Outside the hotel, I sat by the flowerbed and opened the meal box.

I fed Anne bit by bit until she finally regained a little color in her face. Yet, she was still weak.

Her small head rested on my shoulder as she whispered, “I’m sorry, Daddy. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have wanted those socks.”

She was only five years old and yet she already understood too much of this mess.

Hearing her apology felt like acid burning through my chest. “It’s not your fault, Anne. Don’t ever think that.”

I soothed her gently and carried her all the way home.

As soon as I opened the door, Theresa stood up from the couch where she’d been sitting. “Where have you been? Why so late?”

She was holding a small piece of cake, her face showing a trace of regret. “The butler told me it was Anne’s birthday the other day. Why didn’t you tell me?”

I lowered my eyes. What was there left to say?

The old Theresa used to remember every special day like Anne’s birthdays, our anniversaries, even silly dates like our first kiss or the day we held hands. Now, there was no place for us in her heart.

Seeing me silent, Theresa tried to smile as she handed the cake to Anne.

“Look, Anne, your favorite cake!” But the girl who once adored her mother instinctively pushed it away and gagged.

Anne was frightened. She still remembered how Gregory’s son had smashed a cake into her face.

Theresa’s face darkened with embarrassment.

Unable to hold her temper, she snapped at me, “You’ve spoiled her! She won’t even eat cake now. What does she want, caviar? Gregory was right! Making you wash dishes was the right thing to do!”

That was the last straw. I couldn’t hold my anger anymore.

“Do you know why Anne cried? Because that cake you’re holding was what Gregory’s son didn’t finish. You gave her the leftovers!”

My voice was calm, but every word was sharp as a knife. Theresa froze, stunned.

After a few seconds, she stammered, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way. Anne, Mommy didn’t do it on purpose—”

I didn’t want to hear more. Exhausted, I carried Anne back to our room and said only,

“Remember to sign the divorce papers.”

That sentence enraged Theresa further. She smashed the cake and grabbed my wrist tightly.

“Divorce? Stop being ridiculous! It’s just a piece of cake! Why can’t she eat it?”

I lost control and shouted, “It’s a blueberry cake! Anne is allergic to blueberries! Do you want her to die?”

Theresa froze, speechless. “I forgot… I’m sorry.”

She tried to take my hand. “I made a mistake, but I won’t agree to the divorce. I’ll make it up to you both. Let’s go celebrate her birthday properly, okay?”

She grabbed us and began calling a restaurant to book a table while gently stroking Anne’s hair.

Then, suddenly, Gregory came out of his room, clutching his stomach.

“Reesa, my stomach hurts!” he groaned.

Theresa immediately let go of me and hurried to him. The tiny smile that had just appeared on Anne’s face vanished again.

Theresa supported Gregory, saying anxiously, “It must be his old stomach problem. It can get serious, I can’t ignore it.”

I said nothing.

Meanwhile, Theresa was already rushing out to start the car.

Only Gregory and I were left in the hall.

Suddenly, he unbuttoned his shirt, showing off a chest full of kiss marks. He crossed his arms and looked at me with a mocking smile.

“You useless old man. Why are you still clinging to Reesa? No wonder she doesn’t want to touch you — she says you smell like an old man.”

“I’m three years younger than her, stronger, full of energy. Do you know how crazy she is when she’s with me? If you had any self-respect, you’d leave her.”

I spoke coldly, “Don’t worry. I have no interest in breaking up a pair of trash lovers.”

Gregory’s smile froze. He suddenly slapped me hard across the face.

“Who are you calling trash?!”

“Don’t touch my dad!” Anne, frightened but brave, rushed forward to block him. But at that moment, Gregory pretended to fall down the stairs as Anne accidentally brushed against him.

Theresa, hearing his scream, ran into the room. She saw Gregory lying on the floor crying and immediately lost her mind.

She kicked me viciously. “What did Greg ever do to you? You just can’t stand him! Did you tell Anne to push him? You petty, jealous man!”

“Anne didn’t do anything! We didn’t touch him!” I said, shielding my terrified daughter.

But Theresa didn’t believe me.

Gregory pulled at her sleeve, pretending to cry. “Forget it, Reesa. Paul’s just jealous because I have a son. He told us to get out. It’s fine — Cedric and I can live on the streets if we have to.”

Theresa’s anger burned hotter. “Who said you’re leaving? This house isn’t for Paulo to control!”

She turned on Anne and shouted with rage. “Kneel down! Apologize to Uncle Greg!”

