After hurriedly getting Coco discharged from the hospital, Astrid took her to the supermarket to buy the snacks and ribbons the teacher instructed them to bring tomorrow.

While Astrid was busy picking out snacks, Coco pranced up to her and asked in a voice filled with wonder, “Mommy, I saw Daddy picking out a doll in the gift section! Do you think it’s a Children’s Day present for me?”

Astrid turned around to look.

She spotted Isaiah, who seemed busy choosing a suitable doll.

He was wearing a gentle and affectionate smile while doing so.

Suddenly, from behind the rack, Emmie ran and wrapped herself around Isaiah’s leg and called out “Daddy!” in a cheery voice.

Then came Juno with a cup of yogurt.

Astrid quickly removed her earphones and put them on Coco while shielding her eyes in one smooth gesture, “I’m sure you’ll get a present. Come on, let’s go, it’s getting late.”

That night, Isaiah did not come home again.

Coco slept with Astrid and was so excited that she woke up before the sun had risen.

She happily stuffed the rainbow music box into her school bag, then she asked Astrid to braid her hair into a tiara around her head.

She even drew a family portrait and planned to give it to Isaiah as a gift to remember her by.

Astrid took Coco to the kindergarten and waited by the entrance for a while, but Isaiah was nowhere to be seen.

The one they ended up seeing was Juno and her daughter Emmie, who both dressed up.

Emmie was adorned in a sparkling dress similar to a real princess.

She showed it off to her schoolmates, “Look, my Daddy had this custom-made for me! He spent twenty thousand dollars on it!

“When he found out I liked princess dresses, he ordered hundreds of beautiful dresses for me!”

“Mommy, I just remembered something. Emmie is the transfer student who came to our kindergarten recently.

“Uncle Isaiah spoils her, I’m so jealous,” she said meekly.

Astrid suppressed the bitterness she felt and did not speak.

Both girls were the same age and liked princess dresses equally.

Isaiah spoiled one of them like a princess while the other was an eyesore as far as he was concerned. He would rather not mention her at all.

He did not even buy a gift for Coco.

At the shift in Astrid’s mood, Coco paused and asked hesitantly, “Is Uncle Isaiah not coming because he’s busy?”

Astrid decided to make up another lie to save Coco’s feelings from getting hurt.

She produced a doll and showed it to her, “Even though he’s not coming, he got a present for you.”

Coco immediately brightened at the sight of the doll.

“Look, everyone! My Daddy loves me so much that he got me a doll!”

All the children who were flocking around Emmie suddenly turned their attention to Coco’s doll.

Emmie declared arrogantly, “What a pleb! Who cares about a doll? My house is filled with dolls!”

Astrid was worried the children would get into a fight and wisely led Coco away.

To her surprise, Emmie ran toward Coco and began to scramble around inside her bag.

“Oh! So you’re the one who stole my rainbow music box!” she cried.

“You better give it back!”

Coco was caught off guard by the sudden shove from Emmie and fell on the grass.

The music box fell out of her hand and landed on the ground.

“Coco!”

Astrid was horrified and went to pick Coco up off the ground.

Coco’s right cheek was cut by a branch and was bleeding.

Then Juno’s voice called out, “Your daughter is a thief, Astrid! She deserves it!

“Tell her to return the music box to my daughter before I tell the parents’ group about this! You don’t want to get humiliated, do you?”

“I’m not giving it back!" Coco wrapped her arms around the music box to defend it and cried out grievously, “And I’m not a thief!”

Astrid was immediately enraged when she saw Coco in such a state.

“For the record, Ms. Calzier, “ she hissed, “it was her father who gave her the music box! You better quit pointing fingers, or I’ll break them!”

“What’s going on here?”

A man’s gentle voice broke across the scene.

Astrid turned toward the voice and frowned.

It was Isaiah.

“Isaiah, this girl is a thief! She stole Emmie’s music box!” Juno said as she pointed at Coco.

“You should have Emmie transferred to another kindergarten. I don’t want her around poor characters like this bunch over here.”

