تسجيل الدخولWe agreed we were going to spend Christmas together as a family of three. I briefly stepped out to grab my daughter’s Christmas gift, but quickly realized that I had forgotten my keys. However, when I came back, I was locked outside the villa. I rang the doorbell countless times, but no one came to let me in. Through the glass window, I saw my daughter happily smiling in the arms of my wife’s childhood friend who had returned from overseas. “Uncle Jones, you smell so nice. Not like my dad. He’s always sweaty and smells so gross. I don’t even want to spend Christmas with him!” My wife, Lily Quinn, looked at them indulgently and agreed. “Your dad hasn’t seen much of the world. He really doesn’t know how to celebrate holidays properly.” I froze in place as my fingers turned cold. Yara turned and saw me outside the window. Her face was filled with disgust. “What are you staring at? Why are you standing outside like some monster? You almost scared me to death! You’re not like Uncle Jones at all. He’s so elegant and well-mannered!” However, ten years ago, I was a top sales director at a well-known multinational company. Back then, I had the chance to be transferred to New York. Yet Lily unexpectedly got pregnant and suffered severe reactions. She was at constant risk of miscarriage. I voluntarily gave up that opportunity to take care of her and our daughter. Now, that sacrifice had somehow become undeniable proof of my uselessness. I took a deep breath and threw the Christmas gift I had bought for my daughter into the trash. Then I messaged someone saved in my contacts as “Apprentice”: [Is that overseas position you mentioned a few days ago still available?] The reply came almost instantly: [Of course! Mr. Lane, as long as you’re willing to come back, you’ll always have a place waiting for you!]
عرض المزيدShe held up a worn scarf, trying to wrap it around my neck. Her tone was soft and ingratiating.“Are you hungry? Cold? Do you want to grab something to eat? I booked your favorite restaurant…”Yara timidly tugged at the corner of my coat. Her eyes were red.“Daddy…”I took a step back, avoiding their touch.“Say what you came to say.”The smile on Lily’s face faltered, then turned bitter.“Melvin, I know I was wrong.“That liar Carson has already been arrested. Yara and I both see him for what he really is now.“I was blind before, completely out of my mind. This family can’t survive without you. Yara can’t be without her father…“She had a fever yesterday and kept calling your name. She really misses you.”She nudged Yara forward.Immediately, the girl looked up at me with tear-filled eyes.“Daddy, I was wrong… I shouldn’t have said those things to hurt you…“Uncle Jones is a liar. He tricked Mom and me. He didn’t treat us well at all. He wouldn’t cook for me, and he did
When Carson saw that he had been exposed, he stopped pretending altogether and shouted, “Enough talking! Pay up already! If not, they’re going to beat me to death!”“He’s not even my husband. Deal with your own mess!” Lily shouted in fury.“I can’t pay it back…”“You can’t? If you can’t pay, we’ll send you overseas, or to Myanmar. Either way, you’ll find a way to repay it!”As the men loomed closer, grinning viciously, Carson jabbed a finger at the antique vase in the living room and shouted in panic:“Wait, wait! There are plenty of valuable things in this house! Take them! As long as it clears my debt, take whatever you want!“Take it all! Move everything out!”The leader waved his hand, and the others rushed in. They ransacked the villa, hauling everything out in a frenzy.Antiques, luxury watches, even the keys to Lily’s newly purchased car were all taken.“Stop! This is my house! This is robbery!“Get out of the way!”Lily tried to stop them, but one of the men shoved h
Beep, beep, beep.The call disconnected.Yara froze.A few seconds later, she suddenly burst into heart-wrenching sobs.“Mommy… wasn’t I Daddy’s favorite? Why would he say something like that… I want Daddy…”Lily hurriedly tried to comfort her.“Don’t cry, don’t cry. Daddy’s just upset right now. Mommy will bring him back…”Carson, irritated by the noise, could not help but roll his eyes.“What are you crying for? Your dad already said he doesn’t want you anymore. What’s the point of crying? It’s annoying.”His words only made Yara cry harder. Her breath hitched between sobs.Lily whipped her head around and shouted,“Carson! What are you saying to a child? Aren’t things bad enough already?!”Just then, rapid knocking sounded at the door.Yara’s crying faltered. She lifted her head in a daze“Mommy… who is it? Is it… is it Daddy? Did Daddy come back?”Something stirred in Lily’s heart, and a flicker of hope lit her eyes.Had Melvin softened after all? Had he come back f
He guiltily shifted the shopping bag behind his back.“I… I noticed that there was still time, so I stopped by the computer mall…“Yara’s already grown up. She should be able to get home on her own…”“Shopping?!”Lily was shaking with rage, pointing straight at him as she exploded.“Yara was in the infirmary with stomach pain, and it’s raining heavily outside, yet you went shopping?!“What kind of person are you?!”“I’m not her father!” Carson, stung by the scolding, jabbed a finger at Lily and snapped.“You’re her actual mother. If you didn’t go pick her up, why should I be at your beck and call?”He glanced at Yara, who was burning up and half-conscious, then actually took a step back, covering his nose and mouth in disgust.“Don’t tell me she’s got the flu or something. Don’t let her infect me. I’m a guy. I don’t take care of people.”As Lily looked at this man, who once made her feel proud to be seen with him. She now felt nothing but disgust.She ignored him, picked up












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