When I arrived at the hospital, Emma was wheeled out of the operating room like a rag doll.

I stood there, helpless, and approached her, choking back tears as I said, "Emma, don't be afraid. Daddy's here."

Emma stared blankly at the ceiling, not responding to my words.

A police officer pulled me aside with a serious expression and said, "The child was attacked by several homeless men while trying to resist during a robbery. When we arrived, she had lost a lot of blood..."

I stepped back, covering my mouth in shock, my heart feeling like it was being sliced open with a knife.

The officer quietly advised me, "Since we found her, she hasn't spoken. You should try to comfort her; once she's feeling better, we can take her statement."

After the officer left, I stood at the door of Emma's room, unsure how to face her.

I opened my mouth to cry silently, pounding my chest with my fists in deep self-reproach.

Damn those international meetings and damn making money; if I hadn't been preoccupied with those things, Emma wouldn't have suffered tonight.

Perhaps hearing me hit myself, Emma called out from her room, "Daddy..."

I quickly wiped away my tears and took a deep breath before stepping inside.

Emma's face was as pale as paper. She lifted her hand and pointed at my phone. "Why didn't Mommy come to pick me up?"

My face stiffened; I didn't know how to answer that question.

Ever since Ethan and his son returned, Sophie had focused entirely on them, neglecting her own daughter Emma.

Once during a severe flu season, Emma had a high fever for several days without Sophie even asking about her; instead, Sophie spent days and nights with Max Hunter.

"She told me yesterday that today is Max's birthday. Did she go celebrate with him?" Emma asked softly.

I held her cold little hand and reassured her, "Emma, it's Daddy's fault. If Daddy hadn't gone to that meeting to pick you up..."

Emma looked at me with red-rimmed eyes and asked, "Daddy, am I really Mommy's biological child? Ever since Max came back, Mommy only cares about him and doesn't ask about me..."

Emma felt that Sophie loved Max so much that it must be because she wasn't good enough herself. That's why she worked so hard in school every day, hoping Sophie would pay attention to her again.

This was the first time she had asked me such a question; disappointment in Sophie was written all over her face. My heart twisted painfully.

"What are you talking about? Why should it matter if I care for Max a bit more? His mother is abroad; shouldn't I take care of him? Why are you jealous?" Sophie shouted as she walked through the door.

I glanced at my phone; it was 1:30 AM—three hours since I had called her.

Ethan followed closely behind Sophie, carrying her handbag in one hand and a cake box in the other.

Emma looked at Sophie in disbelief and trembled as she said, "Mommy, do you know what happened to me tonight? If you had come to pick me up..."

Sophie scanned Emma from head to toe without concern and replied nonchalantly, "You look fine; what could have possibly happened?"

I immediately stepped up to Sophie and slapped her hard across the face.

"Smack!"

Ethan dropped the bags he was holding and reached out toward me. "How could you hit a woman?"

I kicked him out the door with a swift side kick.

Turning back to Emma, I soothed her gently. "You rest for now; Daddy will come back to see you later."

With that, I pushed the stunned Sophie out of the room.

Sophie snapped back to reality and immediately helped Ethan up, her face filled with concern.

I pointed toward the hospital entrance and said coldly, "I need to handle family matters now, so Ethan, please leave."

Ethan winced, holding his side, and replied, "Sophie, if you need anything, just call me. I'm leaving now."

Once Ethan was gone, Sophie quickly changed her demeanor and impatiently said to me, "You and Emma don't need to put on a show; she looks fine to me."

I pulled out the medical report from my pocket and tossed it at her, glaring fiercely. "Her neck is covered in bruises; can't you see that?"

"And she has multiple bruises on her back and stomach from being beaten badly—how can you say she's fine?" I cursed at her for the first time.

Sophie looked at the report again, shaking her head in disbelief. "That's impossible! It can't be true!"

I pointed at her forehead and hissed, "Sophie, I called you! I texted you to remind you to pick up Emma. And what did you do? You went to celebrate Max's birthday instead!"

My eyes were red with anger as I gripped her neck tightly, feeling like I could kill her.

Sophie desperately clawed at my hand, pleading softly, "I was wrong; it's my fault. I didn't mean for this to happen!"

I forcefully shoved her to the ground and kicked her hard. "Get lost! Just get the hell out of here!"

Sophie cried out in pain, clutching her stomach. Emma heard her from inside and shouted, "Dad, what's wrong with Mom?"

I quickly masked my anger and smiled as I entered the room. "It's nothing; your mom just bumped into a chair."

Emma looked worried. "Did it hurt? Mommy hates pain."

Outside the door, Sophie gently reassured Emma, "Emma, Mommy is fine..." But before she could finish, she broke down in tears.

Watching Emma anxiously smile back at me made my heart sink; she then lay down and said, "I want to sleep now; you both can go."

Something felt off; Emma's calmness was eerily unsettling.

I sat by Emma's bedside all night while Sophie slept on a chair outside.

When Emma woke up, she immediately asked for soup dumplings from the west side of the city and insisted that I go buy them.

I didn't want to leave her side for even a moment and suggested gently, "Why don't you let your mom go? Daddy is worried about you."

The hospital was an hour and a half round trip from the west side; I didn't trust Sophie to take care of Emma alone.

But Emma stubbornly shook her head. "No! I want you to buy them!"

With no other choice, I called Sophie into the room and instructed her to watch over Emma carefully and not leave her side for any reason.

After being beaten by me last night, Sophie seemed more compliant than usual and promised sweetly, "I won't leave her side for a second; just hurry back."

Before leaving, I placed my spare phone in the cabinet. "If anything happens, use this phone to call Daddy."

Emma nodded with wide eyes. "Daddy, hurry! I'm starving!"

I rushed to the parking lot and texted Sophie: [Emma's mood seems off; pay extra attention to her. Don't provoke her—stay close!]

Sophie assured me confidently: [Don't worry; Emma is my daughter too. I care about her.]

But when I returned with the soup dumplings, Emma was missing.

Sophie clutched her left cheek and glared at me angrily. "Kyle, it's not my fault she's missing! What good does hitting me do?"

I kicked toward her stomach in frustration. "I told you not to leave her side! What were you doing when she left the room?"

Sophie glanced nervously at her phone. I opened her call log—she had been on a thirty-minute call with Ethan.

I threw the phone at her face in rage. "If anything happens to Emma, you and Ethan will regret it for the rest of your lives!"

The phone hit Sophie's forehead hard enough to draw blood as I stormed out of the room without looking back.