“Coco did not steal Emmie’s music box. I have proof!” Astrid turned to Isaiah and waited expectantly for him to defend her.

Isaiah ducked her gaze and started looking around nervously, “Where's Emmie? Is she hurt?”

“Daddy, I'm here!” Emmie ran to him and pointed at Coco while hissing spitefully, “She stole the music box you gave me! Call the police, we have to arrest her!

“She’s a bad person, we can’t have her dancing on stage!”

Isaiah gently cupped Emmie’s face in his hand and inspected her anxiously.

“Are you okay? Is your leg hurt? Is your hand scratched?"

"Daddy, I’m okay. I didn’t fall.”

Emmie shot a sideways glance at Coco.

“It was the thief who got her face scratched! Serves her right!”

Coco’s eyes swelled with tears as she tried to defend herself.

“It was my Daddy who gave me the music box, I’m not a thief!”

People around them began whispering among themselves.

“Emmie’s music box is worth more than ten thousand dollars. All the kids were jealous of her, so Coco must have stolen it because she was jealous too!”

“She keeps insisting it was her father who gave her the music box, but I have never seen her father pick her up from kindergarten. She’s lying!”

“Coco is always sick and has to take days off from school. I'm sure her mother had to spend a fortune just to pay her medical bills.”

“Their financial situation must be difficult at home, so that’s why she decided to steal the music box. It could fetch a good price on the second-hand market!”

Astrid lowered her eyes to hide the bitterness within them.

Although she had a husband, she had been living as if she were a widow.

And now, Coco was accused of being a thief!

It was ridiculous!

Coco was furious with everything they said.

“I have a daddy!” she announced.

“He works as a doctor overseas, and he’s an amazing doctor!

“He was the one who gave me the music box!”

Juno frowned.

“It’s not good to make a habit out of lying, girl.

“Your music box is the same brand as my daughter’s. Do you know how much is it? More than you can afford!

“I can tell you have the same one as my daughter’s!”

Isaiah stole a look at the flustered Coco and suddenly felt something shift inside him.

Then, he instantly suppressed the jolt he felt.

“It's just a music box, we have plenty more at home. Come on, let’s go.”

Coco seemed very pale and was struggling to stay on her feet at that point.

Astrid was distressed and embraced her tightly while holding out her phone to Juno.

“Ms. Calzier, I received the music box in a parcel from Falo two days ago. Here is the tracking number. You can look it up if you don’t believe me.

“It was my husband who sent it to Coco!”

Juno would not take Astrid’s phone and changed the subject instead.

“I still feel like this girl’s eyebrows look just like yours, Isaiah. Are you sure you don’t know her?”

“No, I don’t,” Isaiah said firmly.

Suddenly, a teacher hurried to the scene and went up to Juno.

“Ms. Calzier, I found a music box. Do you think this belongs to your daughter? Mrs. Aubrey Claire found it in the dance studio two days ago and posted it in the lost and found group.

“Didn’t you see it?”

Juno was embarrassed by the sudden development.

She took the music box from the teacher and scurried away from the scene with Emmie.

She did not even bother to apologize to Astrid and Coco. It was as if they did not exist.

Isaiah trailed after them, but not before shooting a glare at Astrid as a warning to keep her mouth shut.

Even without his warning, Astrid would have done the same.

She knew Isaiah had already lost his final chance!

After today’s dance performance, she was going to take Coco and walk out of his life for good!

“Ms. Payne, allow me to apologize to you on behalf of Emmie, ” the headmaster said solemnly.

“Why don’t you take Coco to the infirmary? The show is about to begin.

“Sir, will I still get to dance on stage later?” Coco asked nervously.

“I want Mommy to watch me perform, I want her to take a video!”

“Of course!” The headmaster smiled graciously, “You are the most talented dancer in our kindergarten!"

Then Astrid took Coco to the infirmary to dress her wound.

When Coco snuck a glance at the door, she was taken aback and cried out, “Da… Uncle Isaiah! Why are you here?”

