Three years after my wife's and daughter's deaths, they came back from the dead.

Turns out, my wife hadn't died at all. She'd faked it and married the son of the richest man in Notingdun City. Ever since then, she'd stepped into the glamorous life of a wealthy socialite.

When I uncovered the truth, the shock hit me like a bolt of lightning. I confronted her face-to-face.

She didn't even flinch. Instead, she sneered, "You think a penniless man like you deserves to be my husband? I've remarried and taken on a new identity. Stay out of my life, or don't blame me for what happens next."

Her words cut deep. Even our daughter turned her back on me.

Crushed, I let go for good.

But not long after, she came back regretful and begged me to remember the vows we made on our wedding day: to never leave, never forsake.

I looked at her and laughed coldly. "Yes, I did make that promise once. But sadly, my wife died three years ago."

It was the third year after the death of my wife and daughter.

That was when my biological parents came to find me and officially acknowledged me as their son.

I boarded a flight with them to return to Notingdun City.

No sooner had we arrived than I was ushered into my father's car to attend a dinner party hosted by one of his friends.

At the party, I stood in a corner, holding a wine glass, my face expressionless. The glittering crowd and lively chatter couldn't stir even a flicker of interest in me.

"Hey, isn't that Mrs. Peyton?

"Look at her outfit. Must be worth over hundreds of thousands, easily."

"She's so lucky. If only I could marry into a wealthy family like that."

The gossip buzzed all around me, and I caught it despite my apathy.

Curious, I glanced toward the entrance and instantly froze.

A woman in a designer gown stepped in, her figure draped in jewels, smiling radiantly as she waved to the guests.

That face... was identical to the wife I'd thought died three years ago.

Hilary Stone was alive?!

Thinking I must be hallucinating, I pinched my thigh so hard it turned red. But the sharp pain confirmed it—this was real. My eyes burned red, my heart tossed like a stormy sea.

I set down my glass and strode toward her without hesitation.

But before I could call her name, a tall man suddenly stepped into my line of sight.

He wrapped his arm around Hilary's waist, leaning in close.

"Hilary darling, what took you so long?" he asked gently.

Their intimate exchange rang in my ears. I froze mid-step, eyes locked on them.

"It was Lily. She wouldn't let me leave. Took me forever to coax her into letting go."

The words struck like lightning to my skull. I stood behind them, stunned, studying the pair.

Then I saw his face. My breath hitched.

He was Ross Peyton, Hilary's first love.

A dull ache pressed against my chest, and a thought surfaced in my mind like a dark wave rising from the deep.

Hilary hadn't just betrayed me. She'd lied to me.

Like plunging into an ice pit, my strength drained. I staggered back and leaned against the wall. Only after the party ended did I finally recover from the shock.

I waited until she left for the restroom and rushed after her. Blocking her path, I shouted, "Hilary!"

She turned, pupils contracting, her face going pale.

But just seconds later, she composed herself and smiled. "Excuse me, sir? Do we know each other?"

I forced myself to stay calm, scanning her face for a crack in the act. But she stayed perfectly composed.

I clenched my jaw.

"Sir?" I repeated, seething. "Hilary, are you seriously putting on a show right now?"

Without waiting for a reply, I lunged forward and grabbed her right hand, pulling her toward me.

Startled, she let out a shriek. "You—you! What do you think you're doing?! I'll call the cops for harassment!"

I yanked up her sleeve, revealing the familiar mole on her wrist. A bitter laugh escaped my throat.

"Still pretending? I'm your husband, Hilary. I know every inch of your body. Most importantly, why are you pretending not to know me?"

Her expression darkened, lips pressed tightly as she glared at me. "Husband? Are you insane? Keep this up and I'll scream for help."

I chuckled coldly. "Go ahead. Let everyone hear. Let's see if they believe me—or better yet, we'll let your new man come and see for himself."

"You—!" Her face flushed red in fury. After a long moment of deadlock, she finally gave in. "Fine, you win. I won't pretend anymore. I'll lay it all out for you. But even now, there's nothing left to say between us. I've remarried. Stop clinging to me."

