The door to the private suite wasn’t fully closed, and as a group of people passed by, I thought I caught a glimpse of my dad. Pretending I wanted to play hide and seek with Sylas, I waited for him to close his eyes, then quietly slipped away.

Trailing the group, I found my way back to the suite where Mom and the others were. I hid in a corner, watching my dad and a few young men line up in the center of the room. The agent, with a face full of fawning smiles, was addressing the people seated on the sofas, "Joanna, Mr. Duncan, all of you esteemed executives, I heard you’re launching a major new production. These are my newly signed artists—they’ve got the looks and the physique. If they get a role, they’re bound to become stars."

He especially highlighted my dad: "Especially this one—does he look familiar? Yusuf Ross, who shot to fame five years ago with his debut film 'The Alps.' Unfortunately, he stepped away for a few years, but now he's making a comeback. The talent is still there, execs, give him a chance!"

"Yusuf Ross?" Mr. Duncan pondered for a moment, then slapped his thigh in realization. "Ah, I remember. Back then, he was quite the sensation, trending everywhere on social media, called 'the eternal heartthrob' and 'boy wonder.' But time waits for no one, and now the boy’s turned middle-aged."

The men burst into laughter.

"Come on, that’s not fair," the agent responded awkwardly but still smiled ingratiatingly. "He was just 20 then, and now he’s only 25, the perfect age for an actor."

"The perfect age? With 18- and 19-year-olds popping up all the time, who cares about those past their prime?" Mr. Duncan turned to my mom with a flattering smile, "I think Sylas from Joanna's agency would be great for the second male lead. What do you think?"

My mom didn’t answer. She just lifted her head and stared coolly at my dad. Under such an intense gaze, my dad’s face turned beet red, unsure of where to put his hands and feet.

The agent, sensing an opportunity, doubled down on his sales pitch: "Joanna, why not have him stick around tonight, keep you company? Yusuf here is nothing if not obedient and reliable…"

"Enough."

I couldn’t hold back any longer. Jumping out from my hiding spot, I pointed a finger at the agent, "You’re a jerk!" I then pointed to Mr. Duncan and the rest of the men on the sofa, "Jerks! You’re all jerks! You can’t push my dad around!"

My outburst stunned the room, and everyone looked as if their eyes might pop out. They glanced back and forth between me, my dad, and my mom, taking a while to piece together the connection.

Seeing me, my dad’s eyes widened, fury overcoming his fear of my mom, as he shouted, "Carolina, did you seriously bring our daughter to a club?!"

This was the first time I saw my dad so furious.

He picked me up and pulled my mom out of the club. "Joanna, I agreed to let you have custody of Carolina, not because I'm afraid of you, but because I know you can provide her with a better environment. But if this is how you're raising her, I'll fight for custody with everything I've got!"

My mom remained composed despite his anger. "She'll eventually take over for me one day. It's not necessarily a bad thing for her to get comfortable in these settings early on."

"You!" My dad was so upset by her indifference that his nostrils flared with anger.

"Still want to fight for custody?" my mom sneered. "If I weren't around today, who knows whose bed you'd end up in again? Yusuf, with how reckless you are, how can you be a father?"

My dad's face flushed bright red, then went pale, and he let out a bitter laugh. "What does it matter if you're here? How are you different from those people in the booth? Five years ago, wasn't I drugged and pushed into your bed? You're right; I am foolish. If I weren't, how would I have let you get pregnant with Carolina? If I weren't, how would I have spent five years making formula and changing diapers?"

The night was cool and calm, with only the sound of wind rustling the street-side leaves breaking the silence.

Sylas rushed over, looking frantic. "Carolina, where did you go? I couldn't find you anywhere! I was terrified!"

His eyes were red, and his face and hair were soaked with sweat. Even his clothes were damp.

I shook my head, feeling a bit guilty, and reached out with my little hand to wipe the sweat off his forehead.

"Mom, Sylas, let's go home."

At that moment, I saw my dad's face grow even paler, almost as if all the color had drained from it.

I didn't call out to my dad because I had just understood something from his words. Perhaps I wasn't brought into this world with his hope.

Without me, maybe he would still be the "big shot," not standing there tonight, facing all this scrutiny.

Maybe if mom is willing to let him go and give back his freedom, I should do the same.

Over the weekend, my parents went to the local registry office. Faye mentioned that after a thirty-day cooling-off period, they could finalize the divorce.

Afterward, surprisingly, Mom agreed to let Dad come visit me, a rare compromise.

But I refused.

I shut myself in my room, watching him through the curtains. It must have been quite cold outside; his lips looked pale from the chill, yet he stood there for a long time.

The next time I saw him was on TV and on the giant LED screens all around town.

Instead of making a movie, Dad took a different path and joined a reality TV show. It was completely unexpected how it took off, and he earned the nickname "Charming Clutz."

I overheard the housekeepers chatting about it—apparently, it was the most popular parenting reality show at the moment, perfect for someone like Dad with his background.

At dinner, as usual, Mom was busy with work and didn't come home. Faye switched on the TV, tuning it to the parenting show for me. "Even if they're divorced, he's still your dad. How long has it been since you’ve seen him? If you miss him, just watch," she said.

"I don't miss him!" I leaped off my chair, ran over to turn off the TV, and stormed back to my room.

Then, hiding under the covers, I opened my iPad to watch.

Hahaha! Dad is so clumsy, tripping for no reason!

It's so obvious he'd be spotted hiding in such an open place!

How do you manage to set the kitchen on fire while just trying to light a campfire?

I stifled my laughter under the covers until it was hard to breathe, but soon, laughter turned to tears. The way Dad fed that little boy, holding him with such tenderness, and he even made him spiced honey cake.

Thinking of it all, sadness overwhelmed me, and I couldn’t hold back my tears.

The next morning, I woke up in the warm embrace of someone. As I opened my eyes, I was surprised to see—it was Mom!

Beside me, the iPad was still on, paused on the latest episode of the parenting show. I distinctly remembered watching less than half of last night’s episode before drifting off to sleep in sorrow. How did it continue to play so much further ahead?

Could Mom have been watching too?

Maybe, just like me, she secretly misses Dad.