Chapter 4 Cold And Unfeeling

• After facing that setback, my daughter threw herself into relentless practice, and by the end of the month, she succeeded in being chosen as the first soloist.
• She began to lose herself in her success, often skipping practice to go on dates with her boyfriend.
• The team leader mentioned it to me numerous times, but I completely disregarded it.
• I was in the process of divorcing my husband, Andrew Callaghan.
• I had gathered ample evidence of Andrew's infidelity. Over the past few years, he had not only treated me as if I were deaf but also as if I were a fool.
• In the evening, my daughter came home for dinner, and she brought along her rebellious boyfriend, Jason Lloyd.
• “Zora, who exactly have you brought back with you!”
• I didn't expect that Andrew, who always doted on his daughter, would be the first to turn against her.
• “Mom, Dad, this is my boyfriend, Jason. I want to marry him!”
• My daughter's eyes were filled with admiration for Jason.
• The young man lounged casually on our couch, legs crossed with ease. In a relaxed tone, he said, “Mr. and Mrs. Callaghan, Zora and I are a match made in heaven. It's only a matter of time before we get married, so there's no use in opposing it.”
• Andrew remained silent with a stern expression on his face.
• With a chuckle, I commented, “What a perfect match!”
• Seeing that I had spoken, Jason, with an air of self-satisfaction, remarked, “Since Zora and I are so deeply in love, there's no need for a betrothal gift, right?”
• My daughter glanced around before quickly responding, “Of course not! After all, we're supposed to be a couple who face hardships together.”
• Zora's words caused Andrew's face to darken entirely.
• I covered my mouth, quietly chuckling to myself as I relished the hilarity of the situation.
• Observing her father's ill-tempered expression, Zora quickly left the house.
• Only Andrew and I were left at home. I took out the divorce agreement that I had prepared a while ago.
• “Andrew, sign it.”
• He looked at me in disbelief, as though he never expected me to bring up divorce.
• “You're actually asking for a divorce?”
• Countless times, I had noticed the scent of perfume on him or discovered lipstick marks on his clothes. I had to continually endure the audacity of the other woman flaunting herself in front of me.
• Yet, he was certain that I would endure anything for the sake of our daughter.
• “Fine, go ahead. But don't come begging me if you regret it later.”
• I had always envisioned our home as a sanctuary of love, the most complete and nurturing environment for my daughter. Yet at that moment, I found myself questioning the purpose of it all.
• “You should also leave our daughter alone. She clearly has no interest in listening to you or becoming a ridiculous dancer.”
• Andrew swiftly signed the document without bothering to scrutinize the contract.
• “By the way, I paid for this house, so it's mine. The car downstairs is yours, so you can take it. You should also move your things out as soon as possible, including your daughter's belongings. Your daughter loves you so much, so she'll be under your care from now on,” I said in a nonchalant tone.
• Andrew stared at me in complete shock. Since our daughter was young, I had been hands-on in her upbringing, refusing to let anyone else interfere. Ironically, it was this very approach that caused her to grow closer to her father and resent me.
• Letting go was certainly a decision, especially when those I had invested in were so cold and unfeeling.