My Husband Chooses to Save His Lover's Daughter Instead

Chapter 10

I had to stay at the hospital with my daughter, unable to leave her side, so I kept an eye on the security cameras, watching Miguel's every move. First, he found the medicine cabinet and disinfected his wounds. Then, he slumped on the couch, chain-smoking cigarette after cigarette. When he ran out of smokes, his emotions spiraled out of control, and he started destroying everything in the house. The once warm, welcoming space was now a chaotic mess.

I immediately called the police. During that time, Miguel bombarded me with phone calls and sent countless apology texts, every single one was blocked. I had already blacklisted his number. When the police finally arrived, they took him to the station, and only then could I finally relax, focusing on waiting for my daughter's surgery to be over.

Meanwhile, the hospital where he worked was suddenly in the spotlight for its unethical practices. Unable to pay the damages I demanded, they had no choice but to shut down. Attempts to sell their equipment at rock-bottom prices failed to attract any buyers. But I wasn't done yet. I had my lawyer file a lawsuit against the hospital. Let them explain their mess in court.

Just as the news coverage of the hospital was dying down, a new headline about a murder case took over the trending list. Brandon, who had just been released from prison the day before, was now implicated in the deaths of two people, Tricia and their daughter.

But no, that wasn't his daughter. It turned out that after discovering the child wasn't his biological daughter, he snapped and killed both of them. I couldn't help but feel a flicker of sorrow as I watched the report. It was almost poetic, despite facing the same betrayal, I was far luckier than he was.

Five long hours later, the lights in the operating room finally switched off. The doctor stepped out, removing his mask and sighing in relief. "The surgery was a success. As long as the recovery goes smoothly, there should be no further complications."

Tears welled up in my eyes as the tension drained from my body. The heavens hadn't been too cruel after all.

When my daughter woke up, she immediately asked about Miguel. I didn't want to lie to her, so I took the time to explain that Miguel would never be part of our lives again. I half-expected her to struggle with the truth, but to my surprise, when she heard that Daddy had hurt Mommy, she nodded without hesitation. "Daddy is bad. I don't want Daddy anymore!"

I held her tiny, cold hand, and even though her little body was chilled, a warmth spread through me. After she fell asleep, I drove straight to the police station.

I brought all the materials about Tricia that my friend had gathered, as well as the footage of Miguel's affair recorded by the hidden cameras. With all the evidence in front of him, Miguel stopped fighting. But when he saw the details about Tricia, he went silent. He probably couldn't accept that the woman he had loved, who he was even willing to divorce me for, had been lying to him all along.

I told him that Tricia and Chloe were dead. A brief flash of shock and sorrow passed through his eyes, but beyond that, he seemed distant, cold. After a long pause, he spoke, his voice flat, "Sherry, will destroying me make you happy?"

This time, I was the one who went quiet. Happy? I didn't feel anything close to happiness. But I knew that if I didn't make him pay, I'd be the one left broken.

He finally signed the divorce agreement, agreeing to compensate me for all the losses I had suffered during our marriage. But with no job and no prospects, he would need to change careers to survive, which would take years.

I looked into his eyes. There were more lines there now, deeper signs of time's passage than when I had first met him six years ago.

Before I left, I spoke softly, "You don't have to pay me back the money. Like you said, I don't need it. But there's one condition: You can never come near our daughter again. I'll tell her you died."

For a few million, I'd ensure my daughter grew up safely. It was worth it.

As I walked out of the police station, I looked up at the now-clear sky. This unequal marriage was finally over. From now on, I would focus only on my daughter, making sure she grew up healthy and safe.