Past the Crossroads of No Return

During the holidays, I've worked my ass off just to whip up a feast filled with my wife, Willow Steele's favorite dishes.

But soon, my mother-in-law pulls out a paternity test report and announces with a smile that the birth father of my daughter, Naomi Johnson, is actually Willow's childhood sweetheart, Luther Lloyd.

Everyone bursts into laughter before saying teasingly that "no wonder Naomi looks so much like Luther".

Willow's father even pats Luther on the shoulder while looking at him as though the latter were a part of the family.

What stings my heart the most is that Willow is laughing so hard that she can barely stand up straight. So, that leaves her clinging to Luther while she taps Naomi on the forehead with a finger.

"Go on, call Mr. Lloyd 'daddy.' He's your real dad, after all."

Naomi, who has always kept me at an arm's length, rushes into Luther's arms without hesitation and starts calling him "daddy" sweetly.

I fall silent for a moment as I watch everything unfold. Then, I draw to my feet and look at Willow.

"Let's get a divorce."

But Willow just chuckles icily in return.

"Must you go that far? My mom was just joking around."

When I'm about to leave, Willow turns to tell the others, "He's just being ridiculous. Once I give him the cold shoulder for a few days, he'll still beg me to return to his side pathetically."

But what Willow doesn't know is that I've chosen to endure everything she's hurled at me out of love in the past.

Now, I want nothing more than to leave her permanently.

Even on a day meant for family reunions, the streets appeared strangely empty.

I took out my phone, planning to call a ride. Before I could open the app, I saw Willow Steele's Instagram post. She was holding our daughter, Naomi Johnson, together with Luther Lloyd.

The three of them smiled warmly at the camera. The caption read, "Our family of three."

My fingers tightened around my phone.

My partner of six years, Willow, had never been one to post on social media—not when we were dating, getting married, or raising Naomi. She had never shared any of it.

It wasn't like I hadn't asked her why before. Her answer had always been the same. She said it wasn't necessary. Now, looking at that intimate family photo, I finally understood what she meant.

I shook my head, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. Then, I dialed my supervisor.

For years, my company had wanted to send me abroad for further training. I kept putting it off because I couldn't bear to leave Willow and Naomi behind.

Now, all at once, it hit me that everything I had given over the years had been nothing more than a one-sided effort.

I was just about to book a flight when I realized I had forgotten my ID and passport, so I had no choice but to return home.

The