Chapter 7

Lily seemed to hear my voice and suddenly opened her tear-filled eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks.

She sobbed, "Daddy... I want Mommy, I want Mommy to hug me..."

My breathing abruptly grew heavier.

I forced back the inner pain and said,

"Okay, Daddy will call Mommy and ask her to come back, okay?"

Lily weakly replied, "Okay..."

I immediately pulled out my phone and found Seraphina's number.

I looked at the familiar yet strange number, thinking to myself:

Seraphina, this is Lily's last chance for you. I hope you don't disappoint her again!

I took a deep breath, composed myself, and then pressed the dial button.

From the other end came a cold, robotic female voice:

"Hello, the number you have dialed is not answering. Please try again later..."

I frowned, but didn't give up, continuing to dial.

On the third attempt, the call finally connected.

However, the other end was filled with noisy commotion, like being in a lively party.

Ignoring where Seraphina might be, I quickly said,

"Seraphina, Lily has a fever; she..."

Before I could finish, Seraphina's impatient, angry voice cut me off:

"Liam, are you a stubborn disease? Why do you always bother me? I'm warning you, I have important things to handle out here. If you dare bother me again, just get lost!"

With that, the call was abruptly hung up.

My face was livid with rage. I didn't want to disappoint Lily again, so I had no choice but to keep calling Seraphina's number.

The phone tone sounded again: "Hello, the number you have dialed is switched off!"

I was about to continue calling when my phone received a multimedia message from an unknown number.

I paused, then clicked it open. It was a video, accompanied by a text message:

"Liam, look how much Seraphina loves Leo, how much she loves children!"

My hands trembling, I tapped to play the video.

In the video, many people were gathered, celebrating a birthday.

Leo sat in the middle, with Seraphina and Julian standing on either side of him, the three of them looking like a family.

They were singing "Happy Birthday." After the song, Seraphina leaned down, patiently coaxing Leo:

"Leo, make a wish!"

Leo clasped his hands together, his eyes tightly closed, earnestly making a wish to the cake, even speaking it aloud:

"My wish is for Mommy Seraphina to become my real mom!"

Seraphina stroked Leo's head, saying gently,

"Leo's wish is so small; of course, Mommy Seraphina will make it come true! So – from now on, I'll be Leo's mom!"

"Really?" Leo turned back in surprise, looking at Seraphina.

Seraphina smiled and nodded.

Instantly, the surrounding crowd cheered, pulling party poppers in celebration.

"Congratulations to Julian and Seraphina! After seven years, you've rekindled your love and reunited!"

Leo cheered excitedly, "I have a mommy! I have a mommy again!"

He turned to Julian. "Daddy, let's cut the cake with Mommy!"

Julian's face held a doting smile, and he nodded. "Alright!"

Leo held the cake knife first, Seraphina gently held Leo's hand, and Julian then held Seraphina's hand. The three of them slowly cut the cake together.

The video ended there.

I gripped my phone tightly, my knuckles turning white from the force.

I gritted my teeth in anger, the fury in my heart threatening to consume me.

Seraphina, your own child is burning up with fever at home, and you're rushing off to be someone else's stepmother!

Just then, I turned my head and saw Lily had opened her eyes, silently watching me.

I instantly panicked. I quickly put away my phone, my voice soft and gentle, "Lily..."

Lily placed her hand on mine, weakly saying,

"Daddy, I heard everything!"

My heart ached.

I looked at my daughter, my eyes filled with guilt.

"Daddy, Seraphina has no more chances. We... let's leave!"

Her voice, though weak, was incredibly firm.

I sadly reached up and stroked Lily's face, saying, "Alright!"

In the dimly lit room, I sat by the bed, softly coaxing Lily to sleep.

On the nightstand, the pieced-together family photo was turned face down.

...

The next morning, sunlight filtered through the hotel curtains, spilling into the room.

The sharp ring of my phone alarm shattered the room's quiet.

Seraphina lay in bed, woken by the alarm. She reached for her phone to check the time.

On the phone screen, there was a SnapChat message from me:

*How ironic that innocent young Lily, desperate for a shred of motherly love, even showered in cold water to get sick. Yet, you cruelly crushed her last bit of hope. Seraphina, Lily and I couldn't melt your heart, so we grant you your freedom.*

Seraphina sat up, annoyance etched on her face. She mumbled, "What's Liam's problem so early in the morning?!"

She was about to call and scold me, but then she saw her call log and froze.

Memories of yesterday's events flickered in her mind.

Inside a hotel private room, the lights were dazzling, and a group of people were celebrating Leo's birthday.

Everyone was singing "Happy Birthday," their voices cheerful.

Just then, my phone call came in, its ringtone conspicuously loud in the private room.

She ignored it, but the phone kept ringing relentlessly, drawing everyone's gaze.

She answered, annoyed.

My voice came through the phone: "Seraphina, Lily has a fever; she..."

She immediately snapped, cutting me off impatiently,

"If she has a fever, give her medicine! Liam, you're a grown man; do you really need to tell me about a small thing like a fever?"

She angrily hung up the phone then, tossing it aside.

She then put on a smile again, telling Leo, "Come on, let's continue celebrating your birthday!"

She pulled herself out of the memory.

Seraphina muttered to herself, "Did I mishear last night? Was it Lily who was sick, not Liam?"

Another scene flashed through Seraphina's mind.

She and Lily stood in front of a cake shop.

The shop lights streamed through the glass door, illuminating them.

She was on the phone, dealing with work, her expression focused.

Lily, meanwhile, stood at the glass window, eyes wide, gazing longingly at a Barbie doll cake, her small face filled with desire.

After hanging up, Seraphina saw Lily staring at the cake and paused for a moment.

Then she walked over and led Lily away. Lily kept looking back at the cake, her eyes filled with reluctance.

Seraphina murmured softly, "Six years... I guess I've never actually bought Lily a cake..."

She thought for a moment, then pulled out her phone and called her assistant:

"Go buy me a Barbie doll cake and have it delivered to my doorstep to wait for me..."

Seraphina hung up, got out of bed, grabbed her coat, and hurried out of the room.