The accident cost my daughter and me our memories. The cost to my wife, a licensed therapist, was apparently irrelevant, as she immediately prioritized an international healing journey with her depressed high school crush and his daughter. When our memories finally returned, she was surprised to find us quiet, cooperative, and incredibly independent. We no longer cried out for her attention, no longer needed her exhausting, forced comfort. At first, she was pleased, convinced she had managed to perfectly balance her professional duty and family life. That illusion shattered on New Year's Eve, when she came home early and paused outside the door, listening to my conversation with our daughter. “Daddy, is that woman really my mom? Every time I call her that, it just feels weird.” I nodded. “I feel the same way. She doesn’t seem like my type at all. How did I even end up marrying her?” My daughter’s voice grew conspiratorial. “Daddy, your type is Ms. Simon, right? Every time she sees you after school, her ears turn bright red, and she always finds an excuse to drive us home… I think you have a shot!” My face was heating up, but before I could answer, my daughter leaned in close, offering a suggestion in a volume she clearly thought was a whisper—but was loud enough for anyone outside to hear: “Daddy, maybe… we should just get a new mom?” 1. Dinner was an intense affair. I’d ordered two platters of insane hot wings, and my daughter and I were sweating, our faces smeared with red grease, happily demolishing the feast. A voice, familiar yet somehow estranged, cut through the noise behind us. “You didn’t wait for me?” We both flinched. Turning around, we saw a beautiful woman standing in the doorway, radiating a chill that had nothing to do with the winter air. Her eyes were similar to Zoe’s. It was Caroline Jennings. My wife. My daughter’s mother. She walked closer, her gaze immediately landing on our sticky faces and the carnage of chicken bones. Her perfect brows furrowed. “Six years, Noah. You know I have a stomach condition. I can’t eat spicy food.” Zoe, still sucking the last bit of flavor off a bone, spoke without thinking. “We didn’t order any for you. This is for us.” Cara froze. I offered a weak, forced laugh and scrambled to cover the awkward silence. “Well, uh… I saw a photo on your feed. You and Garrett and Ruby were at the amusement park. I figured you’d have dinner there…” “Noah Miller.” She cut me off, her tone the usual blend of cool impatience and patronizing correction. “I’ve explained this. Garrett and Ruby Price were abandoned by his wife, and he’s battling severe, treatment-resistant depression. I am a doctor. I am fulfilling my professional duty.” She took a slow, deliberate breath, her voice turning heavy with accusation. “And what about you? As a husband and father, you didn’t just make a scene at my workplace, you taught Zoe to be manipulative and jealous.” She paused for effect. “And then you caused a car crash. Hasn’t any of that made either of you stop and think about your actions?” A tide of memories crashed over me. I remembered the moment I discovered her continuous, day-and-night ‘professional care’ was actually for her high school crush, Garrett. I’d taken Zoe and shown up at his apartment, convinced I was catching them. Cara had just pulled us aside, her expression one of weary resignation. “I didn’t tell you because I was afraid you’d overreact. I am a doctor. To abandon my patients now would be unprofessional and irresponsible.” She’d looked down her nose at us. “Don’t you dare bring my daughter here and act hysterically in front of my patients.” Her cool, measured tone made Zoe and me feel like two hysterical fools. In a fit of desperate rage, I hired someone to hang a giant banner outside her hospital: GARRETT PRICE IS SEDUCING MY WIFE. Zoe, armed with a tiny megaphone, had chased Ruby Price around the preschool playground, yelling, “She’s a mistress’s daughter! Don’t play with her!” Eventually, Garrett and Ruby were threatening self-harm. Cara, to force us into submission, got me fired and ensured Zoe was ostracized at school. I completely broke down and threatened divorce. Only then did she finally concede, promising to keep her distance from the Prices. Zoe and I believed her. We had even booked a long-anticipated trip for our fifth anniversary, counting the days until her rare vacation. We went to the hospital, elated, to pick her up. Instead, all we got was a chilling phone call. “Emergency consultation. The trip is postponed.” Dumbfounded, we left