I carried Tiffany home. Her thin body was still warm in my arms, but she could no longer call me Dad.

I cried all the way, hating myself for being powerless and even more hating Wendy for being so cold towards our daughter.

In the evening, Tiffany did not come home very late after school. She had always been very well-behaved and obedient and would report to me whenever she went out to play or stayed at school.

Only this time, I heard no news.

I contacted everyone. When I called Wendy, she was as impatient as ever.

"Tiffany? I don't know where she is. She might be hanging out with some boys. Humph, she can't control herself."

"Wendy, what are you talking about? Tiffany is your biological daughter. No mother would slander her own daughter like this."

Wendy sneered, "Slander? Barry told me that. He is not like Tiffany, who is stupid.

"I want to know if she is my biological daughter. I am ashamed to have such a shameless daughter."

It was Barry again!

A long time ago, I noticed that Wendy was particularly interested in Barry. After some investigation, I found out that he was actually the son of Wendy's ex-boyfriend.

Tiffany and Barry were in the same school, and he even pursued her. When he failed, he spread rumors to the whole grade and said vicious talk about Tiffany.

I was so angry that I went to school, but Wendy beat me up after knowing this.

"Did you want to destroy him? Tiffany was just slandered. Don't spoil her!

"Barry said that it was Tiffany who took the initiative to seduce him. Don't slander a good boy without knowing the truth!"

From that day on, Tiffany, who had been a cheerful and talkative girl, gradually closed herself off.

I could see her painful struggle, so I applied for a transfer for her. However, before I could complete the process, she was kidnapped.

At that time, Wendy didn't care where Tiffany had gone. She just finished talking and hung up the phone.

And I clearly heard a boy talking to her.

"Give me some milk."

It turned out that she ignored Tiffany's safety and was taking care of her ex-boyfriend's child in his home.

But she had never done such a small and easy thing for Tiffany.

...

I sat in the car from dusk to dawn with Tiffany in my mind.

I remember that when I called Wendy to pay the ransom, I hurried back and reminded her to be on time.

But she said calmly, "Barry's surgery costs money. Devin was in a difficult situation, so I gave him the money."

I was shocked, and I couldn't help but roar, "You gave him the money? Wendy, I beg you... You can have whatever you want in the future, but you can't use this money! Please save Tiffany. Don't take risk!"

I begged her on the phone. It took a long time before I heard her perfunctorily reply.

"Oh, I see. You are so annoying. The girl is good at making trouble."

I regret it. If I hadn't trusted Wendy so much at that time, if I had kept an eye on her the whole time, Tiffany would not have died.

Wendy didn't ask about her until the day after Tiffany's death, but I was able to learn about her recent situation from others.

After Barry had surgery. Wendy stayed in the hospital like a nanny, taking care of him. She even slept in the hospital at night to make it easier to take care of him.

The people in the same ward envied Barry for having such a good mother. Wendy smiled and did not refute. Instead, Barry knocked over the milk with one hand.

"She's not my mother. She's a mistress."

Even so, Wendy was still able to tolerate him with a smile, saying that he didn't mean it.

But back then, Tiffany just ate one more strawberry, and she scolded Tiffany for being rude.

I often wondered who Wendy’s biological child was.

Wendy blocked me, so I had to call her using my friend’s phone.

The call was answered. It was a man who spoke, "Hello, who is this?"

It was Devin Carter, Wendy’s ex-boyfriend. I knew his voice.

"Where's Wendy? Let her answer the phone."

The other party seemed to realize who I was, and continued, "It's you, Wendy's current husband. She always mentions you to me, and I'm pretty familiar with you.

"Wendy is taking a shower at my house. She said she won't be going home tonight. Don't worry. I will take good care of her."

Tiffany just dead, but Wendy couldn't wait to move into another man's house!

I was so emotional that I couldn't help but yell, "Let her answer the phone!"

As soon as I finished speaking, footsteps approached from afar. Wendy gently calmed Devin before saying to me.

"What are you doing? Why are you yelling? You are rude. Tiffany learned that from you!"

"How dare you mention Tiffany? What were you doing on the day Tiffany passed away? You were busy taking care of Barry. You didn't even care about your own daughter's life!"

