Gone From the World for Good

On my eighth birthday, I begged my mom to video call my dad, who was supposedly working late.

The moment the call connected, a version of him from ten years in the future appeared on the screen.

My mom held me close and smiled, asking him, "Ten years from now… our Lily has grown up. Was her coming-of-age ceremony a big celebration?"

Dad replied coldly, "She kept trying to one-up Sarah's kid, so I sent her abroad. Too bad her luck ran out—her plane went down."

My mom's face went pale.

On the other end, my dad let out an icy laugh. "Claire, back then, you lied to me. You said if your 'plan' didn't work out, you'd die. I believed you. I gave up Sarah and her child to marry you."

My mom's body started trembling. I reached out toward the screen. "Daddy, when are you coming home to celebrate my birthday with me?"

Dad sighed and looked at her calmly. "The truth is, I wasn't working late that night. I was celebrating Sarah's daughter's birthday. Now you know everything. What you do next is up to you."

Suddenly, a cold robotic voice echoed in my ear: [Host, do you choose to abandon the original world and stay here forever?]

I wiped the tears off my mom's face and, barely understanding what was happening, said, "Mommy, does that mean Daddy doesn't want us anymore? Then let's not want him either. Okay?"

The look on my dad's face on the other end of the screen instantly turned cold.

He stared hard at my mom, the corner of his mouth curling into a sneer. "Claire, is this how you normally teach Lily? No wonder she grows up to be such a moody, gloomy kid. Completely unlikable."

My mom pulled me into her arms, her voice shaking. "David, Lily waited for you all day long. And now, you're telling us you were with your mistress and illegitimate kid?"

David let out a scoff. "Mistress? Illegitimate kid? Claire, have you ever actually taken a good look at our marriage certificate? Yours is fake. You were already pregnant with Lily when I married Sarah."

My mom's whole body jolted. Her face went white as a sheet.

David watched her fall apart, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "If we're being honest, Claire, you're the one who came between us. You're the other woman. And as for Lily... she's the illegitimate one."

My mom's body shook uncontrollably, but her eyes still held a flicker of desperate hope. "I don't believe you. David, you wouldn't do this to me, would you? When I was giving birth to Lily, I almost bled out. You gave me practically every drop of blood in your body. I don't believe you."

David sighed, shaking his head wearily. "I know this is hard for you to accept, but it's the truth. If you don't believe me, go check my computer in the study."

My mom let go of me and stumbled out of the room. Her eyes were dead. She calmly opened the pinned folder.

The first video was a wedding.

My godmother was in a wedding dress, leaning against my dad, smiling sweetly.

All around them were familiar faces—aunts and uncles I knew. My dad was smiling warmly, but when he spoke, it was a warning. "All of you, keep this to yourselves. Claire is pregnant. She can't handle any shocks."

Rose petals fell from the sky, beautiful and grand. It was a lavish wedding, witnessed and celebrated by everyone.

My mom opened the next file. There were two marriage certificates. The date on them was clear—a full year before my parents' wedding.

She scrolled down and saw a will.

It stated: [All private property under David Anderson is to be given in full to Sarah Perkins and her children upon his death. Claire Winters and Lily Anderson are to have no inheritance rights. They may not interfere with asset distribution and have no right to object.]

My dad's voice came through, lazy and indifferent. "Well? See it all clearly now? Do you finally believe me?"

My mom's eyes were hollow. David watched her in silence.

"I slept with Sarah when I was drunk. She's not like you. She needs me. You don't need anything. But even though you lied to me, I chose to believe you anyway. I know you can't live without me. But I'm tired."

His light, airy tone finally snapped whatever was left of my mom's composure.

A dry, raspy laugh escaped her throat. "Disgusting. David, you and that woman... you're both just disgusting."

She raised her hand and swept everything off the desk onto the floor.

I had never seen my mom look so broken.

But my dad showed no sympathy. His voice was cold as he snapped, "Claire, don't act like a crazy bitch."

He hung up the video call.

My mom collapsed, completely drained. She fell to her knees and screamed, "System, I want to leave this world. I'm taking Lily with me."

I stared, frozen, as a countdown appeared above my mom's head. Three days.

And suddenly, I understood. This time, my mom really was done with my dad.

My mom's phone rang sharply. She swiped it open, her movements robotic.

The voice of my dad—the younger version of him—came through, gentle and apologetic. "Claire, I'm so sorry. I've been stuck at work..."

My mom cut him off, her voice like ice. "Where are you? You, Sarah, and your kid—where are you right now?"

There was a long pause. Then my dad let out a low laugh and dropped all pretense. "So you already know. I'm at the family estate. The birthday party for Sarah's daughter has just started."