Christmas Day. My daughter lay in the hospital, burned by fireworks, desperately needing money for surgery, while my CEO wife was busy celebrating with her childhood friend and his daughter.

She tossed a hundred-dollar bill at me dismissively. "It's just a little burn, not a big deal. Slap some ointment on it. I'm busy!"

Later, because we missed the optimal treatment window, my daughter died.

My wife, however, lost her mind. She sold her company, ready to spend her entire fortune to buy the lives of her childhood friend and his family.

1

I manage a trendy restaurant, and on Christmas Day, business was absolutely insane.

Just as I was completely swamped, my mom called me frantically. "Son, get to the hospital, now! Lily got burned by fireworks down by the riverbank! She needs help! Mom doesn't know how to wire money online, you have to come save Lily!"

My mind went blank. I bolted out of the restaurant, flagged down a cab, and raced towards the hospital.

I anxiously watched the map on my phone while frantically calling my wife, Vivian Sterling.

Over a dozen calls, every single one went straight to voicemail or said unavailable.

It wasn't until I reached the door of the emergency room that Vivian finally picked up, immediately launching into a tirade. "I'm busy! What's with the dozen calls? Are you trying to kill me? Trying to jinx someone?"

"Vivian…" I was shaking uncontrollably, struggling to speak. "Wire me some money… Li-Lily got burned… she needs emergency surgery…"

"Every time you call, it's about money! Leo, are you obsessed? I'm a person, not your personal ATM! Aren't you ashamed of freeloading all the time, you loser!"

My daughter, lying on the hospital bed, had already lost consciousness. Her feet were bare, her small body covered in black and red burns. The fireworks had burned through her pajamas, the fibers melted into every wound. Each time the doctor cleaned away a piece of charred cloth, the raw flesh beneath would ooze blood and yellow fluid.

I collapsed to my knees, curling into a ball, pleading desperately. "I'm a loser, I'm worthless… Say whatever you want about me, Vivian, I'm begging you. All my money is with you. Please, just wire the money. Lily really can't hold on much longer…"

Vivian always said men turn bad if they have money. Even though she, as a corporate CEO, was loaded, she demanded I hand over my entire paycheck every month, leaving me just two hundred bucks for gas and cigarettes.

But my words only seemed to infuriate her more. She shrieked, "I knew you had a problem with giving me your paycheck! Fine! So you're using our daughter to try and scam money out of me, is that it? How bad can a burn be? Just put some cream on it. I'm in a good mood today, I'll send you a hundred bucks. Be grateful for that!"

Vivian regularly donated thousands to animal shelters. I was about to beg her for more, but she quickly hung up.

Then, my number was blocked. I couldn't reach her anymore.

A doctor rushed out. "Family member! The child's condition isn't good. Her heart rate and blood pressure are dropping steadily. We need to operate immediately. Aren't you going to pay the deposit?"

Looking at the $100 notification from Vivian and the ten thousand dollars – my mom’s entire savings – in her account, I completely broke down. "Yes! Doctor, just give me three minutes! I'll borrow the money! Save my daughter!"

2

After getting a three-month advance on my salary from the restaurant owner, Lily was finally wheeled into the operating room.

I helped my mom to the waiting area for a sip of water. Just then, Vivian’s assistant, Jason, strolled over casually.

"Mr. Evans, you seem quite relaxed," he drawled. "Isn't Lily burned? How come I don't see her responsible father taking care of her? Good thing Ms. Sterling is smart and saw through your little trick. Otherwise, you would have ruined a perfectly lovely Christmas for her, Mark, and little Chloe!"

Hearing this, I froze.

Chloe. That was the name of the daughter of Vivian’s childhood friend, Mark Chandler.

So, while our daughter was fighting for her life, desperately needing money she controlled, Vivian was busy celebrating Christmas with another man and his daughter.

My fists clenched as I fought down the rage boiling inside me. "Where is Vivian? Why isn't she here?"

"Hah." Jason scoffed, tossing a plastic bag at my chest. "It's just a minor burn. Why bother Ms. Sterling herself? She was kind enough to buy you guys some food and had me deliver it. She also told me to tell you: your daughter isn't an excuse to ask for money. If something like this happens again, she'll divorce you!"

