Chapter 3

3

She used to put on her little hair clips and spin around, asking, "Do I look pretty, Mommy?"

How did my vibrant girl end up like this?

My heart felt like it was being shredded. "No, no, baby. You're the most beautiful girl in the world. You'll always be Mommy's little princess..."

"Mommy... you're a liar..."

She seemed to want to act spoiled one last time, but she didn't have the energy left.

"Mom... Mommy, I'm so tired..."

As her breathing slowed, I heard her final, faint words.

"Mommy, Daddy really didn't want me."

"I... I don't want him either..."

Then, the heart monitor let out a long, flat "beep."

I broke down completely, repeating the same words over and over.

"Mommy wants you, Chloe. Mommy wants you so much..."

But the girl on the bed would never answer me again.

The truth was, Travis had always been cold toward our daughter, even harsh.

That attitude only got worse after his first love, Jocelyn, moved back to the States with her daughter, Carly.

He spent all his time at Jocelyn's house, and whenever he was home, he'd compare Chloe to Carly to insult her.

He used to flick Chloe's forehead and scold her.

"Cry, cry, that's all you do! Look at Carly, she's so full of life. Why are you such a wet blanket?"

One day, Chloe had been bullied at school. Other kids pushed her down and pulled up her skirt.

She didn't get a single word of comfort from him. Only a lecture.

Just like this time, Chloe died without ever receiving a single look of love from her father.

Every time I tried to talk to Travis about it, he'd get defensive.

He'd call me petty and disgusting for thinking something was going on between him and Jocelyn.

He claimed he was just being a good guy because Carly didn't have a father.

Chloe used to pull on my hand and tell me not to be sad.

She'd say Daddy just had a big heart and that he still loved us.

I knew she was just desperate for a father's love that didn't exist.

She was comforting herself as much as she was comforting me.

It took until the very last moment of her life for my poor Chloe to finally give up.

If I had known he was this cruel, I would have taken her and left a long time ago.

I balled my fists and punched the hospital wall until my knuckles bled.

I had to let out the hatred consuming me.

Travis, this marriage is officially over.

And I promise, none of you are going to have a happy ending.

On the day of Chloe's funeral, many people showed up. Even the nurses from the hospital came.

Chloe had been to that hospital before because of the bullying incident, and the nurses had adored her.

Complete strangers who had heard her story came to leave flowers as well.

They all felt that her passing was too painful for such a sweet soul.

They were right. It shouldn't have been like this.

She never could have imagined that her own father would hand-deliver her to a shark.

I didn't invite Travis.

He didn't deserve to be her father.

And he was too busy playing house with Jocelyn and Carly to care about us anyway.

He probably thought I'd do what I always did.

That I'd eventually bow my head and apologize just to keep the family together for Chloe's sake.

But he was dead wrong.

Chloe was gone. I had nothing left to lose.

My phone rang.

It was my father. His voice sounded like he had aged twenty years overnight.

"I heard about everything. Chloe... I'm so sorry."

I could almost see Chloe in my mind, calling me "Mommy" in that sweet voice of hers.

I'd never hear it again.

"I... I regret everything, Dad," I choked out.

"Then come home."

"Chloe was my granddaughter. No one gets away with hurting a Sullivan."

When I first started dating Travis, my father was dead set against it.

The Sullivan family is one of the most powerful families in the city, with countless businesses under our name.

Even the aquarium where Travis worked was owned by my family.

There was no way my father wanted a mere animal trainer in the family.

But back then, I was blinded by Travis's seemingly independent and vibrant personality.

He used to tell me:

"I hate those rich trust-fund brats. I'll make a great life using my own two hands."

For him, I had cut ties with my family.

I became a stay-at-home mom just because he said he "needed someone to take care of the house."

My father was furious, calling me a fool.

He even warned me that Travis had a first love abroad and that they only broke up because of her family.

He told me not to get in too deep.