I had everything planned a month in advance for our holiday. I was going to take my wife and daughter on a trip to see the country's beautiful landscapes, but just before we were supposed to leave, they both disappeared.

I ended up standing alone in the pouring rain, trying to call them.

My daughter's voice came through over the phone—it was cold and impatient. "Mommy's having dinner with Uncle Skyler. We don't want to go anymore."

Right after that, the call was cut off. I had been blocked.

They locked me out of the house on purpose and left me to freeze out there all night. The rain had already drenched me, and I was running a high fever that turned into pneumonia.

Meanwhile, the two of them were off enjoying a vacation with Skyler Shire.

That was the moment I knew—this marriage was well and truly over.

Not Worth It Anymore

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 was the perfect picture of a happy family.

A bitter smile tugged at the corner of my lips. To say I didn't feel hurt would be a lie. But moments like this had become so common that I was numb to them. I even gave the post a like before setting my phone down.

The whole time I stayed in the hospital, Selena and my daughter were out having fun with Skyler. By the time I was discharged, I was still alone, quietly packing my things and heading back home by myself.

The moment I opened the front door, laughter and chatter echoed from inside.

Selena and Evie were lounging on the sofa, surrounded by stacks of beautifully wrapped gift boxes. Expensive. Lavish. When they saw me walk in, their expressions instantly changed—faces cold, aloof, as if I were some unwelcome guest.

In the past, I would have pretended nothing was wrong. I would have tried to make conversation, to smooth things over. But now I was too tired—both physically and emotionally. I didn't have anything left to give.

Selena sat cross-legged on the couch, glaring at me. "Where the hell have you been, Colin? You disappeared for days without a single message, and now you just waltz back in? What kind of father are you?"

I stared at her, confused. She must have been so caught up playing house with Skyler and our daughter that she hadn't seen the dozens of calls I left. But that was how it always was. Somehow, no matter what happened, I ended up the bad guy.

So I didn't bother arguing. There was no point, after all.

My silence only made her more convinced that I was being unreasonable. She shot me a look full of disdain, casually admiring her freshly done nails. "Colin, what are you even throwing a tantrum for? Just because Evie and I didn't go on vacation with you? Seriously?"

Seriously? Yes, seriously.

"That day, Skyler just happened to invite us to dinner. We missed the flight, that's all. He doesn't have anyone else here—I was just keeping him company. You're a grown man. Why are you being so petty?"

"He doesn't have anyone?"

What about me, then? My parents died young. I've been on my own just as much.

I looked at the woman I had loved for over a decade and felt like I didn't know her at all. Ten years of giving everything I had… and for what?

Even Evie jumped in to defend her. The disgust on her face was plain as day. "Daddy, you're so stingy and mean! You're nothing like Uncle Skyler—he's kind and generous! Look, all these are gifts from him! You only make Mommy mad. I don't like you anymore! I want Uncle Skyler to be my daddy!"

This was the little girl I had cherished, protected, and spoiled in every way I knew how. And now, to her, I didn't even matter as much as a stranger.

How ridiculous.

The human heart could only take so much. Hurt it enough times, and it would go numb. If this was how the two of them saw me, then so be it. I would let them have what they wanted.

Without hesitation, I pulled out the divorce papers from my bag and placed them in front of Selena. "Let's get a divorce."

Then, I turned to Evie, who was pouting and on the verge of tears. "That way, you'll have your new daddy."

The End Of What Was Ours

The moment those words left my mouth, neither mother nor daughter on the couch so much as blinked. In fact, they looked at me like I was the one being unreasonable.

"Colin, do you really have to blow this out of proportion?" Selena's voice was calm, even condescending. "You were the one in the wrong. We just had you spend a night outside to cool off. What's the big deal?"

I opened my mouth but couldn't bring myself to speak.

She said it so lightly, as if it were nothing. As if she had forgotten how cold it got up north this time of year.

I had stood outside in a thunderstorm for hours, waiting for the two of them. Then I spent the rest of the night on the streets, soaked and shivering. The fever hit, and it turned into pneumonia. It wasn’t them who helped me—it was a stranger who took pity and called the ambulance. If they hadn't… I might not have made it through the night.

I smiled bitterly and shook my head. "There's nothing left to say. Just sign the papers."

Selena looked genuinely surprised. All these years, she was the only one who ever brought up divorce during her tantrums. She never expected me to be the one to say it first.

"Colin, do you even know what you're doing?"

My body still felt wrecked from the fever, but I forced myself to stand upright and kept my tone steady. "I know exactly what I'm doing. This marriage isn't worth holding onto anymore."

Selena had always been the type who expected to be adored, to be the center of everyone's world. So, when I stood my ground, her face twisted with anger. "Fine! Let's get divorced!"

