Chapter 3

The next morning, Lily woke up early.

She dressed herself, brushed her teeth, washed her face, and ran to the kitchen door. "Mommy, is Daddy awake?" she whispered.

I paused while making breakfast. "Daddy already left."

"Oh." Lily looked down, then looked up again. "Can Daddy make it to the family day today?"

I knelt down and looked into her eyes. "Lily, Mommy is going with you today, okay?"

Lily bit her lip and didn't say a word.

After a long pause, she finally nodded. "Okay."

But her eyes were filled with nothing but disappointment.

The family day activity was "making crafts together."

In the classroom, every other child had both their mommy and daddy with them. Only Lily had just me.

During the craft session, a little girl next to us asked her mother, "Mommy, why does Lily only have her mommy here?"

Her mother whispered back, "Shh, don't ask. Maybe she's from a broken home."

Lily kept her head low, crumpling the colored paper in her tiny hands.

I wrapped my arm around her. "Lily, let's make it together, okay?"

Lily looked up, her eyes rimmed with red, but she forced a tiny smile. "Okay."

As the event was ending, the teacher announced that parents could come up to the stage for a group photo.

The other kids eagerly dragged their parents toward the stage, laughing.

Only Lily sat perfectly still in her seat.

"Lily, do you want to go up and take a photo?" I asked gently.

Lily shook her head. "Mommy, let's go home."

She pulled my hand toward the exit. But at the door, she suddenly stopped and looked back one last time.

I knew what she was looking at.

She was watching the other kids holding their daddies' hands.

On the way back, Lily didn't say a word.

As we reached our apartment door, she suddenly asked, "Mommy, does Daddy not like Lily?"

I froze.

Lily looked up, her eyes swimming with tears. "Is it because Lily isn't good enough? I can be better. I won't eat snacks, and I won't make noise to bother Daddy. I just want Daddy to like me..."

I knelt down and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"No, Lily. It's not your fault. It's never your fault."

Lily buried her face in my shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably. "Then why... why doesn't Daddy want Lily?"

I didn't know how to answer.

Because I wanted to ask the same thing.

*Ethan Vance, why don't you want us?*

### 第三章