Chapter 4

Ivy was crying hysterically in her room. "Everyone at school says Daddy belongs to Jenna, but I've never tried to take him away from her," she sobbed. In the end, she fell asleep hugging Liam's picture. Unable to sleep, I checked my phone and stumbled upon Amy's newest social media post. "Jenna finally has a father. No one can take what's rightfully ours!" her caption read. Beneath the caption was a photo of Liam, Amy and Jenna. The three of them were smiling at the camera with their arms wrapped around each other. They looked like an actual family. I casually liked the post. All of a sudden, I received a text notification. Amy had sent me a video. After clicking on it, I realized it was a recording of Liam. It looked like it was taken not long after he returned to the country. "What's the happiest moment of your life, Liam?" one of his friends asked. "Probably the time I pulled Amy into the bathroom after we put Jenna to sleep. It happened last week when we were abroad," Liam replied absentmindedly. The group cheered, and Liam proceeded to glance at Amy with a tender expression. I felt my blood run cold. Then, I recalled the post Amy had posted on her account some time ago. "Ever since Jenna came into our lives, we've barely been able to spend any alone time together. We're only able to be intimate with each other after she falls asleep…" While I was lost in my own thoughts, Amy sent me a couple more texts. "Sorry! I sent that to you by accident. By the time I realized my mistake, I couldn't recall the message anymore." "You should know how Liam feels about you by now. You used your dirty tricks in order to force him to marry you. He's actually been keeping me and Jenna company for the last three years." "Jenna isn't his biological daughter, but he cares for her more than her actual father does. Liam and I might've broken up a long time ago, but he still has lingering feelings for me. We'll definitely get back together soon." "I know how wealthy your family is, Ms. Smith. There are plenty of other men out there. You should just cut your losses and leave Liam alone." Afterward, she sent me another photo. Beaming with joy, Jenna stood in the middle while Amy and Liam kissed her on each cheek. They looked like a happy family. Smiling, I replied, "Sure." Then, I called my dad. "I've made up my mind, Dad. I want to move abroad with Ivy. We'll depart in a few days," I said. "Really?" Dad replied in an ecstatic voice. "I heard Liam has returned to the country though. You've been apart for such a long time. Is he okay with this arrangement?" I couldn't help but let out a resigned laugh. "He couldn't be happier about it." … Unlike before, I didn't wait for Liam to return before going to bed. By the time the latter reached home, it was already two in the morning. Once he entered the house, he immediately frowned. The house was dark. I didn't bother leaving the lights on for him like I used to. In fact, I wasn't planning on bothering him ever again. I didn't speak to Liam for three whole days. Upon noticing that something was amiss, Liam returned home with a gift box. "This is for you, Yvonne." He continued, apologetically, "Jenna made a mistake the other day. I'd like to apologize to you and Ivy on her behalf." Subsequently, he opened the gift box and took out a necklace that looked incredibly old-fashioned. "Here—let me help you put it on." I moved away from him and said, "That won't be necessary." I'd seen a picture of that necklace on Amy's social media page before. It used to be hers until she called the design outdated and said that she wouldn't wear it no matter what. I walked past Liam with a blank expression. After getting changed, I scooped Ivy into my arms, grabbed my car keys and hopped into my car. He scanned the two of us. Then, he paused for a brief moment before staring fixedly at me.