Astrid turned toward the door and locked eyes with Isaiah.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded.

Isaiah did not say anything but motioned to his assistant, Mike Lancaster, to approach.

“Coco, I got you a new music box. I hope you like it.”

Coco rubbed her eyes and took a moment to register what was happening, “Mommy, am I dreaming?

“Uncle Isaiah got me a new music box!”

“It's not a dream.”

Astrid took the music box and handed it to Coco. “Go on, play it.”

Coco danced to the rhythm of the melodic tune churning out of the music box, then her eyes began to tear up. “Thank you, Uncle Isaiah. I will cherish it.”

Isaiah noted Coco’s excitement and the tears in her eyes.

He hesitated for a few seconds before remarking in a somber voice, “Coco, Emmie wants to be the lead dancer during the performance today.

“Your face is cut anyway, so it wouldn’t be wise for you to dance. Why don’t you let Emmie take your spot instead?”

Astrid’s smile stiffened in an instant. Coco’s eyes began to fray with red as well.

So the reason he came to visit was not because he was concerned for Coco; he was only here to negotiate for Emmie.

What an insult!

“Alright, Uncle Isaiah,” Coco answered icily.

She gently caressed the white tassel ornament on the music box and felt her heart break.

The way she said it made Isaiah instinctively frown. Just as he was about to say something, the phone in his pocket rang.

It was Juno.

“Emmie has a nosebleed, we need you right now!”

His expression changed in an instant, and he left immediately.

The moment he walked out of the room, Astrid called out after him, “I mailed you something, make sure you open it tomorrow morning…”

Isaiah cut her off impatiently, “Don’t bother buying anything for me in the future, I don’t need it!”

Astrid lowered her eyes to sheathe the icy look within them and did not speak.

It was not a gift or anything like that.

It was a signed divorce agreement!

…

Later, Astrid took Coco back to the performance venue, then went to her seat.

The teacher led the children backstage to prepare for the performance.

Emmie was positioned at the front of the group.

She cheerily waved to Isaiah and Juno in the audience and smiled proudly, “Thank you, Daddy, for making my dream come true!”

As soon as she said that, Astrid noticed Coco, who was assigned to the back of the group, nearly slip and fall.

Her heart nearly broke at the sight.

She got up and waved at her to encourage her, “You can do it, Coco! You’re the best!”

Coco's eyes brightened, and she responded with a bright smile.

Soon, the performance officially began. Astrid sat among the audience and flipped through the program sheet.

She realized Coco was scheduled for the last performance of the day, the dance of the Four Little Swans.

After patiently waiting an hour, it was finally time for the Four Little Swans to get on stage.

She reached for her phone and started recording, only to find that Coco was nowhere to be seen!

She was gone!

Astrid felt herself getting dizzy and quickly went to the headmaster to ask for an explanation.

The headmaster answered solemnly, “Ms. Payne, I was just about to speak to you.

“We just found out that Coco is missing. I spoke to the security guards and had them pull the surveillance camera footage. They are looking into it as we speak.

“Could you tell me where your daughter usually likes to hang out?”

“She loves to dance!" Astrid said anxiously, “Take me to the dance studio, please!”

When they got to the dance studio, it was empty. Coco was nowhere to be seen.

Astrid ran around the kindergarten in search of Coco to no avail.

Soon, the other parents heard about what happened and started to help as well, but it was no use.

One hour passed. Then two hours came and went.

It had been three hours since Coco’s mysterious disappearance, but still, there were no leads!

Astrid was sweating anxiously when she spotted Emmie, who was playing on a swing in the playground. She was toying with a white tassel pendant.

Astrid approached her and asked anxiously, “That’s an ornament from my daughter’s music box! Have you seen Coco anywhere?”

“Astrid, what are you trying to say?” Juno ran over out of nowhere and wrapped her arms protectively around Emmie, who had started bawling her eyes out.

She was furious. “This is just a common tassel pendant, you can find it anywhere! How dare you accuse my daughter of withholding information about Coco?”