My wife died in a fire, and for three years I worked as a food delivery driver, struggling through hardship to raise my daughter.

On the day I finally saved enough for her college tuition, I went home early, wanting to celebrate with her.

But as soon as I reached the door, I heard her talking on the phone.

“Mom, when you faked your death in that car accident just to be with Uncle Daniel, why didn’t you take me with you? I can’t stand living with him anymore.”

Her voice on the other end was crystal clear.

“My sweet girl, your Uncle Daniel’s business failed, and I couldn’t leave him alone. Besides, if your dad knew I was with him, he would never agree to transfer the property. Just hold on a bit longer. Once your birthday comes and he gives you the money and the house, I’ll take you away.”

My daughter sounded delighted.

“Really?! That’s amazing! By the way, that ugly freak has been so stingy, he hasn’t even bothered to get surgery to fix the burn scars on his face just to save money—it disgusts me.”

“Your birthday is the day after tomorrow. Before then, we’ll come visit more often. Don’t worry—since I’ve already had plastic surgery, he won’t recognize me.”

In that moment, everything became clear.

I turned away and called my former boss, a man who had always valued me.

“Is there still an opening in the United States? I’m willing to go.”

There was disbelief on the other end of the line.

“Jason, back then, when you couldn’t save your wife from the fire, you carried that guilt for years. You poured all your love and effort into your daughter, delivering food instead of taking better jobs, just so nothing like that would happen again. Why the sudden change of heart?

Don’t tell me… your daughter got into a university overseas?”

I gave a bitter laugh.

“She’s grown up. She doesn’t need me anymore.”

“Oh~ I get it. A little family spat, huh?”

I didn’t want to discuss it further, so I changed the subject.

“When can I leave?”

“The day after tomorrow—there happens to be a flight.”

After hanging up, I stood frozen at the door.

Inside, their conversation continued.

“Mom, you were right. After you faked your death, he’s been willing to give me anything I asked for.”

“When you were around, he was always setting rules for me. Now, even when I asked for the house, he agreed without batting an eye.”

“Of course. Back then he chased me desperately, and if your Uncle Daniel hadn’t gone abroad, I never would have agreed to marry him. When I ‘died,’ with his pathetic, lovesick nature, I’m sure he wanted to die himself. If your uncle hadn’t been in debt and needed money to pay it off, we would have brought you over long ago.”

Then Daniel Carter’s voice came over the phone, apologetic.

“Sophie, you’re not upset with us for doing this, are you?”

My daughter giggled.

“Of course not. You’re just trying to pay off the debt sooner so life won’t be so stressful for us later.”

“Oh, and come see me later, okay? I miss you guys.”

Hearing this, a sharp pain stabbed through my chest.

So, in my wife’s and daughter’s eyes, my life or death meant nothing.

Back when my wife had her “accident,” my heart had died with her. My only wish had been to see my daughter get into a good college, find a good job, and marry someone she loved. That would have been enough.

I had always thought her rebelliousness came from losing her mother.

But this call shattered every hope I had.

The car accident had been nothing but a staged farce, so she could be with another man, while my daughter used my guilt to cheat me out of my money and property for them.

I suddenly flung the door open.

My daughter jumped at the sudden noise.

When she saw it was me, she immediately hung up the phone, a flicker of guilt flashing between her brows.

But the next moment, she put on an impatient expression.

“It’s only the afternoon—why are you back so early? Aren’t you supposed to be out earning my tuition money?”

The joy I used to feel when coming home to my daughter was gone. I took off my delivery uniform, sat down, and said calmly,

“There weren’t many orders today, so I came back early to rest.”

After all, she was my biological daughter—some words were still too hard to say outright.

Without another word, I picked up a takeout meal that had been refused by a customer due to late delivery and began to eat.

Over the years, I had bought her luxury handbags. When she secretly wore makeup, I worried about her skin and bought her expensive brands.

But for myself, rejected takeout was the best food I had.

Seeing this, she frowned and scolded me.

“Eat, eat, eat—three years ago, if you hadn’t gone on that business trip and stayed with Mom, she wouldn’t have been burned to ashes in that car accident!

Didn’t you say you’d earn all my college tuition before my birthday? Then hurry up and make money!

And remember, the day after tomorrow is my birthday—don’t forget to transfer the house to me. Otherwise, I’ll never call you Dad again!”

Once, those words would have set off the fuse of my guilt.

Now, they just made me feel disgust.

I had denied myself decent food, denied myself facial reconstruction, pouring all my love into my daughter.

But in the end, it was all part of their scam.

Suppressing the disappointment in my heart, I looked up at her and said, unwilling to give up,

“Sophie, all these years—back when your mom was still here, too—have I not cared for you enough? Can’t you… be a little kinder to me?”

She snorted in disdain.

“You took care of me? Don’t make me laugh!

You were never home, and it was Uncle Daniel who always looked after me. After Mom died, it was Aunt Rachel who cared for me like a mother!

