Chapter 3

Stella never liked Dorothy. From the moment she found out Dorothy was a girl, her attitude toward our baby changed completely.

When Dorothy was just two months old, Stella began pestering me daily about having a second child.

I was already exhausted from working long hours and coming home to change diapers as well as feed Dorothy at night. The last thing I wanted was another baby.

Stella secretly poked holes in the condoms. If I hadn't caught her in the act, she might have succeeded and gotten her wish. To put an end to her plans for a second child, I went to the hospital and got a vasectomy.

When Dorothy was three years old, Silas' daughter was born. Even though his child was also a girl, Stella obviously favored Silas' child over our own.

Every time we visited Silas, she would hold his daughter, Estelle Carpenter. Stella addressed her with affectionate names like "baby" and "little darling" while lavishing her with affection.

Dorothy had asked me more than once, "Daddy, does Mommy not like me?"

It broke my heart that she had already learned to read people's emotions at such a young age. I always reassured her by saying, "Of course not. Mommy loves you the most."

But when Dorothy was five, and Estelle was two, something happened that shattered any illusions I had left.

One day, Silas and his family came over. Estelle whined about wanting to go to the amusement park to ride the carousel. Dorothy wanted to go too.

For reasons I couldn't fathom, Stella decided to leave Dorothy at home and went off to the amusement park with Estelle, Silas, and his wife, Teresa Waylon.

When I got home that evening, Dorothy clung to me and cried for what felt like hours.

She sobbed, "Daddy, I knew it. Mommy doesn't like me."

That was the day I first seriously considered getting a divorce.

With those thoughts swirling, I took Dorothy to the amusement park myself. We rode the carousel, took a train ride, paddled a boat, and bumped cars together.

We spent the entire afternoon playing. When we got tired, we went to the restaurant in the amusement park, where I let her have fried chicken and soda. It was mightily unhealthy but utterly delicious.

As I watched Dorothy happily munching on fried chicken and sipping her cola, I realized that my decision to stay in this marriage for her sake might have been a mistake.

It was dark by the time we got home. Dorothy had fallen asleep in the back seat of her car, so I carried her upstairs and tucked her into her little bed.

Just as I was done doing all this, Paige called.

Her shrill voice blared over the phone. "Beck, do you have any conscience at all? How could you just let Stella come back without trying to stop her? Do you know she cried the entire afternoon?"

"It's just 50 thousand dollars. Do you really have to make such a big deal out of it? You're Silas' brother-in-law! Isn't it your responsibility to help him out financially? You're such a petty man, throwing a fit over such a small amount of money!

"I'm giving you one hour to apologize, or else… Hmph!"

Before I could respond, she hung up.

Good. This saved me the trouble of wasting my breath.

After washing up, I went to bed.

The next morning, I was jolted awake by loud, frantic knocking at the door. Half-asleep, I stumbled out to open it, only to be slapped across the face so hard it knocked me fully awake.

Standing in front of me was Paige.

She glared at me furiously while scolding, "How dare you sleep so soundly while Stella spent the entire night awake, crying her eyes out! Yet here you are, sleeping like a log!"

Paige shoved past me and made her way into the apartment. She then plopped down angrily on the couch.

Stella followed behind her with her head bowed. Her eyes were red and swollen. It did seem like she'd been bawling all night.

"You!" Paige barked, pointing at me. "Kneel and apologize to Stella!"

"Huh?" I was taken aback. Why on earth would I kneel and apologize?

Stella had gone behind my back and used our family's money to fund Silas. How was it somehow my fault now?

I pointed to myself and asked, "Are you telling me to kneel and apologize to her?"

Paige snorted. "What? Can't I do that?"

"Are you sure you're awake? Dream on if you think I'll do that!" I retorted.

"You little punk!" Paige spat, raising her hand as if to hit me again.

I quickly stepped aside, not because I was scared, but because I didn't want to lay hands on a woman, especially not an older one.

"Alright, Mom, that's enough. Say no more." There came a familiar voice from outside the door.

I turned to see Silas, followed by Teresa and Estelle.

Fantastic. The whole family had shown up.