Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Back at the institute, I buried myself completely in my research until past nine o'clock in the evening.

A colleague passing by my workstation stopped in surprise.

"Rowan, you're still here? Aren't you rushing home to be with your daughter tonight?"

The image of Riley clinging happily to Valerie flashed through my mind.

I gave a faint shake of my head.

"No. I don't need to do that anymore."

Over the next two days, I pulled double shifts in the lab and finally obtained the critical breakthrough data we needed.

A profound sense of accomplishment flooded my chest.

For the first time in years, I realized how liberating it felt not to abandon my passions just to rush home to a thankless family.

As dusk settled over the city, I hummed softly on my drive back to the house.

Yet the moment I unlocked the front door, I was met with Darren's dark, furious glare. He was sitting on the sofa, cradling Riley.

The second he saw me, he exploded.

"Rowan, have you lost your mind? Staying out for days without coming home―do you even remember you have a husband and a child?"

"I work myself to the bone every single day so you can live comfortably, not so you can run off and do whatever you please!"

His words dripped with venom, and I refused to take it lying down.

"Darren, I have a legitimate career. You are Riley's father―are you incapable of watching her? Besides, don't you have Valerie?"

I frowned deeply, looking straight into his hostile eyes.

"Furthermore, I haven't spent a dime of your hard-earned money. My own salary is more than enough to support myself!"

Just then, the front door clicked open again behind me.

Valerie stepped in, her tone sweet and soothing.

"Darren, didn't I tell you not to fight with Rowan? Why are you losing your temper again?"

The moment Riley spotted her, she slid off the couch, ran over, and wrapped her arms around Valerie's legs.

"Aunt Valerie, you're finally here! I'm starving. Can you take me out for burgers?"

Valerie stroked Riley's hair with exaggerated tenderness.

"Of course Auntie can take you, sweetie. But…"

She paused, casting an uneasy, apologetic glance at me.

"Your mother will be upset. She never lets you eat fast food."

Hearing those words, Riley turned around and slapped my arm with all her childish might.

"You mean woman! Stop ruining everything!"

The sting on my forearm burned, but my heart only grew colder.

I let out a bitter, mocking laugh.

The only reason I strictly controlled Riley's diet was because she suffered from severe gastrointestinal sensitivities and chronic allergies.

Whenever she ate greasy fast food, she suffered excruciating stomach cramps and diarrhea.

To keep her healthy, I had spent years meticulously cooking doctor-prescribed organic meals from scratch.

In the end, all my devotion had been fed to the dogs.

Exhaustion washed over me.

"Do whatever you want," I said flatly.

I turned on my heel and walked into my bedroom.

Within minutes, Riley's ecstatic cheers echoed from the entryway.

"Yay! Daddy and Aunt Valerie are taking me out for dinner!"

I sat quietly on the edge of the bed, unmoved by the noise outside.

There was a time when Darren's shifting affection broke my heart into pieces.

After seven years of dedication, who could easily accept their spouse slipping away?

Yet over time, I learned an undeniable truth.

The more you fear someone walking away, the more arrogant and cruel they become.

Loving oneself was far more important than begging for love from others.

By late afternoon the following day, I was in the living room watering Riley's potted succulent when Darren suddenly barged through the front door.

He looked completely panicked, like a cornered beast desperately searching for someone to blame.

"Rowan, how the hell do you look after our kid? Didn't you know she had a fever coming on? Why didn't you warn us before we left? Are you trying to kill our daughter? Get your shoes on and come to the hospital right now!"