That afternoon. Mercer Medical headquarters. Conference room.

The executives were all assembled. The atmosphere was tense.

Dominic sat in my chair, wearing an ill-fitting designer suit.

Victoria took the head of the table and cleared her throat.

"I've called this meeting to announce an important personnel change. Due to personal and family circumstances affecting his performance, Nathan Hartley is being relieved of his duties as Director of R&D."

The room erupted.

Everyone knew the company had survived this long on my technical work alone.

"Ms. Mercer, this doesn't seem right. Nathan just cracked the miniature heart problem—" the VP couldn't help but speak up.

"What's not right about it? The world doesn't stop turning for anyone!" Victoria cut him off sharply. "Dominic Forsythe studied abroad and brings extensive management experience. He will assume the role of R&D Director. Please welcome him."

Dominic stood and gave an exaggerated bow.

"Thank you, Ms. Mercer. I'll lead the R&D team to even greater heights."

"Nathan, you'll work under me as a regular engineer now. Anything you don't understand, just ask." Dominic smirked at me.

"If the new director is this capable, I'm sure he's already reviewed the core data?" I leaned back in my chair.

Dominic's face stiffened. He looked to Victoria for help.

"Nathan! Are you deliberately making this difficult? Hand over the encryption key—now!" Victoria slammed the table.

I pulled a USB drive from my pocket and tossed it on the table.

"Password is six eights. Everything you need for the handover is on there."

Victoria snatched it and handed it to Dominic.

"Smart choice. Starting tomorrow, Nathan, you're on the factory floor supervising the assembly line. Stay out of the lab." Victoria delivered the decree.

"That won't be necessary." I stood and straightened my jacket.

"What do you mean?" Victoria narrowed her eyes.

"I quit."

Dead silence.

Victoria shot to her feet, pointing at me.

"You think you can threaten me with quitting? Where would you even go? No one else would hire a money pit like you!"

"Victoria, don't make promises you can't keep." I stared her down. "The handover is done. I owe you nothing."

"Stop right there!" She rushed to block my path. "Fine, quit. But you signed a non-compete—two years, no setting foot in the medical device industry!"

"I remember." I pushed past her hand. "I wish your company, under Director Forsythe's brilliant leadership, a speedy bankruptcy."

I walked out without looking back.

Behind me came Victoria's screaming and the sound of a glass shattering.

"Let him go! Without me, he can't even afford Mia's medication! He'll come crawling back in three days!"

In the parking garage, I pulled out my phone.

"Professor Ellsworth, does a domestic non-compete hold up against an overseas lab?"

"Ha! Nathan, you're hilarious. That kind of paper? Our legal department would shred it in sixty seconds."

"Your jet's already cleared for takeoff. Day after tomorrow, pre-dawn."

"Thank you."

Back at the hospital, I quietly packed Mia's things.

There wasn't much. Mostly toys and clothes I'd bought her.

The only things from Victoria were a few clearance-rack outfits that didn't even fit.

That evening, Victoria showed up at the hospital—not to see Mia, but to berate me.

"Nathan, you humiliated me in front of the entire company today. Satisfied?" She stood in the doorway, arms crossed.

"Quitting is my right. You already put Dominic in charge, didn't you?" I didn't even look up.

"Don't think I don't know what you're doing—playing hard to get so I'll take it all back!"

"You overestimate yourself." I stuffed Mia's picture books into a bag.

"Why are you packing? Where are you taking Mia?" Victoria finally noticed something was off.

I made up a random lie.

"Checking her out. Taking her to the countryside for fresh air."

"The countryside? Are you insane? She can't go off her medication!"

"You said her condition was stable. You said she could wait."

"Staying in the hospital is just burning money anyway. Fresh air might do her good." I looked her dead in the eyes.

"Stop throwing my words back at me! The countryside is fine, actually—you can vacate the house while you're at it." Victoria pivoted without missing a beat.

My hands stopped.

"What did you just say?"

"Leo's starting school soon, and Dominic doesn't have a place. That house is sitting empty—I'm transferring the deed to Dominic. It's close to the school. Convenient for Leo."

That house was the only thing my parents left me when they died.

"Victoria, have you completely lost your mind? That's my premarital property!" I was shaking with rage.

"What's yours is ours! We're married! Besides, it's temporary—once Leo finishes school, we'll transfer it back. What's the big deal?" Victoria waved dismissively.

"Absolutely not. You're not touching that house."

"Nathan! How can you be so selfish? Leo lost his mother—isn't that sad enough? Now you want to leave him without a roof over his head?" Victoria jabbed her finger at me.

"His mother leaving has nothing to do with me! Mia has a mother—and her mother is right now trying to give away her medicine money and her home to some other woman's kid!" I exploded.

