that Sophia was still at home, James frowned. “Why are you still here? Where’s your mom?”

Sophia, startled, hesitantly held up the family portrait she had been drawing all week.

“This is the family portrait I drew for you, Dad. I was waiting for you to come home so I could give it to you…”

Just as she was about to hand it over, a small hand snatched it away without any courtesy.

“What a stupid drawing!”

Amy stomped her foot and tore the picture in half.

With an arrogant sneer, she placed her hands on her hips and shoved my daughter hard.

“This is my dad! Sophia, the other kids all say you’re a bastard, who told you to call him ‘Dad’?”

When I saw Sophia fall to the ground, crying out loud, I rushed over to her, lifting her up and glaring at Amy.

“Apologize.”

James’s brow furrowed, looking displeased. “Lily, why are you being so harsh to a little child?”

Without saying another word, he picked up Amy and held her in his arms.

“I told you last night, Amy can’t stand other kids calling me ‘Dad’.”

“She was just upset, not intentionally pushing Sophia.”

I stood my ground, unwavering.

“Didn’t you see it? Wasn’t she doing it on purpose?”

“James, she just called Sophia a bastard. Are you going to tell her that Sophia really is a bastard?”

James hesitated for a moment but continued to comfort Amy, showing no intention of apologizing.

Jessica, with a flick of her eyes, smiled gracefully and apologized.

“Miss Murphy, I’m really sorry. Amy grew up abroad and has a straightforward personality. She just speaks her mind. Please don’t take it to heart.”

After she said this, the little girl in her arms looked even more pleased with herself.

“I didn’t say anything wrong! The classmates all say it, Sophia is a bastard! She stole my dad!”

I clenched my fists, coldly staring at James.

Earlier, he’d said he had a cleanliness obsession, and both Sophia and I tolerated it, always accommodating him.

He was willing to get entangled with other women outside, using work as an excuse, and I turned a blind eye.

But now, I couldn’t tolerate someone calling my daughter a bastard.

“James, I’ll ask you again—”

“Is Sophia really your daughter?”

James’s face flashed with displeasure, but he sneered and said, “How she became my daughter, don’t you know in your heart?”

“Enough. Today is Amy’s day to visit, don’t ruin it for everyone.”

Jessica and her daughter watched the scene, clearly enjoying the drama.

James, showing tenderness, picked up Amy. “Daddy’s going to buy you some toys, okay?”

“And Elsa’s beautiful dress!”

“Okay.” James’s face softened with affection.

Watching his retreating figure, I felt a coldness in my heart. Finally, I said the words I’d been weighing for so long but couldn’t bring myself to speak before.

“James, let’s get a divorce.”

James paused in his steps, turning back with a cold look.

“Lily, do you think this is funny?”

“If you think this can threaten me, then fine, as you wish.”

With that, he left without a second glance.

Jessica’s eyes glinted with a brief smile but quickly masked it. She turned back and apologized to me.

“I’m truly sorry. James and I are innocent. He’s always been a person who values emotions deeply. He felt bad for me after my divorce, and since the child didn’t have a father, he paid extra attention. Please don’t take it to heart, and don’t let this spoil things…”

Before leaving, Jessica added me on contact and promised to compensate Sophia for the drawing.

“Jessica, hurry up.”

James stood outside not far away, gently calling her.

“Coming!”

Jessica smiled brightly and rushed out. They hadn’t walked far before I clearly heard their conversation.

“James, you’re unbelievable. Miss Murphy said she wanted a divorce out of anger. How could you just agree to it?”

James mocked her.

“She used every trick in the book to get this marriage. Do you really think she’ll divorce me?”

“Just now, she was so harsh on Amy. It’s just a small punishment for her. It won’t be long before she begs me to come back.”

I couldn’t help but sneer.

James, people change.

The Lily who once threw herself into love without a second thought is gone.

Now, for my daughter, I would choose to leave you completely.

Sophia was in her room crying nonstop. “Mom, the kids all say Dad is Amy’s dad, but I didn’t fight her for Dad…”

Later, she fell asleep clutching a photo of James, but I couldn’t sleep a wink.

I opened my phone and saw Jessica had updated her Moments.

Chapter 3

“Amy finally has the father she’s been missing. What’s meant to be ours, no one can take away!”

