Chapter 3

Seeing Daisy’s outburst, Ryan angrily snapped at me. “Look what you’ve done to the child!”

“Mia was trying to be kind. What could a child possibly do wrong by going on a trip?”

“Can you stop being so unreasonable?”

“Do you have to turn our home into a chaotic mess before you’re satisfied?”

Mia, meanwhile, still played the understanding role. “Ryan, don’t say that. Scarlett works really hard too.”

“And Daisy, you too. How can you talk to your mom like that?”

Watching the scene unfold before me, I felt like an outsider. My heart went completely cold. I said, calmer than I had ever been, “Ryan, let’s get a divorce.”

Ryan looked at me as if he’d heard a joke, scoffing. “I worried you worked too hard, letting you stay home with nothing to do.”

“And now you want to divorce me? Are you out of your mind?”

“Don’t make jokes like that!”

Daisy heard me say "divorce" and cried even louder. “Mom, you don’t want me and Dad anymore!”

“Daisy will be a wild child with no mommy’s love!”

“Why can’t Daisy go play, boohoohoohoo.”

Ryan didn’t refute Daisy’s words.

“Everything I did was for your own good. Why can’t you understand my intentions?”

“Do you have to make such a scene?”

“Do you know how much damage talking about divorce in front of Daisy does to her?”

I stopped wasting words, went back to the room, and pulled out the divorce papers I had already prepared. For days, my heart had been enduring excruciating pain.

I had drafted the divorce agreement but never thought I’d actually have to use it. Ryan had pushed me to this point.

“Sign it.”

“Ryan, I’m truly exhausted.”

Mia, seeing our situation, feigned panic and tried to dissuade me. “Scarlett, don’t be impulsive! Ryan and Daisy really love you.”

“And during the trip, Ryan and Daisy kept saying they wanted to go on another trip with you when you had free time.”

I gave Mia a cold stare, silently telling her to shut up. Mia, however, acted as if she was deeply hurt. She covered her face, looking pained.

“I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, I truly didn’t realize you’d care so much, Scarlett.”

“I thought it was just helping Daisy have some fun.”

“It’s all my fault, Scarlett. If you’re angry, just hit me.”

“Don’t take your anger out on Ryan and Daisy.”

As she spoke, she started to cry, her voice laced with injustice. Ryan saw Mia’s tears and didn’t say a word against her.

“Scarlett, I really don’t understand you anymore.”

“You know how exhausting it is to take a child on vacation.”

“You’ve been home doing nothing, and you tell me you’re tired?”

Daisy rushed over, wanting a hug. But because she was so clumsy, she knocked me to the floor. Mia quickly reacted, trying to help both Daisy and me up. But before I could even touch her hand, she stumbled and fell to the side with us.

Ryan first helped Mia up, then scooped Daisy into his arms, comforting her. Ryan’s emotions were more agitated than I had ever seen them.

“Daisy, don’t cry, don’t cry. Did you hurt yourself?”

Daisy cried even harder, gasping for breath. Lying on the floor, my back throbbed with a sharp pain. The pain made me stare blankly at the scene for a few seconds. I couldn't help but mock my own failure.

Daisy was still screaming next to me.

“It hurts so much, Daisy hurts so much.”

“Mommy, Mommy, do you really not love Daisy anymore?”

Ryan, fuming, shot me a cold glare. He snatched the divorce papers from my hand. And with a swift, decisive motion, he signed his name.

“Scarlett, this is all your own doing.”

“When you regret it, that’ll be your own damn fault!”

My heart completely gave up on that father-daughter duo.

“Daisy, don’t be scared.”

“Daddy will take you to the hospital right away to see if you hurt yourself. We’ll get you checked out.”

Ryan soothed Daisy as if she were a fragile treasure.