Chapter 3
The day Damien left three years ago was a bright, sunny day.
I was watering flowers at home as usual when the front door was suddenly violently flung open.
In my panic, I learned that Damien had borrowed a huge amount of money and then fled with the last of our savings.
I simply couldn’t believe he would do such a thing.
But that day, strangers were moving into our house, taking everything we owned.
Pregnant with Chloe at the time, I went into early labor.
From the moment she was born, Chloe was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition. Being premature on top of that, she was rushed straight to the ICU, her tiny life hanging by a fragile thread.
Bringing Chloe up these past three years was nothing short of a miracle.
I knew I couldn’t give her better material conditions, and often, in the dead of night, I would cry with regret.
Once I started earning some money, I even hired someone to find Damien.
He left me two sentences, not a single word of concern for me.
“Seraphina already lost her husband. I can’t let her lose her daughter too.” “When I return, I’ll give you the grand wedding you deserve.”
He even forgot the very promise he made.
Seeing me lost in thought, Damien’s face grew even darker.
“Are you even listening to me?”
Damien lost all patience and yelled at me.
Chloe choked back a sob. “You’re not allowed to yell at my mommy! You’re not my daddy anymore! I don’t want you!”
Pouting, Chloe buried her face in my shoulder, heartbroken.
She had always longed for a dad.
Only I knew how much courage it took for Chloe to say those words.
“Chloe, Mommy can’t take good care of you. Will you go with Daddy, okay?”
An awkward expression flitted across his face, but he quickly composed himself, opening his arms and cooing softly at Chloe.
“Mommy said you’re not my daddy! Stay away from us!”
After saying that, Chloe cried until she was sobbing uncontrollably.
Stella let out a snide, dismissive sound, making Chloe cry even harder.
She bravely wiped away her own tears, a silent strength I didn’t possess. My heart, though, was being shredded into tiny pieces.
We had waited for Damien to return.
But he now had his own wife and daughter.
Thinking of their grand wedding, I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh.
“I will take good care of Chloe. You don’t need to worry about us.”
“Go take care of your own wife and daughter.”