Attached was a photo of the three of them smiling warmly, as if they were a perfect family.

I casually clicked “Like,” but suddenly my phone popped up with a message.

A video from Jessica. I opened it and was stunned to see James’s handsome face, from when he had just returned to the country.

A friend asked him.

“James, what’s the happiest thing to you?”

He casually replied, “Last week, overseas, I coaxed Amy to sleep, then pulled Jessica into the bathroom.”

Accompanied by the tenderness in his eyes and the teasing voices in the background.

My hands and feet went cold.

Jessica had shared a post in Moments before. Since having a child, we haven’t had time for just the two of us, so we wait until Amy falls asleep before sneaking around like this…

I was lost in thought when another message from Jessica popped up.

“I’m really sorry, I clicked the wrong button and sent it to you by mistake. When I realized, it was too late to unsend.”

“But honestly, you must know James’s feelings, right?”

“At first, it was because you used despicable methods to force him into marriage and become Mrs. Dean. For these three years abroad, he’s been with me and Amy.”

“Even though the child isn’t his own, James treats her better than a real father. Even after breaking up, he still can’t let me go. Soon, we’ll get back together.”

“Miss Murphy, I know you’re wealthy and don’t need this man, but I advise you to step aside and save yourself the pain.”

She then sent another picture.

In the photo, Amy was in the middle, smiling brightly, while James and Jessica kissed her on each cheek. It looked like the perfect, happy family.

I smiled faintly and replied to her, “Sure.”

Then, I dialed my dad’s number.

“Dad, I’ve made up my mind. I’m taking Sophia and moving abroad. We’ll leave in a few days.”

I could hear the surprise in my dad’s voice.

“Really? But I heard James has returned to the country. It’s so hard for your family to be reunited. Does he agree?”

I gave a bitter laugh.

“He couldn’t be more eager.”

I no longer insisted on waiting for James to return before going to bed like I used to.

When James came home, it was already 2 a.m.

He entered the house, and upon seeing the dark room, frowned slightly.

Normally, I would leave a light on for him, but this time, I’d made an exception.

It wasn’t just this time. For the next three days, I didn’t say a word to him.

It seemed like he sensed something was off, as he returned with a gift box.

“Lily, this is for you.”

He wore an apologetic expression. “Amy was inconsiderate the other day. I’m apologizing to you and Sophia on her behalf.”

He opened the gift box, revealing a necklace inside. He took it out and said, “Let me put it on for you.”

I calmly avoided him. “No need to trouble yourself.”

That necklace, I had seen it in Jessica’s Moments.

She had once complained about it being outdated, even mocking that she would rather throw it away than keep it.

I ignored him and walked past, picking up Sophia to change her clothes. I got in the car and drove off.

James’s gaze lingered on me as he paused, clearly caught off guard. He stood there for a while, his eyes focused on me.

“You… you’re a little different today. Where are you going? Let me drive you.”

He seemed unusually attentive.

The rearview mirror reflected my sharp, casual business suit. In the past, I would only wear gentle-looking dresses in front of him.

But these three years without him, I had run a company, attended meetings, and even fixed plumbing myself.

I wasn’t someone who needed him.

As for driving—

“No need, I’m probably more familiar with it than you are.”

Besides, I was taking Sophia to cancel her domestic identity today.

Three hours later, after we finished the paperwork, we came out to see James’s car parked outside. He was staring at me with a furrowed brow.

“Lily, what are you doing here with your daughter?”

He walked over and saw me holding Sophia, coming out after three hours. I don’t know why, but I felt a knot of unease in my chest.

I smiled lightly. “Nothing. Just renewing our IDs, they expired.”

“Aren’t you busy today? I heard Jessica’s been looking for a job. She probably needs you.”

James stared at me intently, his expression unreadable.

After a long pause, he sneered. “Lily, you’re doing quite well.”

“I’ve never seen anyone push their husband away like this. Since you said so, I’ll do as you wish.”

The car door slammed shut, and James’s car quickly disappeared.

I didn’t understand—why was he angry when I was just letting them have their way?

It was only from James’s assistant that I learned what had happened.

“Madam, Mr. Dean specifically took a day off to accompany you and the child. Why did you make him leave?”

“Now, he’s gotten himself drunk and is over at Jessica’s place with her and Amy…”