I felt like I was struck by lightning. Could it really be that simple?But why didn’t he ever tell me?He seemed to notice the confusion in my eyes. "Don’t you believe me? Even the news about me and her getting engaged is false."I interrupted him. "You’re lying. I saw you promise her father on his deathbed that you’d take care of Haley."A flash of excitement appeared in his eyes. "You came to see me, didn’t you?" How annoying. He always focused on the wrong thing.Feeling a bit embarrassed, I turned away and mumbled, "After you met Emma, I came to see you once. I didn’t expect to see all that."Xander stepped in front of me. "I promised to take care of her. I’d help her if she were in trouble, lend her money if she needed it, and even introduce her to boyfriends if she was looking. Does taking care of her really have to mean marrying her?"I looked up at him. "You...""What? You didn’t actually think I’ve been in love with Haley all this time, did you? I’ve always loved yo
After Haley’s father passed away, Xander held a press conference. He asked the reporters to respect the deceased and stop spreading false rumors about him and Haley. He finally cleared things up, but not at the time when I most needed it.After days of fruitless efforts, Xander, with his relentless determination, decided to change his approach. This time, he did not bring anything. He arrived fifteen minutes early and asked the teacher to call Emma out of class."Come home with Daddy," he said. Emma pouted. "I don’t want you to be my dad. You were mean to Mommy. You’re a bad guy, and I already told her at her grave not to like you anymore." Xander crouched down and spoke patiently. "I was wrong. I misunderstood your mom. I’m sorry. But do you really want to stay with Uncle Russel forever? What will happen when he gets married?"That was a question I had always avoided. I had not seen Russel with any women over the years, but maybe that was just me being selfish.E
Xander buried Emma and me together. Every few days, he would come visit our grave. But he did not look well. His appearance had become gaunt and haggard. Every time Emma saw him, she would glance over to see how I reacted. I was angry with him. I blamed him for not telling me about the promise he made to Haley’s father before I died, which left me miserable and led to this tragic separation. I also blamed him for choosing that day to take Emma to see his home, which resulted in her losing her life before she had a chance to grow up and see the world. I resented him, but I also could not bear to see him like this. So, I did not want him visiting us anymore. Out of sight, out of mind.Maybe heaven heard my wish, because Xander did not come for two weeks. I enjoyed the peace, but Emma was disappointed. I knew this child always longed for her father’s love.Finally, Xander came again. This time, he knelt before our grave. I wanted him to get up.I
Five years after my death, my daughter, Emma, dialed Xander Green’s number.She cautiously asked, "Do you like my mom?"She was trying to get an answer to the question I once wrote in my diary. "Xander, do you like me?"Unexpectedly, the voice on the other end sneered, "Did your mom put you up to this? Using her own daughter like a pawn? What an unfaithful woman! She’s already with your dad, yet still trying to rekindle things with me?"……I had never left Emma’s side after my death, always watching over my lonely and helpless daughter.When she was just a year old, my father, who had been taking care of her with me, died in a car accident.Three months later, I took our dog, Snowball, for treatment. However, the hyperbaric chamber at the veterinary clinic exploded, killing me instantly.After I died, my childhood friend, Russel York, took Emma in and raised her.When Emma turned five, Russel was driving her home from school and got into a rear-end collision.Emma followed hi
"I’ve seen so many photos of him in the cookie jar where Mom kept the divorce papers. Mom collected a lot of photos of him. There are at least ten of him holding a trophy on the podium. There are also wedding photos, one of him crouching down to tie Mom’s shoes, and even one where he's kissing her on the cheek."I regretted it. I should have thrown them all away right after the divorce. But at the time, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.Emma looked at Russel with hopeful eyes. "Is he my dad?"Russel, not wanting to lie to her, answered truthfully, "Yes."Emma’s face lit up with a smile. "The kids at preschool used to make fun of me for not having a mom or dad. But now I have a dad! Ha ha."Suddenly, her smile faltered, and her lips drooped. "Uncle Russel, does that mean Dad doesn’t want me or Mom anymore?"Russel gently patted her head and assured her that her dad would not abandon her.Seeing how much Emma craved a father’s love broke my heart. I wanted to reach out,
"Did your mom teach you to say that?"That woman is an expert at playing me for a fool." ……The whole drama ended with the teacher unlocking the bathroom door, taking the phone, and hanging up. But for the rest of the day, Emma was distracted and gloomy. I was also on edge. That evening, when Russel came to pick up Emma, Xander blocked their way at the entrance. Emma lowered her head slightly and shot a glare at Xander who was in front of her. Xander stared coldly at Russel. "Amber is dead?" Russel was not in the mood for pleasantries either. "You divorced her a long time ago, and now you're about to get engaged. Why do you even care?" At the word "engaged," Emma visibly flinched. Her anger was intensifying as she glared at the sharply dressed man before her. "Don’t be upset, Emma. It’s okay. Mom has nothing to do with him anymore," I wanted to comfort Emma.Just then, a few kids still at the kindergarten aftercare came out and started pointing at Emma.
I held my head, overwhelmed by the splitting pain. My vision was blurred with tears. Stop. Please, stop. Every word made my mind automatically replay the painful memories between us, each one more unbearable than the last. My heart ached with every beat. Russel was right. Someone like Xander really would not feel guilt. Back then, Xander was a professional snooker player, hailed as a "genius snooker prodigy," dominating the spotlight. I was just a snooker referee, simply put, the kind responsible for repositioning the cue ball after a shot.Seven years ago, during a match, while I was bending over to adjust the ball, a foreign player behind me started making suggestive movements toward my butt. It was workplace harassment, out in the open for everyone to see. The audience was shocked. I was humiliated and furious, but being naturally timid and just a low-level referee, I did not dare say anything.But Xander stepped in. He punched the guy in the face on the
I was too afraid. I was afraid this dreamy, fairy-tale love would fade like fireworks, while I would be the fool, trying desperately to keep them burning.Greed knew no bounds. The more I had, the more I wanted. Even after we got married, Xander let rumors about him and Haley spread everywhere.Living in this secret marriage kept me on edge, constantly nervous. Every time there was a hint of gossip, I would hide in the bathroom and cry in secret. Then I would dry my tears and put on a smile. I would ask him what he wanted to eat, acting like nothing had happened. Even though my dad and my childhood friend Russel were outraged for me, I just could not walk away from this doomed relationship. I kept convincing myself that Xander needed me. He needed me to make his favorite buffalo wings while he practiced his shots. He said no one could make buffalo wings like I did. I let myself believe that it meant no one could ever replace me in his heart. No one could ever r