Wendy sneered, "Oh, stop acting. She was kidnapped and is now murdered. What lie will you tell next?

"John, don't criticize me all the time and say I speak harshly. Aren't you cursing your daughter to death for that money?

"If you have the energy to cheat me, you might as well make more money. Otherwise, Tiffany, that loser, will be nothing without you!"

Unexpectedly, Tiffany died without receiving any motherly love from Wendy and was insulted by her with vicious words.

I tried my best to stay calm. My teeth were chattering.

"Wendy, tomorrow is Tiffany's funeral. If you still have a conscience, come to see her."

"I'm busy." Before I finished speaking, Wendy impatiently said.

"Tiffany is a liar, but you, too?! I have to go to the hospital tomorrow to take care of Barry. I have no time to play with you two. You're crazy!"

She hung up the phone again, just like she had done many times before, taking the initiative to cut off contact with me and Tiffany.

This marriage was wrong from the beginning. Now, I finally regrated it and was tired of it.

As expected, Wendy did not come to Tiffany's funeral.

Several relatives called her one after another, but she scolded them all back, "You are annoying! Go back to tell John that I am needed here. Stop making trouble when it comes to a boy's life! So annoying!"

Then everyone present knew that Wendy did not even attend her daughter's funeral because of another man's child.

I felt ashamed, and I really didn't want to delay Tiffany's funeral because of Wendy, so I controlled my anger and said goodbye to Tiffany with a smile.

"My dear Tiffany... I have not done a good job in this life. I hope I have a chance to make it up to you with everything I have."

My voice choked with sobs. Tiffany's voice and smile could not be erased from my mind.

The happier she smiled, the more I hated Wendy.

...

After the funeral, Tiffany's teacher found me and put a box of daily necessities and books in my car.

"Mr. Abbott, these are Tiffany's things from school. I wanted to leave them for you as a souvenir, so I brought them here without permission."

I nodded in thanks. After seeing off all the guests, I just sat there in a daze holding the box.

Tiffany didn’t have much stuff. A small box was enough to hold everything she had just begun in her youth.

There was a letter on the top, which looked like it was written by Tiffany. And the cover of the envelope was addressed to her mother.

[Happy birthday to my dear mother! I make this gift by myself. Although it is a little simple, I spent a long time on it. I'm sure you will like it very much.]

[Mom, I've always wanted to ask you why you didn't come to my parent-teacher meeting but instead attended it for Barry from the next class. But then I thought, I must be not good enough. When I'm good enough to make you proud, you will come to my parent-teacher meeting, right?]

[Mom, I still love you very much. Can you hug me again and tell me that you love me like you did when I was little? I really want a complete and happy family with you and Daddy.]

My hands were shaking, and I couldn't stop crying while sitting in the car.

Tiffany was only fifteen years old and was the best student in the class. She should be carefree and innocent.

But she died. Even before she died, she was still thinking about how to please Wendy!

All she needs was her mother's hug.

I couldn't stand it any longer, so I stepped on the accelerator and drove to the hospital.

Wendy even skipped work to take care of Barry. I simply ran to the hospital and looked for her in every room.

Sure enough, in a single room, Wendy was seen patiently cutting fruit for Barry.

Seeing that it was me, Wendy was shocked and pushed me out quickly.

"Why are you here? Stop it. Barry just had the surgery and needs to rest for a few days. If you have anything to say, go outside and tell me!"

I sneered, ignored her words, rushed in, tore the medical record on the bedside, and threw it to the ground.

"Appendicitis. This is what you call a major surgery. This is what you call a life-threatening surgery!

"Appendectomy surgery costs two hundred thousand dollars?"

Wendy frowned, played her finger, and said with reason.

"He needs supplements. Those medicines for post-operative recovery need money. And I will buy some clothes and food for him.

"It's shameless for you, a grown man, to be so stingy. I'm not surprised that Tiffany is like that with a father like you."

Every time she mentioned Tiffany, my heart ached.

She wasted Tiffany's life-saving money but called me shameless.

I made fists with my hands and took a deep breath. "Wendy, let's get a divorce. I will make you pay for everything you owe me and Tiffany."