Chapter 1 Chapter 1

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 him out of the car, and when she saw the person in the other car, she froze. She had seen countless photos of this man among my belongings. He was Xander Green, my ex-husband. My heart clenched instantly. I did not want them to recognize each other. As Xander approached, he noticed Russel and smirked. I knew that smile all too well. It was a mix of provocation and anger. Then, his gaze shifted down to Emma, who was holding Russel’s hand. The smirk on his lips deepened, now tinged with mockery. "Is that your daughter with Amber?" Emma looked so much like me that his assumption wasn’t surprising. But hearing it still felt ridiculous and unfair, and a dull ache filled my chest. I knew it. I couldn’t bear to see him again, not even after death. Russel impatiently glanced at the scratched paint on his car. "Let’s settle this privately. I won’t hold you responsible." At that moment, Xander’s "one true love," Haley Carter, gracefully stepped out of the car. When she saw Emma, she paused. For a split second, I caught the flash of panic in her eyes. She had such a delicate and beautiful look. It was hard not to like her. Haley slipped her arm around Xander’s, and he turned to glance at her. He was expressionless, but he didn’t pull away. What was I thinking? Of course, he wouldn’t pull away. Russel would occasionally scroll through short videos after Emma went to sleep, and I would watch alongside him. Every time a news report about Xander and his "one true love" appeared, Russel would pause and watch it through. Naturally, I learned all about their sweet relationship. The latest reports mentioned they were getting ready to be engaged. Xander gently freed his arm from Haley’s grasp and walked over. He handed Emma a business card. "Little one, if you need compensation or reimbursement later, have your dad or your mom give me a call." When he said "your mom," the other three people present were all stunned. I was, too. …… I knew Xander had always been indifferent to me. Even in a situation like this, with his "one true love" right there and the tension in the air, he could casually tell me, his ex-wife, to contact him for compensation. So many years had passed, but he was still as arrogant as ever. Russel did not want to stay a second longer, so he took Emma and got in the car to leave. Of course, I followed them. Emma had been distracted ever since she saw Xander. Finally, she mustered the courage to ask from the back seat, "Uncle Russel, that handsome man just now is my dad, right?"

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

"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,

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

"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.