Chapter 3

Seeing my daughter so terrified, so willing to humiliate herself, I was stunned.

She was only seven…

As she kept bowing her head, I noticed the dark bruises hidden beneath her clothes.

Alarmed, I rushed forward to help Lily up, but she started slapping herself, seemingly oblivious to the pain.

"Lily was bad, Lily deserves to be hit! I'll go to the cold room for three hours right now!"

I slowly turned my gaze to Eleanor, desperate for an explanation.

But before she could speak, Spencer Gray hugged Lily, acting like a doting older brother.

"You're misunderstanding! Lily and I just play house like this sometimes. Sometimes I'm the servant, sometimes she is. Today's just her turn."

My hand shaking, I pointed at the dark bruises on Lily's neck. My eyes burning, I demanded:

"Are *these* marks part of your game too?! Is this how you treat my daughter?!"

Seeing Spencer's face darken, Eleanor shoved me away, her eyes full of reproach.

"What are you making such a fuss about?! Do you have to cause a scene like a madman? Do you really think Spencer is as calculating and manipulative as *you* are?"

"Those are just paint marks Spencer got on Lily when they were drawing. They're proving impossible to wash off! You, her own father, didn't do your duty, and Spencer kindly looks after her, and *this* is how you repay him? Are you trying to make trouble?!"

Seeing Lily's obvious fear of Spencer, my heart ached to the point of suffocation. Tears blurring my vision, I looked at Eleanor.

"Can't you see how scared she is? And you still think it's just a game?!"

Eleanor fixed her gaze on Lily, observing her for a long moment, a flicker of doubt in her beautiful eyes.

At that moment, Spencer's eyes reddened, his voice choking up.

"I thought if I treated Lily well, I could smoothly integrate into this family. But it turns out I'm just an outsider, destined to never be truly a part of it, to always be pointed at and judged. Maybe we shouldn't get married after all. I'm just a complete joke, aren't I?"

With those words, Spencer took off the boutonnière from his lapel, thrust it into Eleanor's hands, covered his face, and ran towards the bedroom.

The groom running off sent the entire room into an uproar.

But the guests' murmurs were all directed at me, calling me disgusting.

Watching Spencer's retreating back, Eleanor's brow furrowed with unconcealable annoyance.

"Is this the example you set for our daughter? It's just a ceremonial wedding! Do you have to turn everything upside down?!"

"And your own daughter, who you raised yourself, pretending to be abused by Spencer in front of everyone? Such deep manipulation at such a young age, what will she be like when she grows up?! She should really thank you for being such a father!"

Leaving that thought hanging, Eleanor quickly followed to comfort Spencer.

Seeing her publicly scold me, Eleanor's parents only joined in, blaming me for "cheating," hating me for not being able to keep my wife content.

I didn't argue another word. Wrapping my bruised and battered arms tightly around my daughter, tears streamed uncontrollably from my eyes.

"Don't be scared, Lily… Daddy will get you out of here right away. You won't suffer any more injustice."

I immediately messaged my lawyer to draft divorce papers and called the person who rescued me.

"Help me this once. I'll help you take down the company…"