On Father’s Day, my son sent me a message:

[Dad, I’m waiting for you at the Harmony Banquet Hall. There’s a big surprise!]

Excited, I didn’t even bother changing my clothes. When I arrived, I saw my son hugging a sharply dressed man and calling him “Dad” affectionately! My wife, dressed to the nines, was smiling sweetly at this man.

“This is the surprise Jack prepared for you. Do you like it?” said my wife to the man.

——

When I arrived at the Harmony Hotel, I saw my wife, Shelly.

She had done a light makeup and was wearing high heels.

She adjusted her outfit at the door before entering the private room.

I was about to call out to her, but remembering the message from my son, I smiled and followed her quietly.

After my son’s message was sent, it was quickly retracted.

It was Father’s Day, and they seemed to be planning something surprising for me.

But I didn’t expect it to be more than just a surprise – it was a huge shock!

When my wife entered the banquet hall, I heard my son’s cheerful voice. “Dad, I love you the most!”

I nearly laughed out loud, thinking how enthusiastic my son was today.

I pushed open the door and saw my son in the arms of a man in a suit, while my wife was standing in front of him, smiling softly.

“John, this is the surprise Jack prepared for you. Do you like it?” asked my wife.

John replied with a gentle laugh, “Of course, I love it. It’s really nice to see how much effort you’ve all put into this…”

Before he could finish, I interrupted him, “What’s going on here?”

My question startled my wife. She turned around and, seeing my stern face, instead of offering an explanation, she asked, “What are you doing here?”

My smile disappeared, replaced by anger and shock. “My son said he had prepared a Father’s Day surprise for me.”

I looked at them – a family of three, with my son still hugging John – making me feel like an outsider.

Seething with anger, I said slowly, “This is indeed a huge surprise, seeing my son calling someone else ‘Dad’ on Father’s Day!”

Seeing my angry face, my son shrank back into John’s arms.

My wife looked a bit uncomfortable and slightly annoyed for a moment. “Don’t be so harsh. I just suggested Jack call John Lambert his godfather.”

John smiled warmly and said, “Don’t get the wrong idea. We’re here to talk business, and we thought it’d be nice to bring Jack along for a bit of fun, too.”

Still holding my son, John watched me with a touch of disdain. “Since you’re here, why not join us for some tea? But you probably wouldn’t understand the company matters.”

Without giving it a second thought, I retorted, “I’m talking to my wife. Why don’t you mind your own fucking business?”

Who do you think you are to interfere with my family?

John’s smile froze, and my wife’s face darkened. “Sean, watch your language!”

She seemed to get agitated, defending John and glaring at me as she said, “John hasn’t said anything wrong. We’re here to talk business, which you don’t understand. Just go home and stop making a scene.”

I stared at her in disbelief. “You think I’m here to make a scene?”

The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I pointed at John and asked, “Shelly, what kind of business requires bringing our son to call your former lover ‘Dad’?”

John was Shelly’s former lover, something I had known for a long time.

She had been deeply hurt by him, and later told me she was lucky to have met me, who saved her from him.

But after John returned to the country last year, she seemed to have forgotten the pain, her eyes lighting up whenever she mentioned him.

We had argued about John multiple times. Now, with the past being brought up again, Shelly’s face changed, and she shouted at me, “Sean, can’t you talk properly? We’re having a normal business discussion. You stay at home all day and don’t understand anything. Can’t you just stop making a fuss?”

John, trying to smooth things over, spoke with a smile, “Hey, don’t get the wrong idea. If there was anything going on between us, trust me, you wouldn’t even be in the picture?”

His face was dripping with disdain, and he added, “I know that someone as excellent as Shelly must have many suitors. You might feel insecure because of that. But don’t read too much into it. Shelly and I are just friends, aren’t we, Shelly?”

Shelly blushed a bit at John’s words and nodded, “Of course, he’s just overthinking. He’s been at home all day, and it’s made him a bit paranoid!”

Jack also chimed in, “Yeah, yeah! Dad’s always at home looking silly. It’d be so embarrassing to take him out!”

Jack looked at John with admiration and said, “I wish John was my real dad!”

His words, along with those of his mother, left me stunned.

Over the years, I had indeed been out of work, but it wasn’t always like this.

I had legitimate businesses abroad. Disheartened by family conflicts, I decided to return home after resolving them, to seek peace.

It was then that I met Shelly Byrne, who was attempting to commit suicide.

She said she hated wealthy people, and since I was broke at the time, she was pleased. I saved her, and she fell for me. According to the fairy tale, this should have been a happy ending.

But her family didn’t approve. As an only child, they wanted a son-in-law to carry on the family name and preserve their business.

Shelly was crying and begging me, but I just shrugged it off and told her, “I only care about you. As long as we’re happy, everything else doesn’t matter.”

Besides, I really didn’t care about her family’s assets.

Later, I joined her family, and after she gave birth to our son, I stayed at home to take care of him.

I managed my businesses remotely, often joking with Shelly, “I’m just a typical househusband.”

She would tease me back, “And you’re the perfect kept man.”

Although her parents disapproved of me, we three were a happy family.

I enjoyed our life and didn’t mind these efforts or sacrifices, especially since I had been quietly managing the Byrne family’s business.

Over the years, whenever the Byrne family’s company faced a crisis, I handled it secretly.

Shelly enjoyed being a career woman while I supported her from behind the scenes, including taking care of our son’s daily needs.

I thought Shelly enjoyed this life like I did.

But today, I realized that all my sacrifices and efforts were in vain.

In the eyes of my wife and son, I was nothing but a useless failure.