When my daughter, Lily Gage, has a parent-teacher meeting going on, she requests that my wife, Melody Hutton, and I attend it.

Yet, Melody doesn't inform me about the meeting. Instead, she takes her secretary, Benjamin Carter, to the meeting.

After the meeting, Melody explains that she doesn't have the heart to interrupt me, seeing as I'm too busy with work.

In order to maintain the peace of this family, I decide to endure Melody's shenanigans just this once.

But one day, Lily has gotten into a fight with another student at school. By the time I arrive, I witness Benjamin dealing with the situation with Lily in his arms.

After asking Lily's teacher for more information, I find out that Lily has actually changed an emergency contact. Apparently, she has filled in Benjamin's contact information in the father's column.

Also, Melody has given her permission for Lily to make the change.

At that moment, I've lost all interest in staying in this family.

That night, I bring up divorce in front of Melody. She just smiles mockingly at me.

"So, you want to get divorced just because Benjamin's an emergency contact now?"

"That's right."

The cold smile on Melody Hutton's face felt like a direct mockery of my existence.

"Every time we argue, you bring up divorce. Can you stop making a scene?" she said, her voice flat as she packed her documents. "I have a meeting at the company with Benjamin. We'll talk when I get back."

Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked toward Benjamin Carter, who was waiting by the door. He casually draped his coat over my wife's shoulders and looked at me with a practiced, apologetic expression.

"Mr. Gage, I'm really sorry," Benjamin said. "Today's meeting is very important. Ms. Hutton can't afford to be late."

The way they moved in tandem made it seem as though I were the unreasonable one.

Suddenly, Benjamin's phone vibrated. He glanced at the screen and answered the call; the voice on the other end was loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Why isn't Ms. Hutton here yet? Don't tell me her husband is still badgering her. How can a grown man be such a nuisance? She should just divorce him already. Mr. Carter, you're much more thoughtful. You're the one who should be her husband. It would be better for everyone."

I recognized the voice. It was one of their company's shareholders—a man who, back when we first met, hadn't even dared to look me in the eye.

Benjamin quickly put his phone away and muttered a hollow, "Sorry."

I looked straight at Melody. "Is this how your shareholders see me?"

She gave me a look of dry amusement. "I can't control what other people think. And if I don't get to the company right now, I can only imagine what else they'll have to say."

She took Benjamin's arm and tried to brush past me. I clenched my teeth and rushed forward, blocking their path.

"Sign the divorce papers first!"

My sudden move startled Benjamin. Seeing me like this, he looked at Melody with exaggerated concern, as if he were fighting the urge to pull her into his arms to comfort her.

Melody simply looked at me, her expression one of pure exasperation.

"Are you seriously asking for a divorce over a dispute about an emergency contact? At the last parent-teacher meeting, Lily seemed more comfortable talking to Benjamin. You're always busy, so I didn't want to bother you and asked him to go instead. Fine. It's my fault. I apologize. I'm sorry. Is that enough?"

She made a move to leave again. Seeing this, Benjamin stepped forward and bowed his head slightly.

"Mr. Gage, I'm sorry. Lily will always be your daughter. I'm just Melody's secretary; I could never take her away from you."

Hearing the commotion, my mother-in-law, Rose Dupont, approached to intervene. "Ivan, Mel has already apologized. That's enough. It's normal for couples to argue, but you can't keep holding a grudge like this."

I looked at the three of them, feeling utterly drained.

It was like they were all trying to soothe someone unreasonable.

But the way I had become like this had everything to do with them.

Melody and I were introduced by a colleague. On paper, we were a good match, so we got married. But immediately after the wedding, my father was reported for commercial fraud and forced into a public apology. Overnight, a respected businessman became a pariah.

Terrified of being dragged down by association, Melody's parents had humiliated me repeatedly in public. They called me a freeloader, constantly tried to distance themselves from my family, and I had lost count of how many times they had pressured Melody to divorce me.

Later, when Melody got pregnant, her parents refused to let me even care for her.

When Lily was born, they blocked me from entering the hospital, claiming my presence would bring bad luck.

When they discovered the baby was a girl, Rose went on a three-day tirade, calling me useless and claiming my bloodline was cursed.

It was only after Melody insisted she was happy with a daughter that they finally dropped the subject. Even then, they claimed I would pass my "curse" onto Lily. They took Lily away to raise her themselves, and as her father, I was never allowed to see her.

It wasn't until Lily was nearly school-age that she finally came to live with us. But by then, the damage was done. Her grandparents had poisoned her mind; she hated me just as much as they did.

Lily called me a freeloader who didn't deserve to be her father. She forbade me from ever identifying myself as her father in public, claiming it would embarrass her.

I wanted nothing more than to raise her right, but all I ever received in return was disgust.

Yet, with Benjamin, she was strangely affectionate.

She never allowed me to attend her parent-teacher meetings, and now, she had even replaced me with Benjamin as her emergency contact.

Melody allowed all of it. They told me I wasn't manly enough—that I was acting like a bitter, nagging housewife.

If they all despised me this much, then there was no reason for me to keep enduring it.

It was time to end this.

