Chapter 3

"Mommy, do you really think... he'll come today?" Harper asked, her head lowered as her fingers traced the edge of her model.

"He will. He promised you," I comforted her, though my chest felt as if it were being crushed by a boulder.

For the past three months, to perfect this model, eight-year-old Harper had stayed up through many nights. Her small hands were covered in dozens of tiny, stinging cuts from the sculpting knives.

The only reason she worked so desperately hard was because three months ago, Caelen had happened to glance at the early prototype of her model. Exceedingly rare for him, he stopped and casually remarked, "You actually do have a bit of a talent for architecture."

That was the one and only piece of validation he had given Harper in her entire eight years of life.

At the time, Harper had mustered every ounce of courage she had to ask him, "Then, when my competition happens, can you come watch me? If I win the state championship, can I... can I introduce you as my daddy in front of my classmates?"

Caelen was busy texting on his phone, seemingly in a good mood. He simply ruffled her hair and chuckled absentmindedly, "Sure, let's talk when you actually hand me a championship trophy."

It was a careless joke. A casual dismissal. Caelen had likely forgotten about it the moment he turned around.

But to Harper, it became her most guarded, treasured promise.

Even after enduring the humiliation of her birthday and the outright abandonment at her parent-teacher conference, Harper's battered, bruised heart still clung fiercely to this last, flickering ember of hope.

She naively believed that as long as her model was perfect enough, as long as she proved her worth and won that championship, her father would keep his word and acknowledge her in front of everyone.

Ten minutes before the competition was set to begin.

A commotion broke out at the entrance.

Caelen was here. But he didn't come alone.

He held Leo's hand and guided Seraphina. In Leo's arms was a crudely glued cardboard model.

I watched as Caelen escorted them all the way to the adjacent preparation zone.

He didn't cast a single glance in our direction.

"So Daddy came here for Leo," Harper's voice was perfectly calm, as if she had expected this all along.

Listening to her painfully mature, quiet tone, I wrapped her small hands tightly in mine.

The competition officially began.

The judges scored each piece one by one. Harper's model completely amazed the entire hall. The intricate structural integrity and breathtaking design easily earned her the only perfect score of the event.

Meanwhile, Leo's poorly constructed cardboard model didn't even meet the passing grade.

Leo, his face flushed red with anger, kicked violently at his chair. Suddenly, his glaring eyes locked onto the masterpiece sitting on Harper's table, the one everyone had praised.

He suddenly broke free from Seraphina's grasp and bolted toward Harper like a runaway cannonball.

The table was knocked over. The exquisite, agonizingly crafted pavilion slammed onto the floor.

Harper stood rooted to the spot in pure shock, staring down at the scattered, broken pieces of her masterpiece.

"My model..." She reached out, her hands shaking uncontrollably as she tried to gather the broken shards.

I rushed forward like a madwoman, shoving away the smugly grinning Leo, and pulled my devastated daughter into my arms.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

An infuriated male voice boomed. Caelen stormed over with long strides and immediately shielded Leo behind him, glaring viciously at me. "Elara, are you insane? Why would you shove a child!"

I looked up at this man in utter disbelief.

My husband. My daughter's biological father.

"He shattered Harper's blood and sweat!" I pointed at the ruined wreckage on the floor, consumed by extreme fury and searing heartbreak.

Caelen frowned and glanced at the shards on the floor. His tone was dripping with uncaring nonchalance. "It's not like Leo did it on purpose. Do you really need to lose your temper at a kid over this?"

Then, he turned to the crying Harper. "Harper, stop being so petty. It's just a model. It broke, so it broke. Just build a new one."

Standing to the side, Seraphina hypocritically covered her mouth. "Oh dear, Elara, I am so sorry. Leo is usually very well-behaved. The model must have been placed too close to the edge... Just tell me how much it costs, and I'll compensate you."

"Shut your mouth!" I shot her a death glare. The sheer, freezing malice in my eyes made Seraphina flinch, and she cowered behind Caelen, playing the weak victim.

"Elara! You are being completely unreasonable!" Seeing this, Caelen snapped at me harshly. "Apologize to Seraphina and Leo right now!"

I stared at Caelen. I watched him act like a protective hero for another man's wife and child. I watched him remain utterly blind to the physical cuts and heart-wrenching tears of his own flesh and blood.

I let out a cold laugh and was just about to rip into him.

But Harper had somehow already wiped away her tears.

She stepped out from beside me, walking right up to Caelen and Seraphina.

Then, she gave a deeply polite bow.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Seraphina. It's my fault."

Under everyone's stunned gazes, Harper straightened up. On her youthful, innocent face rested a heartbreaking maturity and an absolute detachment.

Then, she calmly shifted her eyes to Caelen. Her gaze was entirely hollow, as if she were looking at a complete stranger on the street.

"I apologize to you as well, Uncle Caelen."

Her crisp little voice wasn't loud, but every single syllable slammed heavily into Caelen's eardrums. "You're right. It's just a model. It broke, so it broke. It is not worth making you and your family unhappy."

Caelen's pupils contracted. The furious anger completely died on his face, replaced by shock.

"Harper, what... what did you just call me?" He leaned forward, instinctively reaching out to touch her arm.

But Harper took a step back, dodging his hand.

She turned and grabbed my hand.

"Mommy, it's time for us to go."

Looking at the fierce, unshakeable finality in my daughter's eyes, the raging storm in my own heart miraculously fell quiet.

"Okay," I said, holding the hand of my precious daughter. "Let's go."

...

That night, I left the signed Divorce Agreement on the coffee table. Taking Harper, we boarded a direct flight to Milan.

"Harper, are you scared of leaving here?" I gently stroked my daughter's hair.

Harper shook her head, her tiny hands gripping mine tightly in return. "As long as Mommy is here, Harper won't ever be scared."

Looking out the cabin window at the shrinking city lights below, I silently whispered a single phrase in my heart:

Goodbye, Caelen.