Chapter 1

The moment I stepped off the plane, I was blocked by my daughter, Barbara, whom I hadn't seen in three years.

She screamed at me in front of the entire crowd.

"Robert, step up and be a father! Pay your child support!"

"Mom works three jobs a day just to support me, while you ran off to Europe to live it up without sending a single dime! Are you even a man?"

I was utterly stunned.

I had been transferring child support to my ex-wife, Michelle, on the first of every single month, right on time. I had even left her the house, the car, and all of our savings.

But now, she was playing the martyr who raised Barbara all on her own, while I was being painted as a deadbeat dad!

This meant Michelle had not only pocketed all my money, but she was also spreading filthy lies about me!

Fine. From that moment on, I decided to transfer the child support directly to Barbara.

The result was predictable: Michelle, who had been secretly hoarding my money, completely lost her mind.

After my divorce from Michelle, Barbara chose to live with her.

To make sure Barbara would have a good life, I walked away with nothing.

I only kept $5,000 from my personal accounts to cover my travel expenses for working abroad.

Before my flight took off, Michelle sent me a text.

"Child support is $1,800. Transfer it before the 5th of every month. Just make sure the money hits my account, and don't bother coming back to disrupt our lives!"

"Got it," I replied.

With a heavy heart, I boarded the plane. That departure lasted three years.

After tasting all the bitters and sweets of working abroad, I finally built a successful business, let go of the past, and decided to return home.

I never expected that the moment I walked out of the airport lobby, a fifteen-year-old girl would block my path.

Even though it had been three years, I recognized her instantly. She was my daughter, Barbara.

"Barbara? What are you doing here? Look at you, you've grown so much."

"Come on, let me take you out for a nice dinner."

Barbara violently shook off my hand, her eyes filled with nothing but pure hatred.

"Robert, you've been living it up abroad for three years without paying a single cent of child support. Now you're acting like a loving father?"

"Do you have any idea how much Mom suffered to raise me? If you didn't want to support me, why did you even bring me into this world?"

Her words left me completely speechless.

The people around us noticed the commotion and quickly gathered, whispering and pointing at me.

"Look at him, dressed in a fancy designer suit, but he’s actually a deadbeat who abandoned his own daughter."

"Left his wife and kid to suffer while he enjoyed himself abroad without paying child support. What a coward."

"Take a video of him! Post it online! Don't let this piece of trash get away with it!"

Seeing the crowd taking her side, Barbara’s tone grew even harsher.

"Robert, I came here today to get my child support. You are my father. It is your legal obligation to pay."

"If you don't pay up, the moment I turn eighteen, I will sue you!"

I rubbed my throbbing forehead and waved my hand to stop Barbara's shouting.

"Hold on, Barbara. You're saying I didn't pay child support? That’s impossible."

"The court ordered me to pay $1,800. But because I didn't want you to struggle, I transferred $5,000 to your mother's account on the first of every month."

"I have all the bank statements and WhatsApp chat history right here. Let me find them and show you."

Barbara was too emotional to listen to any explanation.

"You're lying! If you really sent $5,000 every month, why would Mom have to work three jobs a day? She barely even had time to come home!"