"Melody, if you don't sign these papers today, you're not walking out that door." I stood firmly, blocking the entrance.

"Ivan Gage! We can't keep putting up with your nonsense!" Melody finally snapped. In a blur of motion, she swung her hand and slapped me hard across the face.

Only after the blow landed did Benjamin slowly step in to "stop" her. Melody's face was flushed with rage as Benjamin wrapped his arms around her, murmuring, "It's okay. It's not your fault. Mr. Gage is just emotional right now. Let's calm him down first."

There was only one way Melody knew how to "calm" me. She told her mother to bring Lily downstairs.

Lily emerged half-asleep, wearing only a thin nightgown. As she walked down the stairs, she murmured, "Mom, Mr. Carter… Good evening."

It was as if I didn't exist.

Seeing how lightly she was dressed, I instinctively took off my coat and draped it over her shoulders.

But she immediately flung it to the ground. "That's gross. Don't touch me with your rags!"

Then she ran straight into Benjamin's arms.

"Mr. Carter, you're so warm. I love hugging you. Unlike someone else, who smells awful…"

Melody reached out and gently stroked Lily's cheek. "Your dad is upset because he didn't get to go to your school meeting. You should apologize to him. Otherwise, he's going to leave us."

To my surprise, Lily's eyes lit up with genuine joy.

"That's great! Then I won't apologize. That way, I never have to see this loser again!" She clapped her hands happily.

My chest tightened. Was this really my daughter?

Melody frowned, her voice rising. "I never taught you to be this rude. Apologize now!"

Lily clenched her jaw, refusing to do so.

Melody looked helpless, but then Benjamin crouched down and hugged Lily.

"Lily, if you just say sorry, your dad will stop making a scene. Then your mom and I can go out. So for my sake, just apologize, okay?"

Lily lowered her head, hesitated for a moment, and finally relented. "Sorry. Is that enough?"

Melody turned to me instantly. "She apologized. Don't humiliate yourself any further. Be considerate for once."

Just then, Benjamin's phone buzzed twice.

Benjamin picked up his phone and began typing a reply.

A second later, Lily's smartwatch buzzed.

For the next minute, it continued—her watch and his phone vibrating in a relentless back-and-forth rhythm. The two of them stared at their screens, faint smiles playing on their lips. Every so often, they'd sneak a glance in my direction.

I froze for a moment, then realized what was happening—they were texting each other.

I couldn't take it anymore and snatched the watch from Lily's wrist. I skimmed the messages, my heart sinking with every word.

It was exactly as I feared.

Lily, Melody, and Benjamin had a group chat titled "Our Happy Family". Inside, Lily was unleashing a torrent of vitriol against me.

"Why do I have a dad like this?"

"He'd have more dignity if he just went out and begged."

"If he would just die, then Mr. Carter could finally be my dad!"

Meanwhile, Benjamin played the role of the "perfect father" in the chat.

"Lily, don't say such hurtful things, okay?"

"Lily, I know it's unfair to you, but thank you for doing this for me."

"Don't let your dad see these messages, or he'll make a scene again."

I couldn't read any more. I couldn't swallow this level of humiliation.

When Lily realized what I was doing, she began striking at me, clawing to get her watch back. "Freeloader! Give it back!"

In the struggle, I lost my footing. We both stumbled, and the watch fell to the ground. Predictably, Lily burst into tears.

"Just die already! I'm never calling you 'Dad' again!"

Her eyes were filled with nothing but pure, unadulterated hatred.

I looked at the child in front of me and found myself unable to speak.

Seeing the tension escalate, Melody pulled me aside, her voice tight with annoyance. "Sometimes you need to ask yourself if you're the problem. If you had just gone along with things from the start, none of this would've happened. That's enough. Lily already apologized. So, stop making a fuss."

I took a deep breath, my voice surprisingly steady. "I'm not making a fuss. Just sign the divorce papers."

The moment Melody heard those words, she pointed a trembling finger at me. "Do you really have to do this to feel satisfied? Look at how many people are bending over backward to comfort you!"

I looked at her calmly. The sheer hollowness in my eyes made her hesitate for a fraction of a second.

"Are you sure you want a divorce?"

I nodded firmly.

Melody sneered, "Everyone knows I gave you everything. Without me, you'd be worse off than a beggar. Don't come crawling back when you can't even afford food."

She continued, "Let me be clear. You won't get a single penny from me. Lily stays with me. I'll make sure you never see her again."

Melody thought that would scare me. What she didn't understand was that none of it mattered to me anymore. I didn't say a word and just picked up the divorce agreement again.

She stood there, stunned.

"Fine! Lily's custody goes to you. I won't take a single penny from you, either. The house my father gave me before we married is mine—always has been. So, go on. Sign it."

Melody clutched the papers tightly.

At that moment, Benjamin deliberately stepped forward. "Ms. Hutton, please think it through. I know all of this is my fault. I apologize. You can't divorce Mr. Gage because of me. I know I've ruined your family. I'm sorry. If Mr. Gage finds me unpleasant, I'll ask the board to assign you a different secretary."

He turned to me. "Mr. Gage, please don't be upset. I'll leave right now. Please don't argue with Ms. Hutton on my account."