the hospital. But as we turned the corner, we clearly heard her colleagues chatting, laced with knowing amusement: “Dr. Jennings is so committed to Mr. Price. She’s taken a half-year sabbatical to accompany them on their recovery journey!” “I know. I heard she’s already on her way to the airport. A specialized escort, apparently.” My ears started ringing. My heart felt like a piece had been surgically removed. Before the tears could fall, I looked down at Zoe’s pale face. Fat tears were rolling down her cheeks, and her voice trembled. “Daddy… does Mommy really not want us anymore?” That single question shattered my remaining sanity. I immediately grabbed Zoe’s hand and ran, chasing after Cara’s car. We needed an answer! We needed to know if she still wanted this family! We never caught up. We crashed instead. Waking up, the world was a blank slate. We didn’t remember her, only each other. And she, in turn, had conveniently put us on a shelf. My memory snapped back to the present. Zoe and I exchanged an awkward glance. The memory had returned, but the love hadn’t. In fact, I couldn’t understand why we’d ever been that hysterical. I quickly assured Cara that we truly wouldn’t interfere again. Cara’s expression darkened further. After a long moment, she regained her usual air of control. “Tomorrow, I’m taking them to Redwood Park for a therapy session. Make sure you pack three identical lunches.” She looked at Zoe. “Zoe, make sure you put together an extra set of your class notes for Ruby.” She turned to leave, adding a cool, final word. “Do as you say. Don’t do anything else… embarrassing.” The door closed. Zoe and I looked at each other and simultaneously shrugged. Then, I pulled out my phone and ordered a gourmet meal for three for later. Zoe messaged her teacher, politely asking for a digital backup of the class materials. As for tomorrow? We already had plans to go hiking with Ms. Simon. Who had time to worry about them? 2. Early the next morning, I heard Garrett’s gentle voice from the living room. “Cara, is it just the three of us going? Maybe… maybe we should still invite Noah and Zoe? I worry they might misunderstand. I’d be fine, but Ruby is still so fragile. She can’t handle the stress…” Ruby’s small voice piped up in agreement. “Daddy, I’m okay. Little Zoe… she didn’t mean to be mean.” Cara’s voice, soft and reassuring, followed. “Ruby, sweetie, don’t worry. If I bring them, who knows what kind of scene they’ll make. It’s not good for your treatment.” I sighed, rolled over, and drifted back to sleep. The next thing I knew, a rough force yanked me from the bed. Cara practically dragged me into the living room. “Look at the daughter you’re raising!” Her voice was a low snarl of fury. “Look at what she did to Ruby!” Garrett was holding a sobbing, trembling Ruby, who was covered in streaks of food and sauce. His eyes were red-rimmed. Zoe was sitting amidst a disastrous mess, tightly clutching three insulated lunch boxes, her small face red with effort, tears splashing onto the floor. “I didn’t push her!” Zoe cried out. “She’s a thief! She stole the lunch Daddy made for me! I just wanted it back!” Cara didn’t even look at her. She was carefully wiping Ruby down with a damp cloth, murmuring soothing words to Garrett. Only when that was done did she turn to me, her eyes holding a familiar, exhausted I knew it look. “Noah Miller, are you this resentful just because I asked you to make a few extra lunches? So you taught your daughter to pull this vile stunt?” She leaned in, her voice cold. “You promised last night. Are you going back on your word already?” I took a deep breath, patiently attempting to explain. “I didn’t teach her anything, and I believe Zoe. Your lunches were on the counter—Garrett’s family’s food. Ruby probably just picked up the wrong one by mistake…” “Stop.” Cara cut me off, her face tight with annoyance, as if watching a terrible, familiar play. “Don’t act surprised. I haven’t forgotten what you two are capable of. