Better Without You

My father felt sorry that I had secretly loved someone for ten years, so he took matters into his own hands. He drugged his old friend and sent him to my bed.

When Benjamin Jameson woke up, he coldly agreed to marry me. Shortly after our wedding, he started taking frequent business trips abroad, disappearing for three years.

I gave birth to our daughter, Esther Jameson and waited for him to return. Three years later, I heard he was finally returning. I skipped an important social engagement, took my daughter in my arms and rushed to the airport to meet him.

Esther reached out to him eagerly, asking for a hug. He glanced at me indifferently and said, "Sorry, I have mysophobia."

From that day on, my daughter and I washed our hands at least thrice whenever we touched anything. I kept our home spotless, but he still never came back. Nor had he ever held his daughter.

Until I saw a video clip where someone asked him, "Ben, what do you think is the happiest moment in life?"

He responded nonchalantly, "Probably last week overseas. When I coaxed Jessica to sleep, then pulled Cynthia into the bathroom."

As the people around him burst into laughter, I felt my whole body turn ice-cold. Cynthia was his ex-girlfriend, the one he had never truly let go of and Jessica was her daughter.

Rumors had it that they had been living together for the past three years abroad and it turned out to be true. My heart died ultimately, leaving a divorce agreement and taking my daughter to cancel our identity and go abroad.

——

The nanny picked up my daughter from kindergarten and Esther cried until her eyes got swollen. "Mommy, do I not have a daddy?" she asked between hiccups, full of grievance.

"Daddy promised he would come to the parent-teacher meeting today, but when he arrived … he said he was Jessica's daddy instead. Mommy, they all say I'm a child without a father," she cried uncontrollably.

My chest ached as I pulled her into my arms, my eyes burning with tears. I wanted to console her, but the words got lodged in my throat as I remembered Benjamin's indifferent attitude.

I regretted everything. I thought waiting for three years would mean he had finally come to his senses, that he was ready to return and reunite with us. However, I was wrong. He only returned because Cynthia wanted to.

He bought a plane ticket without hesitation, arranged everything and even transferred his ex-girlfriend's daughter to the best kindergarten.

On the day I went to the airport to meet him, Esther put on her prettiest dress and asked me nervously, "Mommy, will Daddy like me?"

I nodded. "You're Daddy's only daughter. Of course, he will."

Unfortunately, when we arrived at the airport, we saw Benjamin holding Cynthia's hand, carrying a three-year-old girl in his arms. Esther and I stood frozen in place.

Benjamin barely spared me a glance. "Sorry, I need to take care of Cynthia and Jessica first. You two go home."

He didn't even look at Esther, but his eyes were full of warmth when he gazed at ...