"What did you say?!"

Rage surged through me, clouding my vision.

I clenched my fists, teeth grinding. "Hilary! It's been three years! I thought you and our daughter were dead! And now you won't even give me an explanation? Just toss me aside with one sentence about remarriage?!

"You have no idea how much guilt and regret I've carried! I've been tormented by nightmares every night, while you've just been out here, living your life without a care?"

"An explanation?" she said coldly. Her voice drained the heat from my bones. "You already saw it all. What more do you want me to explain?"

She stared straight into my eyes. "Fine. I'll tell you. I planned that fire three years ago. I did it to get away from you. I never loved you. I never wanted to live that life with you."

Her words struck like a hammer to the chest. My body turned to stone, heart clenching with each beat.

I'd suspected it, but hearing it from her own lips still tore me apart.

"Nick," she continued. "Marrying you was the biggest regret of my life. I never loved you. And I could never accept your poverty. Look at you! Do you really think someone like you deserves to be my husband or Lily's father?

"You think just because you make a few extra bucks serving wine at parties, you can provide for me now? I'll tell you something. With what you earn, you can't even afford a fingernail of mine."

Her voice rose in fury, every word a direct blow to my chest.

I stared at her, hopeless and heartbroken. "All for this? You faked your death and lied to me? So this is what you really thought of me all these years? If that's how you feel, why did you agree to marry me in the first place?!"

My chest ached so much I could hardly breathe.

After a long silence, she looked at me and delivered the final blow.

"Because I needed to survive. Listen to me, Nick. I never loved you. I've always loved someone else."

Three years ago, a fire took my wife and daughter from me.

It happened during the evening rush hour. I had just boarded the subway when a call came in from our next-door neighbor, Cole Smith.

"Nick? Where are you right now? Come home now! Something's happened!"

Cole's anxious voice crackled through the line, sending a chill straight through my chest.

"Cole? What is it? I just got on the subway—"

"Forget the subway! Get a taxi, now! Your house is on fire!"

A thunderous roar exploded in my head. I bolted off the train and flagged down a cab in a panic.

By the time I reached home, it was too late. A firefighter broke the news: my wife and daughter had been reduced to ashes.

Crushed by overwhelming despair, I collapsed on the spot and blacked out.

In an instant, everything I had built over two decades was gone. My wife and child hadn't even left me a memory to hold onto.

After that, the nightmares came, every night without fail.

No matter how my family or friends pleaded, I refused to remarry.

Who could have imagined that my devotion over three years would turn me into a fool?

Hilary faked her death and ran off with my daughter, for her so-called one true love?

A bitter laugh escaped me.

By the time I came to, I had somehow returned to the hotel.

All night long, memories tormented me like ghosts.

By dawn, I had made up my mind. At the very least, I had to get my daughter back.

The next day, I followed the trail of information and found Lily's kindergarten.

By 4 p.m., just before dismissal, I stood across the street in a black coat, peeking through the gate.

"Lily! Over here!"

The familiar name snapped me out of my daze.

I turned toward the voice and felt tears sting my eyes.

A little girl in a floral dress with two neat braids ran giggling toward a friend at the slide.

That sweet, adorable face… she looked just like she did when she was a baby, soft and delicate in my arms.

Soon, the school gate swelled with waiting parents.

I saw her Lily standing in line.

I waved and called out, heart pounding with emotion, "Lily! It's Daddy! Daddy's here!"

But the moment she turned and spotted me, she screamed, "Ah! Bad man! He's a bad man!"

Suddenly, all eyes were on me.

I froze, rooted to the spot. A few elderly women nearby clutched their children protectively and eyed me with suspicion.

"Who are you? Dressed like that… You're not trying to kidnap someone's kid, are you?"

One of the parents hurried off to get a teacher.

The teacher arrived moments later, her expression hostile. "Who are you? Whose parent are you?"

"I'm Lily Stone's father," I said quickly. "I need to see her."

The moment I spoke, her eyes narrowed and she waved over the security guard.

"Her father? I've seen Lily's dad before, and it's not you. Leave now, or I'm calling the cops!"

