"I’ve seen so many photos of him in the cookie jar where Mom kept the divorce papers. Mom collected a lot of photos of him. There are at least ten of him holding a trophy on the podium. There are also wedding photos, one of him crouching down to tie Mom’s shoes, and even one where he's kissing her on the cheek."

I regretted it. I should have thrown them all away right after the divorce.

But at the time, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.

Emma looked at Russel with hopeful eyes. "Is he my dad?"

Russel, not wanting to lie to her, answered truthfully, "Yes."

Emma’s face lit up with a smile. "The kids at preschool used to make fun of me for not having a mom or dad. But now I have a dad! Ha ha."

Suddenly, her smile faltered, and her lips drooped. "Uncle Russel, does that mean Dad doesn’t want me or Mom anymore?"

Russel gently patted her head and assured her that her dad would not abandon her.

Seeing how much Emma craved a father’s love broke my heart.

I wanted to reach out, to hold her and tell her not to be sad, but my hand passed right through her.

In that moment, I forgot I had already been dead for four years.

……

The next day, during the kindergarten nap time, Emma went to the teacher and borrowed her phone. She snuck into the bathroom and dialed the number from the business card Xander had given her the day before.

"Hello?"

"I’m the little girl you gave your card to yesterday. I want to ask you something. Can I?"

Thankfully, Emma didn’t call him ‘Dad.’

But a wave of anxiety swept over me as I rushed forward to grab the phone from her.

Once again, my hand passed right through her.

After getting his permission, Emma cautiously asked, "Do you like my mom?"

It felt like a lightning bolt struck me.

Last night, Emma had gone through my belongings again and was fixated on the words I had written in my diary. "Xander, do you like me?"

She wasn’t trying to reconnect with her dad. She was asking for an answer on my behalf.

But please, don’t ask that.

It had been five years since the divorce and four years since I died.

The answer did not matter that much to me anymore.

On the other end of the line, all I heard was ridicule. "Did your mom put you up to this? Using her own daughter like a pawn? What an unfaithful woman! She’s already with your dad, yet still trying to rekindle things with me?"

Xander’s words spilled out like toothpaste squeezed from a tube. Emma probably did not understand half of what he said.

I felt a mix of bitterness and relief. Thankfully, her vocabulary was not that advanced yet.

Emma raised her voice a little, asking, "Are you insulting my mom?"

"Heh… A woman like her deserves it."

Unfaithful?

I had done nothing wrong! If anything, it was you and your ‘one true love’ who were never clear-cut.

Tears streamed down Emma’s face. I panicked and tried to wipe them away, but my hands went right through her again.

"Mom’s been dead for four years, and you’re still insulting her. You’re awful! Waaaah…"

That’s right. I had been dead for four years. I died the year after our divorce.

On the other end of the phone, disbelief lingered in his voice. "Dead? No way. Evil people live forever. Even if I died, she’d still be alive."

Emma was devastated and furious. "You’re awful! I’ll never talk to you again. And I’ll tell Mom’s spirit not to love you anymore. I’ll burn all the things she kept of yours. Waaaah…"

She sobbed so hard she could barely breathe.

I spun in helpless circles, my heart aching for her.

Then came a muffled voice from the other end of the phone.

"Is your mom really dead?"

"Did your mom teach you to say that?

"That woman is an expert at playing me for a fool."

……

The whole drama ended with the teacher unlocking the bathroom door, taking the phone, and hanging up.

But for the rest of the day, Emma was distracted and gloomy.

I was also on edge.

That evening, when Russel came to pick up Emma, Xander blocked their way at the entrance.

Emma lowered her head slightly and shot a glare at Xander who was in front of her.

Xander stared coldly at Russel. "Amber is dead?"

Russel was not in the mood for pleasantries either. "You divorced her a long time ago, and now you're about to get engaged. Why do you even care?"

At the word "engaged," Emma visibly flinched. Her anger was intensifying as she glared at the sharply dressed man before her.

"Don’t be upset, Emma. It’s okay. Mom has nothing to do with him anymore," I wanted to comfort Emma.

Just then, a few kids still at the kindergarten aftercare came out and started pointing at Emma.

"Hey, isn’t the bossy kid in our class the one with no mom or dad? How come you have two uncles picking you up today?"

"Are both of these uncles lining up to be your new dad?"

"Why are you crying? You’re always yelling at us, but now you’re bawling."

"Your mom’s already dead, so even if you cry, no one will wipe your tears at home."

Russel pulled Emma into his arms as her tears fell like pearls.

I was so frustrated I wanted to stomp my feet and give those bratty kids a good smack.

Suddenly, I saw a large hand lift the boy who had made the last remark right off the ground.

Xander, looking as cold and menacing as a ghost, was furious. "If any of you ever bully Emma again, I’ll not only make sure your parents lose their jobs, I’ll cut out your tongues."

He glared down at the kids, one by one.

Terrified, they scattered in fear.

After scaring off the bullies, Xander seemed to be reflecting on what they had said.

He looked almost ridiculous.

Then, he turned to Russel. "Is Amber really dead?"

I had been dead for four years. Why didn’t he believe it?

Russel’s eyes were cold. "She’s dead but it doesn't concern you."

Russel, as my childhood friend, knew all too well the grudge between Xander and me.

So from the beginning, there was no way he would be nice to him.

"Why doesn’t it concern me? Since you’re not Emma’s father, maybe that heartless woman secretly had our child without telling me. Tell me! Is Emma my daughter?"

I was so shocked I nearly lost my balance.

No! Russel, you absolutely couldn’t tell him!

If he found out that Emma was his daughter and took her away, what if he didn’t treat her well?

Xander was already getting engaged. People said that once a stepmom came into the picture, the father wouldn’t treat his child the same anymore.

Russel held Emma tighter. Her arms wrapped around his neck and they were looking just like a perfect father and daughter.

But to my surprise, Russel did not deny it. "So what if she is? You’re about to get married. Do you think your precious fiancée would accept your ex-wife’s child?"

After a pause, Russel added, "Do you know why I’m telling you that Emma is your daughter? Because I want you to feel guilty for what you did to her mom. Do you know why Amber had to raise her alone?

"Would someone like you even feel guilt?"