1 For seven years, my wife Betty and I lived "poor." At night, I'd sneak out with our son Leo to collect cans. He always gathered more, then asked hopefully: "Daddy, do we have enough for Mommy to visit the amusement park?" Betty always refused, claiming poverty. But tonight, counting our savings, I finally dragged Leo to the park—only to see Betty on the carousel, laughing with her childhood sweetheart David and his son. "Sorry, sir," the attendant said. "That lady rented out the entire park." The cost? Seven figures. My throat burned. "Daddy," Leo whispered, "is Mommy rich?" Then it hit me: Betty was once a millionaire. After David left, she'd "gone bankrupt" and married me—her loyal shadow. For seven years, her poverty had been an act. Looking at Leo's faded, shrunken clothes, a wave of sickening realization washed over me, every vein in my body tingling with cold. My heart ached so intensely that my mouth hung open, but no words would come. Leo must have sensed my profound sadness. He forced a brave, dismissive smile. "Maybe Mommy's busy, Daddy. Let's just go home for now. Don't... don't be sad." His voice grew softer and softer, almost disappearing by the end. My heart skipped a beat. I cradled his small face in my hands. It was already streaked with tears. I pulled him tightly into my arms, turning away almost desperately. But Leo kept looking back, a full three times, until the image of that "family of three" at the amusement park vanished from sight. Back home, I thought for a long time. Eventually, I consulted a divorce attorney. The old wooden door groaned loudly as Betty returned. I listened quietly from the bedroom. Leo, like a small, eager puppy, ran to greet his mother. Betty still didn't hug him. Leo didn't react much; when disappointment becomes routine, you grow accustomed to it. He eagerly held up a picture, asking Betty, "Mommy, can I have this toy?" Betty's voice was dismissive. "We'll see." Usually, if she said that, Leo would immediately back down. But today, he was unusually stubborn, as if trying to prove something. His childish voice carried a desperate defiance. "Why wait?" Why wait? You clearly have money to take other children to play. Why can't you take me? Am I not your child? But the heartbreaking truth was, even though his voice trembled with sadness, Leo never voiced those unspoken questions. Betty finally agreed. When I finally came to, Leo and I were locked in a hug. Leo chirped excitedly in my ear. "Mommy is so good to me! She promised! She promised!" I shared his joy, too thrilled to sleep that night. But he waited one day, two days, a week. The toy never appeared. Finally, on yet another night when Betty returned empty-handed, he broke down completely. He ran back to his bedroom, crying silently. Betty seemed oblivious. She handed me a packet of herbs. "Brew these according to the recipe. I'll take it with me tomorrow." I immediately recognized it: it was a tonic for men. The tightly stretched string in my mind suddenly snapped. By the time I regained my senses, the herbs in my hand had already struck her. 2 Betty froze for a long moment, looking at me with incredulity, as if I were insane. "Arthur Sterling, are you alright?" Though she was the one struck, I felt on the verge of tears. "Where's Leo's gift?" A flicker of annoyance crossed Betty's face. She turned, took off her jacket, and walked towards the bedroom. "What's the rush? I'll buy it." Leo and I had heard those words countless times over the past few years. Wait a little longer. What's the rush? Don't pressure me. But I had had enough. I pushed open Leo's bedroom door, pulled back his blanket, and looked into his tear-filled eyes. "Leo, if Daddy and Mommy get a divorce, who do you want to live with?" Leo froze. The word "divorce" was utterly foreign to him. But he quickly understood, his voice unconsciously tinged with fear. "Daddy, don't leave me." My foolish child. How could Daddy ever leave you? I pulled his small body into my arms, my voice raw. "If you stay with Mommy, perhaps things will be very good for you in the future." Leo's gaze fell on the picture of the toy. His voice was soft. "Can we wait a little longer, Daddy? Let's wait... one more week." I understood. He still hoped his mother would keep her promise, just once. So, I agreed. The next day, after dropping Leo off at school, I went to work as usual. It was a diner, and the food was good, but because I was only part-time, my wages were low. I used to be a top student. My first job after university paid handsomely. But after Betty gave birth, she had no desire to care for the baby. So, I willingly took a four-year hiatus, dedicating myself to raising Leo. When I re-entered the workforce, I found that the world had changed much faster than I could have imagined. And since I was an orphan, with no family to support me, my life had ended up this way. "Arthur Sterling, Table Six has guests. Go tend to them." My thoughts snapped back from my memories. I acknowledged the order and walked over. But the next second, I met Betty's gaze across the table. Betty's face fell for a moment, because beside her sat David Hayes, her childhood sweetheart. He was handsome, refined, exuding the comfortable air of a mature family man. In contrast, I, the same age as him, looked gloomy, exhausted, with perpetual dark circles under my eyes. Yet, I felt no sadness. On the contrary, I was strangely agitated. Because beside her sat the toy that Leo had been yearning for. David looked