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, Noah. You need to take a long, hard look at how to be a responsible father.” The words choked in my throat. Before the memory loss, we had an agreement: if she kept her distance from Garrett and Ruby, we would have peace. Cara did start coming home on time and checking in. But the moment Ruby got a scrape at preschool, Cara would materialize, dragging Zoe to apologize without hearing her side. When Zoe tried to defend herself, Cara would look at me and say, stone-cold: “Noah Miller, is your word that cheap? Don’t make a scene. Don’t push my patience and love to the breaking point. If you do, there’ll be nothing left to talk about.” The worst time, she’d dropped a line that was still scorched into my memory: “A child with a malicious heart like that? I don’t want her.” My young daughter couldn’t handle that. She chased Cara out of the house barefoot, running until her feet were bloody, grabbing her skirt and confessing to every false crime. “Mommy! I’m sorry! It’s all my fault! I won’t ever do it again! I apologized to Ruby!” “Please don’t leave Daddy and me!” Since then, Zoe never dared to defend herself again. I sighed softly. What was the point of explaining? In Cara’s eyes, we were already convicted, repeat offenders. I pulled Zoe close, my voice low and calm. “Zoe, give them the lunches.” My daughter’s small body stiffened, but then she aggressively wiped her face, gave up the argument, and silently pushed the tightly protected lunch boxes across the floor. Cara didn’t look at us again. She bent down, lifted Ruby into her arms, and shielded the two of them with her body. She turned to leave. Slam! The door closed with a sharp, final sound. The house instantly became terrifyingly quiet. It was just Zoe and me, and the wreckage on the floor. I quietly picked up a rag and started cleaning. Zoe squatted beside me, helping pick up the scattered mess. After a long moment, I asked softly: “Zoe, if one day, your father and mother separated…” “Who would you want to live with?” I’d asked her that when things were at their absolute worst with Cara. Then, she’d cried hysterically. “I don’t want you to split up, I want us to be a family forever!” Now, she didn’t hesitate. She looked up at me, her eyes clear and determined. “I’m staying with Daddy.” “No matter what happens, I’m only staying with Daddy.” I looked at her and felt a smile break across my face. The last sliver of coldness in my heart instantly melted away, replaced by a profound warmth. I stroked her hair. “Okay.” If that was the case, there was nothing left to fear. 3. Just as I finished clearing the last bit of the mess, the doorbell rang. “Mr. Miller? Zoe? Are you home?” Zoe’s eyes lit up. “It’s Ms. Simon!” She ran to the door. Outside, a bright, kind young woman bent down and embraced the child who flew into her arms. Seeing Zoe’s red, puffy eyes, Juliet Simon’s voice immediately softened. “Zoe, what happened? Have you been crying?” My daughter buried her face in Juliet’s shoulder, whimpering miserably. “The lunch Daddy made… someone took it…” “It’s okay,” Juliet said, gently patting her back. “Ms. Simon made new food. Everything that you and your daddy love.” She had a genuine knack for comforting the child. With just a few words, Zoe’s tears turned to laughter. Juliet finally looked up at me, offering an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Noah. I called but couldn’t reach you. I got worried, so I just came over.” “Ms. Simon, please don’t apologize,” I quickly said. “You’re Zoe’s and my lifesaver. Please, call me Noah.” Half a year ago, it was Juliet who had pulled us from the wreckage of our crushed car, racing us to the hospital. Later, when she heard we had partial amnesia and were struggling with day-to-day things, she spontaneously began dropping off meals and taking Zoe to and from school. When our memories returned, she carefully retreated to a respectable distance. But soon after she heard the full story of our crash, she suddenly became Zoe’s new preschool teacher. Juliet’s ear tips turned slightly pink. She spoke quietly. “Noah, I’ve planned the entire hiking route. Shall we head out?” She was as good as her word; everything was perfectly organized. When Zoe got tired on the trail, Juliet immediately crouched down. “Zoe, hop on.” I felt a pang of guilt. “Don’t spoil her. You’re already carrying so much, Ms. Simon.” She just smiled, reaching out a hand to lightly brace herself on my arm. “It’s fine. I work out regularly. I’ve got the strength.” For some reason, watching her clear-cut profile, my heart started to beat erratically. Even when we reached the rest area and she took Zoe to buy water, that strange feeling hadn’t subsided. Just then, a small, familiar voice drifted from behind us. “Mommy! Let’s run!” It was followed by Garrett’s laughing voice. “Ruby, slow down. You’ll fall.” Finally, Cara’s voice, also tinged with warmth. “Ruby, Mommy’s going to catch you!” I turned my head and met the gaze of the three people not far behind me. The air solidified. Garrett’s face went white. He violently