After Her Trip with Her First Love and Our Daughter

When I woke up, the sharp smell of disinfectant filled my nose. Every inch of my body ached, and my head was foggy with exhaustion and fever.It was only after asking a nurse that I found out—I had collapsed outside my front door the night before, and it was a neighbor who had called an ambulance and gotten me to the hospital.Suddenly, my daughter's voice echoed in my head. 'Uncle Skyler…'The man was none other than Skyler Shire, Selena Sorrell's first love.It was around noon, and the hospital room buzzed occasionally with the sounds of other patients chatting with visiting family. My bedside, however, remained empty.After a long silence, I gave in and tried calling Selena. As expected, she didn't pick up.So I opened Instagram. She had just posted an update. 'Enjoying the holiday with the ones I love.'In the photo, Selena and Skyler stood on either side of my daughter, each with an arm around her. All three were smiling brightly at the camera, holding up little flags. It w

I moved back into the apartment I'd bought before getting married. It wasn't much, but it was mine. In fact, it was the only valuable asset I had left in my name.At one point, I had even planned to transfer ownership to Evie. In my eyes, that was the most sincere kind of love a father could give—something solid, something lasting. But then Skyler made an offhand remark. "That place is old and run-down. How could Evie ever be comfortable living there? It's beneath someone from the Sorrell family."And just like that, Evie—having been raised in comfort and luxury—agreed with him. She threw a tantrum, screaming and crying, refusing to even consider it. "I don't want to live in a dump! I want to live in Mommy's villa!"Watching her kick and scream, something inside me went cold.Selena rushed to comfort her, scooping her up with pity in her eyes. "Don't cry, sweetheart. Mommy would never let you live in a place like that."Then she turned and shot me a scathing look. "Colin, what the

On the fourth day after I moved out, I got a call from an unfamiliar number.A woman's voice came through, distant yet polite. "Hello, may I speak to Evie's father?"Mr. Jonas, sorry to bother you—I'm Evie's homeroom teacher. We had a parent-teacher meeting today, and unfortunately, Evie's parents were the only ones who didn't show. Some of the more mischievous kids made fun of her, and she ended up getting into an argument with them."Situations like this can really affect a child's emotional well-being. I haven't been able to reach her mother, so I had no choice but to call you. Would you be able to come to the school?"I sat in silence for a moment after hearing her out.A glance at my phone reminded me that it was Evie's parent-teacher conference that day. Just a few days ago, I had even planned to attend. After all, I had gone to every single one in the past. Selena never had the time, barely managing to keep herself together, much less show up for her daughter.A wave of ex

Behind me, Selena stomped her feet in frustration when she saw how calm I remained.Eventually, I found Mia and pulled out the homemade cookies I had brought for her. The little girl lit up with delight. "Wow, Uncle Colin! These are amazing. They're the best cookies I've ever had!"She immediately started sharing them with her classmates. One of the other kids, sweet-tongued and full of praise, chirped, "Mia, Mr. Jonas is awesome. I'm so jealous!"Mia puffed up proudly. "Of course he is! Uncle Colin's not just a great cook—he works in medicine and helps save people's lives. He's a real hero!"Seeing the pride and joy on Mia's face warmed my heart in a way I had never felt with Evie.Her teacher once told me she hadn't eaten enough at school. I panicked and rushed to make a carefully packed lunch with fresh juice, then delivered it myself.But right in front of me, Evie dumped the entire thing into the trash. Angry and petulant, she snapped, "I don't want to eat this stuff! I want

She looked at me with tearful eyes, lips trembling as she called out, "Daddy, I haven't eaten all day… My stomach really hurts."But I stood there, unmoved."Daddy, can you make me some tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich?"This time, I walked right past her, pulling out my keys to unlock the door. "No," I said, my tone firm.Evie froze, finally realizing I wasn't joking. "But Daddy, didn't you use to love me the most? You can't just leave me like this."I let out a short laugh and shot back, "And why not? Why should I care about you? I'm not your dad anymore, Evie. Your custody belongs to Selena now. You were the one who said you wanted to stay with her. You told me to get out of your life."Panic crept into her eyes. She scrambled up from the ground and tried to grab my arm. "Daddy, even if you and Mommy are divorced, we're still blood. We're still father and daughter."Yeah. That was exactly why I had cherished her like a treasure for the past ten years. I gave her ever