at the menu, ordering several dishes. I noted each one. As I was about to turn, Betty suddenly called out to me. She looked at David, her voice tinged with helplessness. "You have a cold, don't you? You can't eat spicy food." David smiled wryly. He looked at me. "Doesn't she meddle a lot? She's been like this since we were kids." His words were a complaint, but the tenderness in them was undeniable. My hand tightened around the menu, my face stinging as if slapped. David noticed the change in my expression and asked with concern, like a caring family member. But I turned away in a panic, because I saw the pity in his eyes. He knew who I was! My feet felt unsteady. Distracted, I walked straight into a colleague carrying a tray of food. The next second, the entire plate of food spilled all over me. Before I could react, the boss exploded. "Arthur Sterling, if it weren't for the child you have to feed, I'd have fired your useless ass long ago!" Betty instantly stood up, frowning, and began walking towards me. But the next second, David suddenly clutched his stomach and cried out. Betty immediately stopped, anxiously helped David up, and began walking out. David clung intimately to her arm, looking over her shoulder to meet my gaze, his expression calm. In this silent battle, I had lost completely. My colleagues knew the boss held a grudge against me for resisting her advances, and she was seizing this opportunity to make an example of me. So, they all looked at me with sympathy. But I no longer cared about anything. After a dizzying afternoon of work, I returned home, covered in stains. 3 Leo's eyes immediately welled up with tears when he saw me. But I didn't care about comforting him. Instead, I excitedly scooped him into my arms. I whispered into his ear, "Mommy bought you a present! I saw it!" But there was no joy on Leo's face. Instead, he kept asking about my injuries. "Daddy, did someone bully you? Does it hurt?" I forced a foolish smile, suppressing the bitterness in my heart. I pretended to be embarrassed. "Daddy was just clumsy himself, I bumped into someone." Leo's sad little face finally softened. He opened his mouth, as if to say something more, when the doorknob suddenly rattled. Betty was back. I immediately grew excited. Leo was clearly anticipating her too, his small, tightly clasped hands slightly sweaty. But the next second, Leo and I froze simultaneously. Betty returned empty-handed. My heart plummeted from heaven to hell. I quickly glanced at Leo. The disappointment on his face was fleeting, but he didn't break down like last time. Yet, I couldn't stop my eyes from welling up, because it meant he had already lost all expectation of his mother. I suppressed my anger. As I opened my mouth to speak, Betty abruptly pulled me into the bedroom. "Are you alright today? Your shoulder looked like it got hit." She rummaged through the medicine cabinet, then reached out to unbutton my shirt. I roughly slapped her hand away. "Where's the toy?" I demanded. Betty froze. "What toy?" Anger surged within me, my voice rising uncontrollably. "The remote-control car you bought for Leo! I saw you buy it today!" Betty's eyes darted away. She bit her lip, her voice dropping. "I accidentally lost it. I'll buy him another one tomorrow." Tomorrow, again. I desperately suppressed the swirling rage and pushed past her, heading into the bathroom. Conscious of saving on the water bill, I showered quickly in a few minutes, then dried myself. My phone suddenly vibrated. A new number had sent me a contact request. I stared at it for two seconds. Something clicked in my mind, and I accepted. It was David Hayes. After adding me, he remained silent. I felt a premonition and clicked into his social media. He had shared glimpses of his day. "Thank you to the most beautiful sister in the world. Leo and I love the gifts." Beneath the caption were several photos: the remote-control car Leo had longed for, and a watch of a brand I didn't recognize. My mind went blank for a few seconds. I stared blankly up at the simple rack in the bathroom. On it sat a razor bought from the discount bin, a bar of soap worn to fragments, and Leo's chipped, rough toys. Grief washed over me like a tidal wave. I could no longer support my heavy body and slid down the wall, crying. I don't know how long passed. Betty, as if sensing my despair, walked to the door and knocked. "Arthur, why aren't you coming out?" When I didn't answer, she simply pushed the door open. I walked out, my face calm, passing through her. Betty immediately noticed my swollen eyes. She froze, then sighed in annoyance. "I'll buy it tomorrow! It's just a toy!" No, it wasn't just a toy anymore, but I said nothing. At the dinner table, the atmosphere was eerily quiet. Betty glanced at me, then at Leo, who remained silent. She paused, then picked up a piece of food and placed it on Leo's plate. Leo's eyes instantly brightened, his face showing a bewildered joy. But my heart ached with such bitterness I wanted to weep. A child unloved, even the smallest gesture of kindness felt like a grand blessing. This simple act gave Leo courage. He cautiously glanced at Betty, then slowly began to speak. "Mommy, tomorrow is Mother's Day. The teacher is holding a competition. Kids bring handmade crafts to enter, and daddies vote. Can you come?" Betty paused. Leo's overly cautious expression made her recall the confident, cheerful look on David's son's face.
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