I sank weakly onto the chair.

This wasn't the first time.

In Vivian’s heart, anything involving Mark Chandler always came first. Lily and I were always second priority.

The year before last, when Lily started elementary school, I had pulled every string imaginable to get her into a good school. But then Chloe mentioned wanting to go to a prestigious private school, and Vivian gave Lily's spot away without a second thought.

Last year on Lily's birthday, we had planned a family trip to the amusement park. But a call from Mark saying, "Chloe has a fever, need to go to the hospital," was enough for Vivian to abandon us at the subway entrance.

And today… our daughter's life, in her eyes, wasn't even as important as a holiday celebration!

My mom sensed my turmoil and patted my shoulder. "Son, don't let things fester between husband and wife. Lily's in surgery now. Let's just pretend today didn't happen. She did think of you, sending food for you and Lily. Have a bite. Mom knows you've been running around and haven't eaten."

I nodded, trying to suppress all the emotions churning inside me.

But the moment I opened the plastic bag, my hands started shaking violently. My blood felt like it was boiling, crashing wildly through my veins, desperate for an outlet.

Inside the container: extra spicy Cajun crab claws and a portion of blistered shishito peppers.

Lily and I prefer mild food. We never eat anything spicy.

More importantly, I recognized those blistered peppers instantly. They were a signature dish at the trendy restaurant I managed.

Our restaurant wasn't offering takeout or delivery today due to the Christmas rush. This food… it was their leftovers.

Quickly, I pulled up the restaurant's security camera feed on my phone. There, from earlier in the evening, while I was frantically coordinating orders in the kitchen, sat Vivian, Mark, and Chloe at the most secluded table.

At home, Vivian always pushed Lily towards independence, making her sleep in her own room since she was four. But in the footage, she was patiently feeding Chloe spoonful by spoonful. When Chloe got restless, Vivian held her, making silly faces, playing games, her patience seemingly endless.

Grinding my teeth, I was about to call and confront Vivian when the surgeon walked out of the OR, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. The child missed the critical window for treatment. We did everything we could…"

3

My mom couldn't bear it and fainted on the spot.

I bit my lip so hard it nearly bled, forcing myself to stay upright.

I got my mom settled on an IV drip, completed Lily’s death certificate, kissed her cold little face one last time, and watched her being taken away by the funeral home van.

Countless thoughts screamed in my head.

I need to get back the money that's rightfully mine from all these years, to give my daughter a proper funeral!

I need to divorce the bitch who let my daughter die!

I need to find out how my daughter, safe at home, ended up burned by fireworks. I need to make whoever is responsible pay!

The cab back to the restaurant got stuck halfway. The driver sighed, lighting a cigarette.

"Hey driver," I asked, staring at the endless sea of red taillights ahead. "Why's traffic so bad?"

The driver sighed again. "You haven't heard? Ms. Sterling, the CEO of Sterling Corp? For her daughter's Christmas, she set up a row of thirty-foot-tall Christmas trees along both sides of this road! Word is, this is the route her daughter takes home. The lights just came on, tons of people are stopping to take pictures. We'll probably be stuck here a while."

Too bad Lily was already dead. She would never see the surprise her mother prepared.

My eyes stung fiercely. I quickly looked down to hide it.

Suddenly, the sound of a microphone pierced through the traffic noise. "All 88 cash envelopes have been given out! Each one contains $888!"

"To everyone who got an envelope, please join me in shouting loud and clear – Merry Christmas to little Chloe!"

A deafening roar erupted from the crowd. The driver rolled down his window, watching with interest.

I recognized the voice.

It was Vivian.

Quickly paying the driver through an app, I threw open the car door and started running frantically through the gridlocked traffic towards the crowd.

The cold wind whipped tears and snot across my face.

The image of my daughter, covered in wounds on the hospital bed, flashed in my mind. Her sweet, baby voice asking for hugs echoed in my ears…

Just a few days ago, she had told me she wanted to prepare a Christmas surprise for Mommy. To save money for a small Christmas tree, she had smashed her little piggy bank, carefully picking up every quarter and dime, looking up at me with a bright smile.

But she was dead! My sweet, well-behaved daughter was dead! My living, breathing daughter was gone!