Anne had already suffered so much that she got weak and sick. Worse now, she was being humiliated again.

I couldn’t stand it any longer. I rushed forward and punched Gregory square in the face.

“You scum!”

“Enough!” Theresa immediately protected Gregory while pointing at me and Anne with a furious look.

“Like father, like daughter. You’re both just cruel and jealous. You can’t even tolerate a poor father and son!”

“Butler! Stop their living allowance for one month! From now on, they can only eat the leftovers from Greg and Cedric!”

I glared at her, but Theresa just said coldly, “If you don’t eat, then starve. Report to me when you’re dead.”

That night, Gregory ordered the servants to move Anne and me into the small servant’s room in the garden.

It was November and suddenly heavy snow began to fall. Anne didn’t have a warm coat and after school, she caught a bad cold and soon developed a high fever. Seeing her burning hot face terrified me, but the butler still refused to help.

With no other choice, I carried Anne all the way to Theresa’s company to ask her for money for the hospital.

But I waited for a long time and caused the security guards stopped me at the entrance.

“I’m Theresa Bloom’s husband. Let me in!”

The guard laughed, looking me up and down. “Impossible. Lady Bloom’s husband works inside, he’s her personal assistant. They’re very close. Who are you, a beggar pretending to be him?”

Employees walking by whispered and pointed at me. My clothes were old and thin; I looked nothing like the husband of a rich CEO.

I clenched my teeth and said, “Then call him. I want to meet her ‘husband.’”

“Oh, he’s right there.” I looked up and saw Gregory, wearing a silk shirt, stepping proudly out of the elevator.

Everyone greeted him respectfully:

“Good afternoon, Mr. Mars.”

“Gregory, I need to see Theresa!”

Gregory looked at me as if he’d never met me before and shouted, “Who’s this beggar? Security! Throw him out! He’s probably a thief trying to sneak in. I don’t know this man.”

The guards immediately changed their tone and grabbed me roughly.

At that moment, Theresa walked by. She saw everything, but she turned her head away, pretending not to know me.

Watching her walk away, my heart went completely cold. The guards threw me out of the building.

I waited outside for hours, through the cold and wind, until the sky turned dark. Finally, Theresa and Gregory came out together.

Seeing me still there, Theresa frowned. “Why are you still here? Why did you cause trouble at my company today?”

Meeting my cold stare, she spoke again, as if explaining something reasonable.

“I only gave Greg a job as my assistant because I felt sorry for him. He needs to support his son.”

“But you—dressed like that—if people know you’re my husband, what will they think?”

“Greg only asked the guards to remove you so my reputation wouldn’t suffer. Don’t be angry at him.”

At that point, I didn’t care about their lies anymore. I only cared about one thing: Anne.

“Anne has a fever. It’s getting worse. She needs to be hospitalized.”

Theresa froze for a second. “Where is she? I’ll call the hospital.”

She took out her phone, but Gregory stopped her.

“Reesa, kids get fevers all the time. Why waste money going to the hospital? You work so hard. Don’t throw money away.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “Gregory, who jokes about a sick child?”

“Enough!” Theresa snapped. “Greg’s right. You always exaggerate.”

She pulled out one hundred dollars and threw it at me. “Buy some medicine from a pharmacy. You and Anne are still being punished. Don’t try to use this as an excuse to get money.”

Without another word, she turned away, got in the car with Gregory and drove off.

But one hundred dollars wasn’t even enough for registration and medicine.

That night, Anne’s fever got worse. Her body was burning hot and she was drifting in and out of consciousness.

I carried her to the hospital and used the last of my money for a basic checkup.

The doctor warned, “If she’s not admitted immediately, it could be dangerous.”

Desperate, I sat outside the hospital, calling Theresa over and over again, but every call was rejected.

After nearly a hundred tries, I finally realized… she had blocked my number.

I broke down on the sidewalk, holding Anne tightly, begging her not to fall asleep.

Then, from the hospital TV, a news report came on:

[The director of the Bloom Group has rented out the entire Disney resort for a mystery woman and child, It's a loving family outing!]

People nearby commented with envy, “That must be Lady Bloom with her husband and child. They look so happy.”

I stared blankly at the screen, feeling something die completely inside me.

When all hope was gone, my old teacher finally saw my message and rushed back from out of town. He paid the hospital fees for us.

That night, Anne was saved.

When I returned home, I packed our things, left the signed divorce papers on the coffee table and took Anne away from that house. Forever.

Theresa, from today on, there will be no place for you in our world.