Chapter 4

Back at the hospital, I went straight to the private room at the end of the hall. What I saw through the partly open door broke my heart.

Felix was sitting up in bed with Lilith's rabbit in his arms.

Ella smiled gently beside him. Calvin sat at the bedside, gazing lovingly at his son. They were the ones who looked like a real family.

I pushed the door open and walked in, my voice cold. "Calvin, why is Lilith's favorite toy in here?"

The laughter stopped.

Calvin turned, and his expression froze.

Ella's eyes reddened at once. "I'm sorry, Adela. Felix wouldn't stop crying when he woke up, and Calvin gave it to him to settle him down. I really didn't know it was Lilith's favorite..."

Calvin came over, frowning. "It's just a stuffed toy, Adela. Don't make a scene."

"A scene?" I stared at him. "Do you have any idea what that toy means to her?

"You gave it to her for her birthday. She's treasured it ever since. She says holding it is like having her father with her! And you handed it to somebody else without a thought!"

That caught him off guard for a second, but he refused to back down. "Felix isn't somebody else... Enough, Adela. It's not a big deal. I'll make it up to Lilith later. I'll buy her ten bunnies that cost even more.

"You know what Felix is dealing with. Can't you let this one little thing go?"

I'd loved the man standing in front of me for five years. What a joke. Everything about Felix mattered to him, while Lilith barely counted at all.

I was about to say something else when a small voice came from the doorway. "Daddy, I don't want ten bunnies that cost more. I just want my bunny..."

Lilith stood in the doorway, staring longingly at the rabbit in Felix's arms, her eyes swimming with tears.

She bit her lip and looked stubbornly up at Calvin. "You said it was one of a kind. You said it was mine and nobody else's!

"You spend all your time with Felix. Now you're taking my bunny too!

"Give it back!" she cried, tears streaming down her face.

Faced with his daughter's tears, Calvin looked embarrassed for a moment.

But he didn't take the rabbit back. He frowned at her instead. "Lilith, behave! Felix is only borrowing it for a few days. You need to learn to share. Don't be selfish."

My voice rose. "Calvin, she just wants her own toy back. How is that selfish? What gives you the right to make her give it up?!"

Ella grabbed my hand and started crying. "It's all my fault, Adela. Take it out on me. Don't fight with Calvin over this!"

I was about to pull my hand away when she suddenly fell to the floor, moaning in pain.

Calvin turned on me. "That's enough, Adela! She already apologized. What else do you want?!"

Ella sniffled and made a show of soothing him. "Calvin, don't blame Adela. I just lost my footing. Please don't fight over me..."

That made him angrier. He looked at me with disgust. "So petty, so cruel. No wonder you've raised Lilith to be just as selfish, always fighting Felix for attention!"

The moment he said it, Lilith stopped crying.

All she wanted was to get back what was hers, and yet her father called her selfish...

She looked at the rabbit clutched in Felix's arms, then at her furious father, who stood shielding someone else.

Something went out in those big eyes that used to be so full of hope.

I was so angry my voice shook. "Calvin, you bastard! How can you say that about your own daughter?!"

Calvin froze, as if he realized he'd gone too far. He was about to explain, but Lilith had already turned away.

"Forget it, Mommy. Let's go." She threw herself into my arms without another glance at Calvin.

I looked at the three of them. Then, without another word, I picked Lilith up and left.

Calvin was about to follow us, but Ella cried, "It hurts," and he turned back at once.

Lilith cried quietly against my shoulder the whole way.

All I could do was hold her tight and reassure her over and over. "It's all right, Lilith. You still have Mommy. No matter what happens, Mommy will always love you."

It was a long time before she lifted her head. "Mommy, let's go.

"Let's get a new home. Without Daddy... I don't want my bunny anymore either. I just want you."

Her eyes were so calm and sad that it hurt to look at her.

How badly does a child have to be hurt to say something like that?

Since Ella had shown up with Felix, Calvin had only cared about them. All he had for Lilith and me was blame and resentment.

He had left Lilith and me behind for them countless times, making us wait for him again and again.

Now he was even willing to hurt Lilith for Ella and Felix!

It was time to end this twisted marriage!

That night, I took out my phone, booked two tickets overseas, and checked Lilith out of the hospital.

Back home, I packed quickly and left my wedding ring on the nightstand beside a set of printed divorce papers.

Then I took Lilith's hand and walked out without looking back.