As I looked up, my cheeks were already damp with tears.

Ava saw me in this state, and her confusion seemed to dissipate somewhat, but I was so focused on the contact list that I didn't notice her change.

Justin seemed to have noticed and quickly hugged his arm, wailing, "Ouch! It hurts so much."

Ava immediately turned to check his wound. "How did you suddenly bleed so much?"

"Ava, will I die?"

Ava looked concerned. "I'll take you to the hospital. You'll be fine!"

Saying that, Ava snatched the phone out of my hand and called her assistant.

I hadn't recovered yet, "Ava, your aunt's phone number..."

Ava's face showed a hint of resignation, "Daniel, can you wait until I take Justin to get his wound bandaged, and then apologize to you and our daughter? Don't be childish, stay at home and wait for me."

Saying that, she supported Justin and walked straight past me to the door.

I ran after her and grabbed her arm. "Ava, giving me a phone number is that hard?"

At that moment, Justin was frowning and moaning again.

"Ava! I think my arm is about to break!"

Ava looked worried. She directly pushed me away and coldly said, "Don't you see that Justin is already hurt like this! Is your heart made of iron?

"Who knows what you'll do with the phone number! Don't forget how you betrayed me seven years ago!"

Seven years ago, Ava was involved in an affair with a company executive, and Justin was worried that his status would be threatened, so he told Ava's mother about it secretly, which caused Ava to be cold-shouldered by the company for two years and stripped of her authority.

But she always thought it was me who had caused the trouble in the middle, but I had no idea about this matter at all!

Through Ava, I saw a flash of defiance on Justin's face.

The desire for revenge and anger in my heart was jumping wildly.

But now, my daughter was the most important.

I didn't care about anything anymore and knelt down in front of them. "Ava, please, give me your phone number. I promise I won't bother you again, okay?"

"Daniel, are you playing a joke or something?"

Justin looked at me with contempt. "You say you won't bother us, are you really going to divorce Ava?

"Besides, the organizer of the dance competition is my friend. How come I don't know about any accidents involving contestants? Daniel, look at my injuries! I'm the one who really needs emergency treatment now!"

Ava patted Justin's back again. "Okay, Justin, don't get so worked up over him. I'll take you to the hospital right away."

She then looked at me with cold eyes.

"I thought you had a little dignity, but it seems you're the kind of person who would do anything for jealousy. We both made a mistake in judging you!"

They drove away in the car.

I looked at my watch and knew there was no chance left.

At that moment, the hospital called.

"Mr. Smith, I'm sorry. Your daughter did not survive the emergency treatment..."

I couldn't hear the rest of the words clearly, I just felt my head buzzing.

I hurried to the hospital, and Chloe's delicate face, which resembled mine and Ava's, had lost all its color.

The doctor told me to be strong, but all I could do was watch them cover her in a white sheet.

"Chloe... Chloe!"

I knelt on the doorstep, wailing for the person who no longer existed.

My heart felt as if it had been stabbed by life, bleeding profusely.

The morning she left, she had sworn to bring home a gold medal, but how could she be gone just like that?

For the next three days, I took care of Chloe's funeral arrangements, leaving Ava alone the entire time.

Then I returned to our shared home, packed up Chloe's old clothes, and decided to take them back to my hometown to be buried with her.

That day, Ava called me, her tone unyielding.

"The day after tomorrow is my dad's memorial service. It's a big day. Remember to come with Chloe, dress yourself nicely, and don't embarrass me."

I looked at Chloe's photo, a faint smile on my face. "Don't worry, I'll bring Chloe with me."

I met Ava at a cocktail party.

She got drunk and couldn't find the restroom, so she stumbled into my room by mistake.

At that time, I was also drunk and didn't notice that there was an extra person in the room. When I woke up, she was already lying next to me.

But Ava didn't make a fuss, instead, she looked serious and asked me if I wanted to try.

At that time, I was hesitant.

However, Ava was persistent, even though nothing had happened between us, she seemed to have decided on me and wouldn't let go.

She would appear outside my company every night to pick me up and drop me off, or provide me with business assistance.

