ログインAs the year’s end approached, the city of Portlas’ high society joked that there was no need to worship Lady Fortuna. They only had to worship me instead. That was because, after our remarriage, I became the most materialistic husband in all of Portlas. I no longer cared how much Lana Gable doted on that man. Even when my daughter called him “Daddy,” I turned a blind eye. There was just one new rule in the house. Every time they mentioned Eliot Speke’s name, they had to give me one hundred thousand dollars. Thanks to that, I saved up thirty million dollars in less than two weeks. On our wedding anniversary, Lana and my daughter mentioned Eliot once again. The two of them looked stiff, while I simply held out my hand with practiced ease. “One hundred thousand dollars. Transfer it to my account.” My daughter finally could not hold back any longer and looked at me with utter contempt. “Daddy, you’re so vulgar. Is money the only thing on your mind? You’d even demand money for such a trivial matter. You can’t even compare to a speck of dust on Uncle Speke’s shoes.” I did not argue. I simply held out my hand to my daughter as well. “One hundred thousand dollars. Since you brought it up first, you have to pay too.”
もっと見るBusiness at the dessert shop has been booming, so I opened a second location.Emma visited me every weekend.She had changed a lot. She was no longer that spoiled little brat.She helped me carry trays, wipe down tables and even knew how to recommend delicious cakes to customers.“Daddy, your strawberry cake is the best in the whole world.”Seeing eyes crinkle as she smiled, I could not help but smile too.This is exactly how my daughter should be.Lana would still come by.But she no longer clung to me like she used to. She just watched us from a distance.Sometimes she would be in the cafe across the street. Sometimes she would be on the bench at the corner.She never disturbed me, but only just watched quietly.One day, Emma suddenly said to me, “Daddy, Mommy actually misses you a lot.”I did not say anything.“She threw away all of Eliot’s things and redecorated the whole house.“She said she wanted to erase all those bad memories.”I set down the dough I was kneadin
Emma looked at her in terror.Only then did Lana realize that tears were streaming down her face.She crouched down, hugged her daughter, and said hoarsely. “Emma, Mommy was wrong. Mommy has done so many wrong things.“Mommy misses Daddy.”On the third month, Emma Gables arrived.She stood at the entrance of the dessert shop. She had grown quite a bit taller.But her eyes were red, as if she had been crying.“Daddy.”It was the first time in all these years she had called me in that tone.I put down what I was holding and walked over to her.“What’s wrong?”She lowered her head, her voice muffled. “Eliot… Eliot is gone.”“He took all of your money, and he… he said I was a burden…”She looked up, her eyes filled with confusion.“Dad, why did he lie to me? Didn’t he say he loved me?”I was silent for a long time.“Emma, some people are nice to you because they want something from your mom.“When they don’t get it, you’re no longer useful.”Emma froze.“What about you?”
As I walked out of the funeral home, I heard her voice behind me.“Lyle, if only I had one more chance…”I walked away without looking back.After the divorce, I opened a small dessert shop.Lana did exactly as she said and gave me most of her fortune.When I left to live far away from the Gable family, I felt a long-lost sense of peace for the first time.No one was throwing checks in my face.No one was calling me “Bad Daddy.”No one was threatening me with the life of the person I loved most.I no longer had to pretend to please others time and time again just for money.I could finally breathe easy.But Lana would not let me off the hook.For the first month after the divorce, she came to the shop every day.She would order the most expensive dessert and sit in the corner watching me all day.I treated her like she was not there.“Lyle, you’ve lost weight.”I did not look up as I continued to wipe down the counter.“Ms. Gable, we’re closed.”She froze for a few se
The screen was showing the surveillance footage of my mother’s death after resuscitation efforts failed.My heart-wrenching cries still echoed on.The camera cut to the backstage area of the press conference.Eliot’s smug voice reverberated throughout the banquet hall. “Well? How does it feel to be rejected by your wife and despised by your daughter?“What’s the point of remarrying Lana? She still loves me.“Lana gave me this supplementary card linked to your mother’s hospital bill.“Tell me, what if I accidentally slip and stop the payments? What then?”The banquet hall instantly erupted into chaos.The reporters I had arranged in advance began snapping photos of the stage.Some even started live-streaming on their phones.Lana’s face turned pale.“Turn it off. Turn it off right now.”She rushed toward the control console, but she was blocked by the reporters I had arranged in advance.Eliot screamed and hid in a corner. He wished he could disappear into the ground.Emma
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