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."