Amidst the bustling, festive Christmas crowd, she lay alone in a cold funeral home, while her own mother was showering someone else's daughter with extravagant gifts!

I don't know how long I ran, but I finally saw Vivian. She, Mark, and Chloe stood on a makeshift stage, looking like a picture-perfect happy family. Chloe, in a princess dress, accepted a gift from Vivian. Mark, touched, took off his glasses and gave Vivian a big hug.

The crowd below cheered and applauded wildly.

Panting heavily, I walked towards them and yelled, "Vivian Sterling, get down here!"

4

Seeing me didn't faze Vivian. She arrogantly flicked her hair back, crossed her arms, and approached me, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Is Lily's little burn all better? Done pretending, you liar?"

I took a deep breath, fighting back the urge to sob. "I never lied. Lily's injuries were too severe… She didn't make it…"

"Hahahahaha!"

Vivian burst out laughing as if she'd heard the funniest joke ever. She pointed at me, doubled over with laughter. "Look everyone! Can you believe this guy? Making up stories about his own daughter dying from a simple burn, just for money? Leo, have you gone completely broke and desperate? This is pathetic!"

Whispers started rippling through the crowd. "That does sound kind of crazy… How can a burn be fatal? Never heard of that."

"So his daughter died, but what's that got to do with Ms. Sterling? I'm a bit confused…"

Scanning the onlookers, I forced a cold smile. "The 'Ms. Sterling' you're talking about is my wife of ten years. It's because she was too busy celebrating Christmas with someone else's daughter that our daughter missed the critical treatment window and just died at the hospital!"

"I want a divorce from Vivian Sterling, and it's not about the money! After ten years of marriage, all I want is the salary I earned back. When my daughter died, she didn't even have shoes on her feet. I want to use everything I have to give her a decent funeral, so she can rest in peace!"

A sudden commotion erupted in the crowd.

"Whoa! So the little girl in the dress isn't even her daughter? I thought they were a happy family! Turns out this guy's the other man!"

"Man, taking this cash feels dirty now. I can't believe Ms. Sterling is that kind of person!"

Vivian, being a CEO and used to constant praise, couldn't stand being criticized. She lunged forward. "If you think the free cash I gave you is dirty, you can give it right back! Don't talk nonsense if you don't know the whole story!"

"Chloe's father is my childhood friend! He's divorced! As a friend of over twenty years, what's wrong with me showing concern for a child from a single-parent home?"

"Yes, legally, Leo and I are married. But I earn millions a year, while he's just a manager at some small restaurant! He's a total freeloader! The house, the cars – didn't I buy everything? All I did was ask him to hand over his paycheck, and now he's trying every trick in the book to get money out of me!"

"Ladies here, don't your husbands give you their paychecks? Don't your husbands make up excuses to get cash from you to go out drinking with their buddies? But my husband uses the absurd lie that our daughter died from a burn to trick me! Who would believe such a ridiculous excuse?"

"If anyone else has a problem, feel free to return the envelope you received! My conscience is clear, say whatever you want!"

Perhaps because they had accepted her money, or perhaps because the wives in the crowd lumped me in with their own deadbeat husbands, their gazes turned scornful.

A middle-aged woman in the front row pointed at me. "Pah! Ms. Sterling is right! Shame on you, a father using his daughter's life like that! Tell us, how exactly did your daughter die from a burn?"

I closed my eyes in pain. "It was fireworks… This evening, there was a firework display down by the riverbank. Lily was standing too close… she was burned by the burning fuel…"

Loud jeers rose from the crowd. "Bullshit! No way fireworks can burn someone that badly!"

Vivian rolled her eyes at me and started to turn away with the crowd.

A young voice cut through the noise, sounding out of place. "He's right, though. There were fireworks at the riverbank today! Didn't you guys see them? And they were those super rare rainbow fireworks, really powerful. If you were standing right next to them, getting hit could definitely be fatal!"

Hearing this, the crowd stopped and turned back to look at me.

Vivian froze mid-step. She turned back slowly, disbelief etched on her face, her whole body starting to tremble with fear.

Her lips moved silently, then she looked towards her assistant, Jason, behind her. "Rainbow fireworks? I'm the only one in the city who bought those… Tested them this afternoon at the riverbank… Could it be…?"