I tried to explain and stepped toward Lily, but she shrank behind the teacher in fear.

"Mommy said you're a bad person! You're not my daddy! My daddy is super rich!"

My heart plummeted. I stared at her, stunned.

"Lily!! It's me. It's Daddy! Don't you remember? Three years ago, we went to the amusement park together!"

Desperate, I shoved past the teacher and threw my arms around Lily.

But Lily screamed and struggled violently. She flailed her little hands, pounding them against my chest. Each blow felt like it landed directly on my heart.

The pain was suffocating.

Eyes stinging, I held her tight, unwilling to let go.

Then a sharp voice pierced the air. "Nick!"

Before I could react, a stinging slap exploded across my right cheek.

I looked up to see Hilary, face twisted with rage.

She yanked Lily from my arms and glared at me with seething hatred.

"Nick," she hissed, "we need to talk."

Inside a café, with the right side of my face still slightly swollen, I glared hard at Hilary.

She got straight to the point. "I told you not to bother us again. Why are you here?"

My anger flared.

"She's my daughter. Why can't I see her? Hilary, I'm not as heartless as you. Lily is my only daughter. I won't give up. I'll take her back, no matter what."

"Nick!" she snapped, then, realizing they were in public, lowered her voice and forced herself to stay composed.

"Lily has a new father now. She gets whatever she wants. She doesn't need you."

I shot back, furious. "Doesn't need me? I'm her father!"

She smirked. "So what? You think she'd choose a broke, pathetic dad over the richest man in the city?"

Before I could speak, she cut me off again. "Nick, I'm begging you. Just pretend we never existed. Pretend we died. We're happy now."

Her words left a heavy silence hanging between us.

After a long pause, I looked at her, my voice hollow.

"And what about me? For three years, I was wracked with guilt, living in depression. Who's going to give me my happiness back?"

Her gaze flickered, but her words came as cold as ice. "Let it go, Nick. Lily and I haven't needed you in a long time."

I laughed bitterly, the kind of laugh that trembles at the corners of tears. I couldn't even tell if I was laughing or crying anymore.

She sat there, biting her lip, quietly staring at me.

I took a deep breath and looked her dead in the eye. "Hilary, just answer me one thing. Did you marry me because you loved me? Did you ever love me at all?"

She was silent for a long moment, then finally said, "I'm sorry, Nick. I've told you everything there is to say. I never loved you."

A dull ache pressed into my chest. I stood up and looked down at her.

"Fine, Hilary. I'll disappear, just the way you wanted. But don't you dare regret it later."

She seemed to relax a little, like a weight had lifted.

"Nick, I can tell you right now, I will never regret it."

After she left, I sat at the table staring at the untouched coffee in front of me, lost in thought for over half an hour.

Just as I was heading back to the hotel, my phone rang. It was my father.

"Nick? Can you come home for dinner tonight? Join us for a meal. I'd also like to introduce you to your younger brother."

My hand tightened around the phone.

The ring on my finger had pressed a deep groove into my skin.

"Alright. I'll be there tonight."

At 8 p.m., the chauffeur dropped me off in a gated villa community.

I stood at the iron gate, staring up at the grand mansion.

Just as I was about to knock, a luxury van pulled up in front of the house.

Out stepped Hilary, holding Lily's hand.

"Mommy, that's the bad man!" Lily spotted me and pointed straight at me.

Ignoring the murderous glare Hilary shot me, I turned toward the villa's entrance.

"Nick!" she shrieked behind me. "Haven't you had enough?! Didn't you promise to leave us alone?! Go away!"

She grabbed Lily and moved to push me back, but just then, the iron gate opened.

An older woman with graying temples walked out.

Hilary's expression froze. "Mom… I—"

She tried to explain, but Olivia Cameron barely spared her a glance. Brushing past, Olivia walked straight up to me.

Hilary stood there in stunned silence.

Then Olivia took my hand in both of hers, eyes reddening with emotion.

Choked with tears, she said, "You must've suffered so much all these years. I never thought I'd live to see the day I found you again. Nick… my son."