Crack.

Victoria slapped me across the face.

"Watch your mouth! Say one more word about Leo, and I'll cut off every cent of Mia's medical funding!"

I touched my stinging cheek and looked at this woman who'd gone completely mad for her first love.

"Fine. Very fine." I let out a cold laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" My laughter unnerved her.

"I'll sign the property transfer. But I have one condition. Tomorrow is Mia's seventh birthday. You come and celebrate with her. Cut the cake, and I'll sign."

Victoria frowned.

"Tomorrow? Can't do tomorrow. Leo's being discharged—Dominic booked a restaurant to celebrate. The day after, maybe. I'll pick up a cake."

"Tomorrow. If you don't show up, I'll burn the deed."

Victoria clenched her jaw.

"Fine. Tomorrow night, eight o'clock. I'll spare half an hour. Don't try anything."

She stormed out in her heels.

I watched her leave, then picked up my phone and texted my lawyer.

"Graham, is the divorce agreement ready?"

"Ready, Mr. Hartley. As per your instructions: you waive all company claims, but demand sole custody of your daughter. The property transfer includes a hidden debt lien—non-transferable, non-mortgageable."

"Good. Bring it tomorrow night."

The next day, I dressed Mia in a brand-new red princess dress.

Her favorite color.

"Daddy, is Mommy really coming to my birthday tonight?" Mia sat on the hospital bed, her eyes bright with hope.

"She promised." I stroked her hair, my heart bleeding.

At seven, I filled the room with balloons and set a chocolate cake on the table.

Seven-thirty. Victoria didn't come.

Eight. Still nothing.

Mia stared at the door without blinking.

Eight-thirty. I called.

The phone rang a long time before she picked up. Background noise: laughter, clinking glasses.

"Hello? What?" Victoria sounded annoyed.

"You promised to be here at eight for Mia's birthday. We're waiting."

"Oh, I forgot! Leo's discharge was such a celebration—Dominic insisted I stay for a few more drinks. I can't get away!"

"Victoria! It's Mia's seventh birthday! Do you have any idea how long she's been waiting?"

"What are you yelling about? It's just a birthday—she has one every year! Leo just came back from the brink of death! That's a rebirth—way more important than a birthday!"

"Are you coming or not?"

"No! Eat the cake yourselves! And bring the deed to the office reception first thing tomorrow—Leo needs it for enrollment!"

The line went dead.

I stared at the black screen. Something in my chest went still and cold.

"Daddy..." Mia's tears dripped onto her red dress. "Did , Mommy stop wanting me?"

I went to her and held her tight.

"Mommy's just busy, sweetheart. Daddy's here. Daddy will sing you happy birthday."

I lit the candles, choking back the lump in my throat.

"Happy birthday to you..."

Mia closed her eyes, pressed her palms together.

"I wish Mommy would look at me more. I wish my heart would get better soon so I won't be a burden to Daddy anymore."

Hearing those words from my seven-year-old nearly tore me apart.

"You are never a burden. You are Daddy's whole world."

I blew out the candles and cut her a slice.

Just then, my phone buzzed.

A photo from Dominic.

In it, Victoria was holding Leo, Dominic's arms wrapped around her from behind. The three of them smiling like a perfect little family.

Caption: Through every storm, finally together. Thank you, Victoria.

I stared at it, ice in my veins, then forwarded it to my lawyer.

"Graham, I need you here. Now."

Half an hour later, Graham Davenport arrived with the documents.

"Mr. Hartley, here's the divorce agreement. Once you sign, I'll handle the rest."

I picked up the pen without hesitation.

"And the property transfer papers?"

"Also ready. As you instructed, there's a trap built in. The moment they accept the title, the tax obligations and attached debts will bury them."

"Good. Deliver everything to Victoria's office first thing tomorrow morning."

"Understood."

I turned to look at Mia, already asleep.

"Come on, sweetheart. Daddy's taking you home."

I lifted her into my arms, grabbed our bag, and walked out of the hospital that had held us captive for two weeks.

2 a.m. Airport VIP lounge.

Professor Ellsworth's medical team had already taken over Mia's care.

"Mr. Hartley, the jet is fueled and ready. We can take off whenever you say." The doctor spoke with a respectful nod.

I took one last look at the city.

Ten years of devotion. Seven years of marriage.

For Victoria, I'd turned down every overseas offer, buried myself in her tiny company, worked myself to the bone.

I thought if I gave enough, I'd earn a warm home.

I was wrong.

You couldn't warm a stone. You throw it away.

"Let's go."

I powered off my phone, pulled out the SIM card, and dropped it in the trash.

Goodbye, Victoria.