Chapter 3

Sophie suddenly smiled and said, "Because Mommy loves you. Daddy, you don't have to like me, but could you maybe like Mommy a little more? Can you be nicer to her from now on?"

Her voice was soft, and her large, dark eyes gazed at Colin with hope.

Colin's expression shifted subtly, and he scoffed internally. He had known from the beginning that Aspen couldn't possibly have pure intentions.

"Did she tell you to say that?" Colin asked coldly, his voice laced with condescension.

"No!" Sophie shook her head quickly.

Colin didn't believe her and glanced dismissively at her. Sophie noticed the slight change in his demeanor and felt uneasy.

She didn't want to upset him, but deep down, she knew the truth. She was like the sea princess in the story—her time was limited. Aspen kept saying she would get better, but Sophie could feel that her condition was serious.

Still, if she was going to disappear like sea foam, she wanted Aspen to have someone who loved her after she was gone. With that in mind, she got up and walked over to a small bookshelf.

She pulled out a leather-bound notebook and brought it to Colin. "Daddy, Mommy really does love you. You can read this if you want."

Colin paused, looking at her eager expression. He accepted the notebook and noticed how worn it was.

"You have to read it, okay?" Sophie said sweetly.

Colin already knew Aspen loved him. He didn't need anyone to tell him that. Without much interest, he merely gave a noncommittal hum and didn't bother to open the notebook.

By the time Aspen returned with Sophie's glass of milk, the little girl had fallen asleep. Aspen carefully led Colin out of the room, gently closing the door behind them.

Once they were far enough down the hall, Aspen whispered, "Tomorrow morning, you should take Sophie to preschool yourself. You don't need to sleep in the guest room. I'll stay there instead."

Colin chuckled coldly. "What's the plan this time? Trying to sneak into my bed tonight?"

The sharp sting of his words made Aspen's face pale for a moment. She was instantly reminded of the early days of their marriage—back when she had, indeed, done something that foolish.

Sure, it had been under Hector's orders, but part of her had taken a chance, hoping it might change something. Now, all those hopes were long gone.

Aspen pressed her lips together. "Don't worry. That won't happen again."

Colin's gaze darkened. "It better not."

Aspen knew he didn't believe her, but she no longer cared to explain. The love she had once felt for him had been worn down to nothing over the years.

Just then, Colin's phone rang. Aspen caught a glimpse of the name on the screen—Gwyneth.

She quietly stepped aside to give him space. Behind her, she heard his voice shift into a gentle, magnetic tone. "Hey, Gwen... No, I'm not coming over tonight. Get some rest."

Aspen walked away, her heart calm and untroubled.

...

The next morning, Aspen helped Sophie get dressed and ready for preschool. Colin stood nearby, silently watching. Once Aspen finished, she handed Sophie's pink water bottle and matching backpack to him as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Colin raised an eyebrow, eyeing the bright pink items. Riley stepped forward, ready to take them, but Aspen stopped him. "Colin, hold them yourself."

Colin's expression grew more complicated, but he accepted the items without a word.

However, Riley couldn't help stifling a laugh. It was surreal to see the usually composed and aloof Colin standing there with such brightly colored accessories, looking like a first-time dad.

Sophie's heart swelled with happiness at the sight. It was like a dream—her parents were both with her this morning. She had only ever seen Colin on TV before, but now, here they were, together.

Aspen kissed Sophie's forehead and said softly, "Be good. Eat well and study hard." Then, she turned to Colin and added, "Sophie is all yours now."

Colin gave a small nod. "Riley, contact the major shareholders. We'll have a meeting at Fuller Group in half an hour."

Riley immediately straightened up and replied, "Yes, sir."

After that, he jogged ahead to open the car door for Sophie.

The father-daughter duo got into the car, with Colin following behind Sophie. Aspen watched them drive away, her gaze lingering until they were out of sight.

Meanwhile, an awkward silence settled in the car. Colin and Sophie had barely spent any time together before, and even Riley, sitting in the front, could feel the tension.

Even so, Sophie didn't notice any of that. For her, just being near Colin was enough to make her heart overflow with joy.

She couldn't help but look forward to tomorrow and the next day—and maybe even more days after that. The thought made her feel a little greedy.

Sophie turned her expectant gaze toward Colin.

Sensing her stare, he looked at her and asked, "What's on your mind?" He still sounded slightly stiff.

Sophie coughed lightly and hesitated before whispering, "Daddy, can you pick me up from preschool today? If you're too busy, that's okay..."

Her voice grew quieter with each word. She wasn't confident in her request.

Colin's eyes darkened slightly. After spending time with Sophie yesterday, he found that he didn't dislike her as much as he had expected.

He had promised Aspen that he would act as Sophie's father. Since he had already committed to this, picking her up from preschool wasn't too much trouble.

He asked, "What time do you get out of school?"

Sophie's face lit up, and her eyes sparkled with excitement. "4:30 pm!"

"Alright," Colin agreed.

Sophie felt as though she were floating on a soft, fluffy cloud. If this was a dream, she never wanted to wake up. She gave him a bright, cheerful smile.

Colin noticed her beaming at him and froze, his gaze softening slightly. She looked so innocent and sweet. If she weren't Aspen's daughter, he might have found her endearing.

When they arrived at the preschool, Sophie hopped out of the car and rushed into her classroom. As soon as she reached her desk, she couldn't wait to send a voice message to Aspen through her smartwatch.

"Mommy! Guess what? Daddy said he's going to pick me up after school today!" she announced proudly, her voice bubbling with excitement.

Her loud declaration caught the attention of her classmates.

One curious girl asked, "Sophie, is your dad really coming to pick you up?"

"Of course he is!" Sophie replied with a smug little hum.

"That's so cool," the girl said enviously.

The other kids had often teased Sophie, calling her fatherless. But now that her father was coming to pick her up, no one could ever say that again. Sophie couldn't wait for the end of the school day.

...

Meanwhile, Aspen received Sophie's voice message.

"Mommy! Guess what? Daddy said he's going to pick me up after school today!"

Aspen's eyes softened, and a small smile tugged at her lips. Yet, beneath the warmth, a faint ache settled in her heart. She was determined to make Sophie as happy as possible during the time they had left.

As long as Sophie was happy, Aspen would do anything for her. She recorded a response. "Then I won't come pick you up today, sweetheart. Have a great day, okay?"

After sending the message, Aspen opened her social media feed. The first post she saw was from Riley.

It featured a picture of a pair of pink diamond earrings with the caption, "Special order from Mr. Fuller himself! Another day of envying Ms. Sanders! Why are there so many rich people in the world, yet not one of them is me?"

Riley even added a crying emoji at the end of the caption.