Chapter 1
I came home and found my four-year-old daughter crying on the kitchen floor, eating from the dog’s food tray while my wife sat at the table laughing. Then our housekeeper showed me the video she had secretly sent while I was driving home.
I almost dropped my keys when I heard Sophie sobbing.
She was sitting beside the dog’s bowl with both hands trembling.
There were pieces of food scattered across the floor.
Vanessa sat at the dining table eating fruit.
She looked amused.
“What the hell is going on?” I shouted.
Sophie turned toward me.
“Daddy!”
I ran across the room and pulled her into my arms.
Her face was wet with tears.
“She said I couldn’t eat at the table.”
I looked at Vanessa.
She shrugged.
“She was being difficult.”
“She is four years old.”
“She needs discipline.”
Behind me, our housekeeper, Maria, was standing near the doorway with her phone clutched against her chest.
Vanessa suddenly pointed at her.
“You stay out of this.”
Maria looked at me.
“I sent you the video.”
My stomach dropped.
I opened the message on my phone.
The recording showed Sophie standing beside the table asking for dinner.
Vanessa pushed the plate away from her.
Then she pointed toward the dog’s tray.
“If you’re going to act like an animal, eat where the animal eats.”
Sophie started crying.
Vanessa laughed.
Then she picked up another strawberry and kept eating.
I lowered the phone.
Vanessa stood up quickly.
“She was never in danger.”
I handed Sophie to Maria.
Then I walked straight toward Vanessa.
She raised her hand like she was about to slap me.
I caught her wrist and punched her once, sending her stumbling against the chair.
“You made my daughter eat from a dog’s bowl.”
Vanessa stared at me in shock.
Then Sophie whispered from behind me.
May you like
“Daddy… she does worse things when Maria isn’t here.”
Vanessa’s face went completely white.