pulled Ruby into his chest, his voice trembling. “Mr. Miller… are you—are you stalking us again? Cara and I really aren’t doing anything, Ruby only calls her Mommy because she misses her mother so much… please, take whatever you have out on me, but don’t hurt the child…” Cara instantly stepped forward, completely blocking Garrett and Ruby from view, as if I were some kind of monster. Her jaw was tight, her eyebrows fiercely furrowed. “Noah Miller, I told you this is treatment. Their emotions are fragile; they cannot handle stress. How many times do I have to tell you to cure yourself of this paranoia?” I looked at the familiar, yet strangely foreign, faces before me, and the scene that had, in the past, caused me so much loss of control and misery. Now, my heart was completely calm. In fact, it felt a little ridiculous. You can’t even truly empathize with your past self. What exactly was my feeling for this woman now? If I loved her, I should be furious. Instead, I waved a casual hand. “I understand. It’s your duty as a therapist. You don’t need to explain it to me.” “I’m just here for a hike. We just happened to run into each other. Please, continue. Pretend I’m not here.” Cara clearly froze, her eyes locked on mine. “Ruby called me Mommy. You’re not angry?” I was genuinely confused. “Angry about what?” She stared at my face, searching for any sign of pretense, but found nothing. Her expression grew uglier, and the chill around her deepened. After a long silence, she seemed to come to a conclusion. Her voice was cold, and utterly convinced. “Don’t try to act, Noah Miller. I know you’re sulking. We’ll talk about this later. But for now, you need to go home. I won’t hold this against you this time.” I was about to respond when a clear, pleasant woman’s voice came from behind me. “Noah, what’s going on?” Cara’s head snapped up. She saw Juliet, and her entire body instantly locked up. “Is everything okay?” Juliet, holding a daughter whose face was sticky with sugar, quickly walked over to my side. I met her halfway. “What took so long? Did Zoe convince you to buy extra?” Catching Zoe’s pleading eyes, Juliet smiled to cover for her. “Just one tiny extra marshmallow to replenish her energy. This is yours.” She presented a much larger marshmallow, like a magic trick. I instinctively smiled. Just as I was about to take it— “Noah Miller,” Cara interrupted, her voice sharp and cold. “Who is she?” Ruby, peeking out from behind Cara, mumbled, “Why is Ms. Simon here?” I paused, realizing that since Garrett and Ruby had entered our lives, Cara had never once visited Zoe’s school or bothered to ask who had helped us after the accident. This was the first time she had seen Juliet Simon. “This is Ms. Simon,” I introduced her. “She was the one who pulled Zoe and me from the car after the accident six months ago.” As I moved to introduce Cara, Juliet had already extended her hand, smiling naturally. “You must be Ruby’s mother, then? It’s a pleasure to meet you.” 4. The instant the words left Juliet’s mouth, Cara’s face went dark, a deep, ugly red spreading beneath her skin. She looked at Zoe and me, seeing our complete lack of reaction, and her voice dropped even colder. “I am Zoe’s mother. And Ms. Simon, why exactly are you with my husband and daughter?” “Ms. Simon is here hiking with us!” Zoe wrapped her arms around Juliet’s neck, her voice overflowing with affection. “She’s super strong! She carried me for ages and isn’t even tired!” Cara seemed to be fighting to suppress her rage. She withdrew the arm that had been guarding Garrett and Ruby, took a step forward, and held out her hand to Zoe. “Come here, Mommy will carry you. Don’t bother strangers.” Zoe’s smile instantly froze. She twisted her face away, burying it tightly in Juliet’s shoulder. “She’s no trouble at all,” Juliet said, her grip on the child firm, her smile still gentle. I spoke softly. “Don’t you need to continue your session with Garrett and Ruby? Don’t let us delay you. Zoe understands.” But Cara was rooted to the spot. No matter how much Ruby tugged on her sleeve, she didn’t move. She just stared at me, her eyes filled with a furious disbelief. “Noah Miller,” her voice was raw. “You’re just… completely indifferent?” “Work is important,” I replied blandly. Cara laughed, the sound brittle and sharp. “Fine. Don’t you dare regret this.” Seeing this, Garrett’s eyes immediately welled up. He pulled his daughter closer, his voice laced with a familiar tremor. “Cara, please don’t do this… Noah and Zoe must still be angry at us. Go spend time