Within a month, I surrendered.

But after we got married, I found out that she had gotten drunk that night because of Justin.

She discovered that Justin, who was far away abroad, had a new female friend on Facebook, so she got drunk at the party.

Ava's care for Justin was beyond imagination.

Justin could call her at any time, and she would drop everything to fly overseas.

I was a man with my own dignity.

But seeing Chloe, who looked exactly like Ava, I softened my heart time and again, and even gave up my career for the sake of my family.

My daughter saw my grievances and struggles and said to me more than once, "Dad, I will take care of you in the future, and I will love you more than Mom!"

I knew I couldn't compete with the Williams family, so I had to endure in order to accompany Chloe growing up.

However, I didn't expect that my endurance would result in even more neglect and indifference.

Clearly, Chloe was looking forward to the grand finale of the competition before her death, saying that she would hand the trophy to me personally.

But now, she has turned into a box of ashes, coldly lying in this small casket.

She died without a sound.

From now on, there would be no one else who could be a reason for me to give in.

It was time for Ava's father's funeral.

The Williams family's mansion was huge, requiring a full two days to walk around.

When I married Ava, her father looked down on my humble background and forced me to have the wedding at their home, which led to the widespread rumor that I was a "dowry husband".

Perhaps even the Williams family thought so.

So when I arrived, everyone was busy with their own affairs, not even giving me a nod, as if I did not exist.

But Justin fit right in, standing to Ava's left, helping her support her mother, and greeting guests with the Williams family, as if he were Ava's husband and I were a mere bystander.

"Ava, why didn't you bring Chloe? Today is her grandfather's memorial day, and you should know better than that."

Ava's mother said solemnly but did not scold her too much. "You said she did well in dancing and won a gold medal. This child is just like you, with a good foundation when you were young. But your brother passed away early, otherwise you wouldn't have had to take over the company so soon."

Justin guided Ava's mother towards the mourning hall, speaking softly and kindly. "Ava is your daughter, and it's thanks to your good genes."

Justin's smooth talk made her smile on such a sad day.

"Now that you're back in China now, please help Ava out. I can't help but feel sorry for her when she has to shoulder everything alone."

Her mother said, patting Justin's hand as if entrusting Ava to him.

At this moment, Ava's aunt spoke up, saying something that hit me right in the heart. "It was Ava's lack of maturity that caused her to marry that poor guy. They should get a divorce. Chloe has grown up now, and she will understand you."

Hearing this, Justin looked at Ava with eager eyes, his eyes shining with excitement.

The relatives around echoed one after another, bluntly stating that I, as a son-in-law who married into the family, had no benefit to Ava, and that Justin was a better choice.

Ava's cousin, Mia Williams, had always had a close relationship with Justin, so it's understandable that she spoke up for him.

But these people who didn't understand the situation and had nothing to do with the Williams family also spoke up for him, belittling me in front of Ava. Did they really think I was dead?

No matter what, I was Chloe's father and Ava's husband. How dare they treat me like this?

As everyone was discussing heatedly, Ava spoke up in a calm voice.

"Daniel is Chloe's father. You might as well keep quiet. If it reaches Chloe's ears, it will have a bad influence." Ava said.

I sneered inwardly.

Now she knew about the impact on the child?

I stopped eavesdropping and walked into the mourning hall in a black suit, just as Ava finished speaking.

The noisy crowd suddenly fell silent as if the "pause" button had been pressed.

Mrs. Williams, Ava's mother, took the lead in attacking me. "I heard that you arrived a long time ago. Why didn't you come earlier?"

After that, a chuckle was heard in the crowd. "The country bumpkin might not even find the main hall! Our mansion is so big that he might get lost without someone to guide you."

The laughter was heard, and it was clear that it was Justin's doing.

Today was different from usual. No one paid attention to me, and there even wasn't anyone to guide me. That was why I missed the time.

"Daniel, why didn't you bring Chloe over?'

Ava's gaze was sharp, and her delicate face was devoid of emotion.

I stared at her eyes and smiled faintly, "Who have you ever cared about? Justin?"

