From Love to Hate, Never Again

A neighbor dropped something from above. From the seventeenth floor, a toy car plummeted down.

It struck my daughter on the head.

Three days later, she stopped breathing.

I cried until I fainted again and again. When I could finally stand, I swore I would drag that neighbor into court.

My husband, Anthony, held me in his arms, voice heavy with grief and tenderness.

“No matter what you do, I’ll stand by you. We will make them pay for our daughter.”

But on the day of the trial, the property management claimed the security footage from that day had been “accidentally damaged.”

They insisted I must have seen wrong—that it was merely the neighbor’s young son who had dropped the toy by accident.

I couldn’t accept it. I lost control in court. Anthony, worried about my health, had someone inject me with a sedative.

When I woke up, he wasn’t by my side.

From the dim stairwell outside a woman’s voice, soft and full of guilt rang.

“Anthony, thank goodness you bribed the property manager... but I really didn’t mean it. That little car was the gift you gave our son on his third birthday. He treasured it so much... these past few nights, he’s even cried for it in his dreams.”

Anthony’s voice was calm, as he assured her, “It’s fine. Tonight, I’ll get him a bigger, and better one.”

Then his tone turned cold, dripping with contempt.

“That girl is dead, so be it. She was just unlucky. Our son is my only heir. As long as I’m here, you have nothing to fear.”

——

In the dim light, Vanessa feigned hesitation. “Diana just lost her child. She must be devastated. You should stay home with her tonight. I can celebrate Cooper’s birthday alone.”

“But Cooper misses you so much... If he hears you’re not coming, he’ll cry himself sick. And... I miss you too…”

Her eyes turned red, glistening with unshed tears. Anthony’s heart seemed to melt instantly.

He pulled her into his arms, his voice was tender in a way I had never heard directed at me.

“It’s been five years. Have I ever missed our son’s birthday? I can’t marry you, but I will always be your and our son’s strongest support.

“As for Diana... she’s an adult. She needs to learn to stand on her own.”

Vanessa sighed, pushing him away half-heartedly, her voice laced with false reluctance.

“Anthony, I know how much you care for me. But Diana is still young—she’ll get pregnant again sooner or later. Do you think she’d ever let Cooper inherit from you?"

“Forget it. I don’t want to make things difficult for you. As long as I can see you often, I’m happy... It’s just unfair to our son.”

Anthony’s gaze softened, as if a decision had crystallized in his mind.

He pulled out his phone and called the property manager.

“I’ll give you another two million. In a while, I’ll pretend to go out. You take some men and iron rods to my place—make sure Diana’s womb is destroyed.”

“Vanessa, I promised you our son would be my only heir. I won’t let you have any worries.”

Watching their intimate figures disappearing into the stairwell, I stumbled back to my bedroom, my chest tightened, my eyes burning.

So the surveillance footage hadn’t been lost by accident—it was destroyed to protect the woman he loved.

The man I had loved for seven years already had a child with someone else—and had hidden them right upstairs.

Then what was I?

And what was my poor daughter to him?!

“Diana, why are you crying?”

I didn’t even notice when Anthony returned. He sat beside me, holding my hand, his face full of concern.

“Diana, I know you’re still grieving for Cherry. I’m her father—my pain is no less than yours. If I could, I’d trade my life for hers."

“But we have to move forward. You haven’t been eating these past few days. You’ve lost so much weight—do you want me to worry myself sick? I’ll go to the mall now and get you some supplements.”

If I hadn’t just heard what I heard, I might have been moved to tears.

But behind those tender words was the hell he had prepared for me.