She snatched the divorce papers and hurled them at me, hitting me square in the face. "Colin, a man like you doesn't deserve someone like me! You've got no money, no status—I can't wait to see how you survive without me! And don't even think about taking our daughter. Evie stays with me. I'm not letting her grow up in some rundown shack with a loser like you!"

Right then, Evie ran over and clung to her mother's leg, shouting at the top of her lungs. "Only someone handsome and gentle like Uncle Skyler is good enough for Mommy! He plays the piano, and he teaches me how to dive—unlike you, who can't do anything. You're not my daddy anymore! Get out of our house!"

The child looked so much like me—same features, same expressions—but every word that came out of her mouth stabbed straight through my chest. If this had happened in the past, I probably would have cried my heart out.

But now, I felt nothing. Just one clear thought: whatever bond we once had as father and daughter, it was gone.

"Don't worry," I said quietly. "I'm not fighting you for custody."

Then I turned to Evie, meeting her eyes. "And you're not my daughter anymore either. Go ahead—find someone else to call Daddy."

With that, I didn't spare them another glance. I turned and walked straight into the bedroom to pack.

There wasn't much to take. Just a few changes of clothes. That was all I had.

For years, my entire world had revolved around Selena and Evie. When they were happy, I was happy. Somewhere along the way, I lost myself. I gave up everything to protect this family, but to them, this home was always optional.

I used to believe that love would be enough. That if I gave my heart, I would earn theirs in return.

I was a fool.

Before leaving, I slipped the ring off my finger and set it on the nightstand. I had worn that ring for ten years. It had trapped me for just as long.

Now, I was finally free.

As I rolled my suitcase into the living room, Selena and Evie were on a video call. The screen lit up with a man's voice. "Evie, were you a good girl today? I'm bringing you a present tomorrow—it's the teddy bear you wanted."

It was Skyler.

Evie's face lit up. Her voice was all sugar and sunshine. "You're the best, Uncle Skyler! See you tomorrow!"

Selena smiled, and her whole demeanor softened. She looked like the perfect wife and mother—nothing like the woman who had just screamed at me. "Skyler, don't spoil her too much. She's already a handful."

Laughter and joy filled the house, the three of them basking in their perfect little world. And once again, I was just the extra—forgotten and unwelcome.

But none of it mattered anymore. After everything they had put me through, any love I had left for them was long gone.

My head was pounding again, the fever flaring back up. But I knew what I had to do.

This time, I left for good. No looking back. No goodbyes.

A House That Was Never A Home

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 hell is wrong with you? You think I'd let my daughter live in that kind of place? You want her to end up as pathetic as you?"

I couldn't understand how something done out of love—out of a father's devotion—could be twisted into something so cruel, so unforgivable. But I said nothing. Just swallowed it down and forced a smile. "Forget it. I won't transfer it."

Back then, I still tried to comfort myself by saying she was just a child—too young to understand, too innocent to be blamed. But if she truly loved me as her dad, how could she say things that cut so deep? The truth was always there. I had just refused to see it.

Now, with no one else to tend to, I suddenly had a lot of free time. I made myself a meal I actually liked—slow, unhurried, just for me—and then finally watched that game I had been meaning to catch for months. Simple things. Things I never had the space to enjoy in that house.

Selena loved spicy food. Evie was allergic to seafood. And me? I couldn't handle spice and loved seafood more than anything. But back then, I adjusted. Cooked what they liked. Thought about what they wanted. Considered everyone's feelings—all except my own.

I had erased myself to make room for them.

A sudden shrill ring yanked me from my thoughts. I picked up my phone and saw Selena's name flashing on the screen.

I hesitated, debating whether to block her, but I knew her temper too well. If I ignored this call, another one would follow soon. Better to get things over with.

"What is it?"

There was a pause on the other end before she finally spoke, her voice already laced with irritation. "Where did you put that brooch I had custom-made last month?"

I thought for a moment. "Second-to-last drawer in the walk-in closet."

She found it quickly, and her tone shifted, becoming smug and condescending. "If you weren't the only one who knew where everything is in the house, I wouldn't have even bothered calling you."

I didn't respond. I was about to hang up when she spoke again. "Alright, you've had your little tantrum. Now come home already. My patience isn't endless. Because you weren't around tonight, Evie didn't like the nanny's cooking and barely ate. Doesn't it hurt your heart to know your daughter went to bed hungry? And another thing—"

I cut her off, my voice cold and final. "I'll leave instructions with the nanny about where everything important is later tonight. After that, don't call me again. Whatever happens with Evie is no longer my concern. I don't want to know. And just so we're clear, I wasn't joking about the divorce. We're done. For good."