with them. Ruby and I… we can just go home by ourselves…” “There’s no need.” Cara scoffed dismissively, but when she turned to Garrett, her tone softened immediately. “Didn’t you say you learned a new recipe? I want to try it. And I can stay and paint with Ruby.” With that, she naturally took Ruby’s hand. Before turning away completely, she looked at me one last time. “I’ll be home late tonight. Don’t call and interrupt us.” I was very obedient. I didn’t call once. It wasn’t until late that night that my phone screen lit up with her message: “Noah Miller. Good. You are very good.” Then, Cara didn't come home for two weeks. Her social media, however, was flooded with vacation photos of her, Garrett, and Ruby. The location tags showed they were in the Maldives—the very place we were supposed to go for our anniversary trip, the trip she had postponed indefinitely. The scenery was undeniably beautiful. I absentmindedly tapped the 'Like' button. In the middle of the night, Cara’s call came through, laced with a repressed, yet undeniable, smugness. “Noah, don’t pout. I saw your like. Isn’t it Zoe’s birthday in two days? I’ll buy her gifts and rush back.” I was half-asleep. “Don’t bother. Zoe’s birthday was two days ago. Ms. Simon celebrated with her and gave her a lot of gifts.” A heavy silence fell on the line. “I… I mixed up the dates,” her voice was strained. “I’ll be back tomorrow. I’ll throw her a make-up party.” I was about to refuse, but she hung up before I could. I decided not to push it. She was still the child’s mother. The next day, I took Zoe to the hotel Cara had sent the address for. The event was grander than any birthday party Zoe had ever had. Cara rushed forward, bending to hug Zoe. “Zoe, happy belated birthday. Mommy sent all your gifts home. Do you like them?” Zoe instinctively sidestepped her embrace, nodding. “Thank you. I like them very much.” Cara’s outstretched arms froze mid-air, a flash of genuine loss crossing her face. She led us into the ballroom. On the giant screen, photos of Ruby Price were scrolling. Cara quickly explained. “It’s Ruby’s birthday, too. I thought we could celebrate both children together. You know, her mother abandoned them right after she was born…” “It’s fine,” I cut her off. “I understand.” Ruby’s party was scheduled first. She wore an expensive, limited-edition princess dress and danced on the stage, taking the microphone to thank Cara for filling the void left by her mother. I looked down at Zoe, who was just intently eating her cake, completely unaffected. I smiled lightly, wiping a smudge of frosting from her mouth. Before it was Zoe’s turn, Garrett pulled me aside to the hotel’s pool deck. His usual frail demeanor was gone, replaced by a smug smirk. “Noah Miller, did you see that? Even after six years of marriage and a daughter, the moment I show up, you and your daughter will always be second to us in Cara’s heart.” “Whether it’s the trip you always wanted or your daughter’s birthday… Guilt isn’t love, Noah. It’s just pity.” “Are you suggesting I divorce her?” I asked calmly. “Don’t worry. I’ll find a way to bring it up.” He was stunned for a moment. “You’d give up? You sacrificed your chance to study abroad just for her.” I vaguely recalled college. Cara was the queen bee—beautiful and accomplished. But she wasn’t truly my type. Then, I was jumped and beaten, and she braved the situation to call the police for me. After that, I was obsessed. I chased her relentlessly, right through graduation. I’d fought bitterly with my parents and abandoned my career prospects, desperate to marry her. Yet, recalling it now, my heart was utterly still. I even felt a little foolish, like the twenty-year-old me had read too many romance novels. I shook my head, my voice sincere. “It’s nothing. If you want her, you can have her.” “Noah Miller, what did you say?!” Cara stood behind us, her face pale with fury, her eyes bloodshot. Garrett glanced over my shoulder, then let out a low, cold sneer. “Keep up the act. I’ll make sure you give up eventually.” Before I could react, he suddenly fell backward! I instinctively reached out to grab him, but the momentum dragged me along, and we both plunged into the cold pool! “Noah!” “Daddy!” The cold water flooded my nose and mouth, and I struggled violently. Through my blurry vision, I saw Cara hesitate for a split second, then swim toward… Garrett. The water fully closed over my head, muffling all sound. In the chaos, a small, weak hand suddenly grabbed me.
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