Look at you now—an ugly freak. Every time I go out with you, I feel embarrassed!”

Her words froze my heart completely.

In the mirror, I looked at myself.

Yes, half my face no longer resembled a normal human’s.

The day I heard about my wife’s car accident, I rushed straight to the scene. Even knowing she had no chance of survival, I charged into the flames—

and ended up disfigured.

I no longer expected much from life. I just lifted my head with a faint smile.

“So I’ve embarrassed you, have I?”

She gave a cold laugh.

“Glad you know your place.”

The words had barely left her mouth when the door swung open, and a teasing voice called out,

“Who’s gone and made our Sophie upset again?”

Daniel Carter walked in, arm-in-arm with Rachel Adams, the two of them leaning close.

Rachel’s face was flushed, and there was a shy look in her eyes as she glanced at Daniel. It was obvious they had just been intimate.

Even now, Daniel’s hand was caressing her back, and when he looked at me, there was nothing but smugness in his gaze.

In the past, I had thought they were simply showing off their affection.

Now I knew—it was his way of mocking me.

For the past three years, whenever I was out delivering food, they often came to “visit” my daughter, even taking her out to play.

They even attended her parent-teacher meetings in my place.

For that, I had been grateful to Rachel.

After all, my daughter had lost her mother, and as a minor, she needed a mother’s presence.

Every time I saw them, I had given them a genuine smile of thanks.

But now, I couldn’t smile at all.

I looked at her closely. She was indeed different from before—

once she had single eyelids and a small cherry mouth; now she had sultry red lips and double eyelids.

Even the details of her face had been altered.

The changes weren’t huge, but overall, she looked nothing like the same person.

And yet, in her gestures and expressions, there was a familiarity I couldn’t quite shake.

Back then, Daniel Carter had even joked that he’d chosen his wife based on the image of my late wife.

Ridiculous as it sounds now, I had actually believed him.

At that moment, when my daughter saw the two of them, her face lit up with joy, and she immediately threw herself into Rachel Adams’s arms.

“Mom… Aunt Rachel, Uncle Daniel—you’re here! I’ve missed you so much.”

Rachel fondly patted her head and smiled.

“Sophie, didn’t we just visit yesterday? When you have a boyfriend in the future, if you’re this clingy, he might not like it.”

My daughter giggled.

“Nonsense. Aunt Rachel, you’re glued to Uncle Daniel every day, and he never complains. When I get a boyfriend, I’m going to find someone just like Uncle Daniel.”

Daniel chuckled softly on the side.

“You little rascal. Sure, Aunt Rachel and I are close, but your dad’s not so bad—though, yeah, he’s not much to look at.”

At that, my daughter’s face twisted in disgust.

“Him? Always dirty like some beggar, and so ugly—I’d never want someone like him.

He can’t even make people happy, unlike Uncle Daniel, who makes Aunt Rachel look younger every day.

Oh, Aunt Rachel, tomorrow our teacher wants us to bring our parents to register for college applications. You and Uncle Daniel come with me, okay? I don’t want to take him and embarrass myself.”

Rachel said indulgently,

“Alright, alright. Your Uncle Daniel and I will go with you. Your dad can keep working hard to make you money.

But don’t say your dad embarrasses you—he’s been working very hard.”

Daniel beamed, clapping me on the shoulder.

“Brother, I’m just saying—you’ve got to loosen up. Sure, your wife’s gone, but besides earning money, you’ve got to learn how to make a girl happy. You still have a daughter, don’t you?”

He had teased me like this before, but I’d always thought it was a joke. I never noticed the mockery in his eyes.

I stepped aside from his hand and said coolly,

“You’re right—life goes on. My wife’s dead, but that doesn’t mean I’ll never remarry. Who knows, maybe I will someday.

In fact, I’ve decided not to give Sophie the house just yet. I’ll keep it for the future.”

My words startled all of them.

The next second, my daughter pointed at my face and lashed out.

“You ugly freak—you think you can get married again? How much money can you make delivering food? What a delusional joke!”

Hearing this, Rachel’s expression darkened, and she frowned at me.

“Jason, you’ve always given Sophie whatever she wanted. Why are you suddenly saying things to upset her?

And your wife’s only been gone three years—already thinking of remarrying?

If you marry again and give your money to another woman, what will Sophie have in the future?”

Olivia Parker—my wife—now stood before me with another face, scolding me as if I didn’t know who she was.

It was almost funny.

Daniel chimed in,

“Brother, I’m telling you, at your age and with your face the way it is, just be honest and earn money for Sophie.

Her birthday’s the day after tomorrow. I heard you promised to give her the house and all the tuition you’ve saved up.

You’re not going to back out now, are you? Aren’t you afraid she’ll hate you even more if you do?

Maybe if you give her the house, she’ll finally listen to you.”

I stared at him.

“Didn’t you just tell me to loosen up? Now that I say I might remarry, you’re panicking?”

Daniel was left speechless.

Rachel gave my daughter a meaningful look.