Hearing me speak so bluntly, Ava stiffened, and she snorted in a mocking tone, "Daniel, haven't you had enough of this yet? I know I was irresponsible by leaving Chloe behind. I've apologized. What more do you want? Can't I have my own social circle and life after I got married and had a child?

"Daniel, don't be so selfish. Today is Dad's Memorial Day. She should be there as a granddaughter. Don't let others laugh at us."

I said in a low voice, with a hint of a smile, "Is it really important whether she is present or not?"

Over the years, how many people in the Williams family had truly cared about Chloe, other than those who were merely being polite out of consideration for Ava's heirship?

They all had different thoughts, and they all thought that Ava would eventually abandon me and Chloe.

"What are you talking about? Chloe is my daughter. How could she not be important!"

I curled my lip, hiding the mockery in my eyes. "Oh, I thought the most important person in your heart was only Justin."

Since Chloe was born, Ava's heart had never been fully on her.

That year, Chloe had a high fever and nearly died, but Ava drank herself in a bar because Justin didn't reply to her text.

When Chloe took the high school entrance exam, she missed it to give Justin a birthday present.

Her life was filled with Justin's image at any time and place.

Chloe seemed like a burden, an unexpected byproduct.

For Justin's small wound on his arm, she could leave her daughter in such a remote suburb, allowing her to be harmed and finally leave in a bloody mess.

Now she shamelessly claimed that Chloe was the most important person to her, how ridiculous!

"Daniel, who gave you the right to mock me!"

Ava raised her hand high in the air, treating me like a subordinate.

However, I was not the Daniel who used to endure everything.

Before her slap could fall, I grabbed her wrist and threw it to the side, causing her to stumble and push back several steps. Justin went to steady her.

Everyone was shocked, not expecting me, the usually gentle person, to dare to physically attack Ava.

"Ava, stop behaving like a hysterical woman and making a laughingstock of yourself."

Ava was so angry that her emotions surged. "Daniel, I just didn't send Chloe to the competition. Why do you have to exaggerate it and keep going on about it for half a month?"

Justin also looked angry. "Ava didn't mean to abandon Chloe on purpose. Besides, Chloe is already an adult. If you can't even trust her to walk that short distance, I really don't know how you usually educate her."

"You're forbidden to talk about her!'

I rushed forward and grabbed Justin's collar tightly, like a raging lion, filled with resentment.

The killing intent that emanated from my bones made everyone present back away, with no one daring to stop me.

Until Ava's mother shouted, "Enough! Daniel, let go of him! This is the mourning hall. What are you doing?

"Daniel, I think you're not cut out to be a father! Your erratic temperament is so different from the Williams family's personality. I think I was right when I said that your bond with Ava would not last, so why not part ways today, and return Chloe to the Williams family!"

Mia also chimed in, "That's right, Daniel. You don't have to be reluctant. Justin can provide resources that you can't even aspire to! Do you know that Justin has arranged for Chloe to have an interview qualification for a top dance troupe?"

It was absurd and ridiculous.

My daughter had been raised by me until she turned 18, yet now the Williams family was accusing me of not being able to give her a better life.

She was my biological daughter!

And this hypocritical Justin, why did he deserve to be Chloe's father?

If it weren't for him, Chloe would be alive!

I trembled all over, even my teeth couldn't help but grind together.

Ava took two steps forward, like a warning or a threat.

"Today is my father's Memorial Day, and I don't want to make a mess. Now, quickly bring Chloe here. Don't forget that she also has blood from the Williams family flowing through her veins!"

I stared at Ava's familiar face, and suddenly burst out laughing.

"Okay."

Upon hearing this, everyone let out a sigh of relief.

Mrs. Williams even laughed and said, "Daniel, considering that you raised Chloe up, the Williams family will not let you down."

I didn't bother to respond and instead took out the casket containing Chloe's ashes from my bag and placed it in the center of the hall.

Everyone was startled, and Justin even jumped out and said, "Daniel, this is a great disrespect to Ava's father!"

"You were looking for Chloe, weren't you? She's right here!"