Chapter 3After Mom Died, the Tycoon Father Lost His Mind

My daddy rarely came home. Every time he did, he would argue with Mom.

The last time he came home, I had gotten a gold star at kindergarten, and Mom rewarded me by buying me a hamburger. The moment Daddy opened the door, he swept all the hamburgers off the table.

"I'm not home, and you feed her this junk food every day? Is this how you take care of our daughter?"

I was terrified, hugging Mom and crying. Mom gently wiped away my tears, telling me not to be scared. She said, "You misunderstood, this is just..."

"I don't need to hear your explanations." Daddy was very impatient, cutting Mom off. He threw a thick document at Mom and said, "Here's the divorce agreement. Take a look, just sign it."

"This house is yours, the car is yours, the child..."

"I want our child!"

Mom hugged me tightly. She gripped my shoulders, and it hurt a little. But I didn't struggle, because I could feel Mom's fingers trembling. She must have been very scared. I hugged Mom back, very tightly, wanting to give her strength.

"Your house, your car, your money—I can give it all up. I only want Skylar. She is my daughter."

Daddy stared at her for a moment, then suddenly laughed. It was a cold, uncomfortable laugh. "Eleanor Montgomery, what new trick have you learned now? Playing the doting mother, using the child to threaten me?"

A rare flicker of anger crossed Mom's usually gentle face. She turned her head away, not looking at Daddy. "I'm not threatening you. I just want my daughter."

"What would our daughter do with you? Eat this junk food every day?"

I didn't understand what they were talking about. But I knew what divorce meant. Sam, a boy from kindergarten, told us his mom and dad divorced, and he lived with his daddy. Some naughty children teased him, "Your mommy doesn't want you anymore! You don't have a mommy!"

Sam cried terribly. I offered him a piece of taffy that Mom had tucked into my pocket. I comforted him, "Don't cry. Your mommy won't abandon you."

But he cried even harder, yelling, "They divorced! They don't want me anymore! I don't have a mommy or daddy anymore!"

I was scared by him. And I started crying too. Now, I remembered that. I burst into tears.

"I don't want you to divorce! I want my mommy and daddy! I want my mommy and daddy!"

Mom was heartbroken. She cried with me, holding me tight. Daddy froze, then grew even angrier, his brows furrowed in impatience. "Eleanor Montgomery, what nonsense are you teaching her every day? So many schemes at such a young age. Do you think using the child to control me will stop me from divorcing you?"

Mom looked up, her face filled with an anger I'd never seen before. "Richard Reed, I forbid you to speak about my daughter like that! Apologize to my daughter!"

"What 'your' daughter? Eleanor Montgomery, I will absolutely not let our daughter stay with you. Don't dream about it."

Once again, Daddy slammed the door and left.