Chapter 1

After being fired from my job, I unexpectedly won 200 million in the lottery. My wife, who had promised to pick me up, stood me up.

I walked ten miles home in the pouring rain, only to find my wife had spent a fortune throwing a welcome party for her first love. When I was mentioned, everyone's faces showed disgust.

My mother-in-law rolled her eyes and said, "That good-for-nothing lost his job, and still wanted you to pick him up after work? Don't anyone dare open the door for him later!"

My ten-year-old daughter enthusiastically agreed, "Grandma's right, Mom should divorce that loser dad! I don't want to call a bum my father anymore. I like handsome and rich Uncle William, who can buy me limited edition Barbie dolls!"

My heart sank to the pit of my stomach as I turned my gaze to my beloved wife.

But I heard her say with a gentle laugh, "One night as husband and wife, a hundred days of kindness. I can't be that heartless. As long as he agrees to let William move in and rekindle our past romance, I'll let him be a husband in name only. What's the harm in him mooching off us for a few years?"

At that moment, I fully realized that I was the real clown all along.

But when I actually granted her wish and filed for divorce, they were filled with gut-wrenching regret upon seeing me driving a luxury car, with my new wife and newborn baby daughter.

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"Mom, why don't you have Uncle William sit next to you? Grandma and I will do a heart sign behind you..."

As I opened the door, I saw my wife, daughter, and mother-in-law on the couch taking a family photo with a strange man.

They were huddled together in front of the camera, their faces split with wide grins.

Hearing the door, they finally noticed me.

The smiles froze on everyone's faces.

The atmosphere stiffened for a few seconds.

In the next moment, the laughter resumed as if I were merely air, and they continued taking photos in a different pose.

No one paid any attention to me.

Only after they finished taking pictures did my mother-in-law give me a disdainful glance and speak:

"Well, well, Nolan, looks like you've still got legs to walk home with, huh?"

"I thought you'd been fired and forgotten how to walk, forcing Melody to go pick you up."

At this moment, I was soaked to the bone, my limbs stiff from the cold.

After being laid off today, it started pouring. My wife had promised to pick me up from work, but she never showed up even until midnight.

I walked ten miles home in the rain.

Before entering, I had already heard their contempt and mockery behind my back.

I just never imagined that even after I got home, they would still ignore me and laugh it up with another man.

A hint of bitterness welled up in my heart as I opened my mouth, about to speak.

Suddenly, a piece of cake came flying at me!

SPLASH!

My face was suddenly covered in cream. I looked up.

My daughter Vivienne was hiding behind a man, looking at me with disdain:

"Dad's being lazy! Not working hard to earn money for me and mom. What a loser!"

"Can't even compare to Uncle William's pinky toe!"

My heart was suddenly pierced with pain.

This was the daughter I had cherished for ten years.

Faced with my wife's first love William, she was full of admiration and joy. But for me, only cold mockery.

At this moment, my wife who had been silent finally spoke up, frowning as she scolded our daughter:

"Vivienne, how can you speak to your father like that? You're being so inconsiderate!"

She appeared to be defending me, proactively grabbing a towel and handing it to me gently:

"Nolan, don't take the child's words to heart. Go change your clothes first, we'll talk when you come out."

As I took the towel, I noticed the undisguised disgust in her eyes.

My heart sank even further.

Just as I was about to enter the room, William suddenly approached me:

"It's Nolan, right? I just got back from overseas. Melody insisted on throwing me a welcome party. I really couldn't refuse, so I came."

"I heard you just lost your job?No problem, the current job market isn't great, but I should be able to help you with finding work."

His friendly and approachable demeanor only served to make me feel small and pitiful in comparison.

Before I could respond, my mother-in-law impatiently shoved me:

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and thank William!"

"You're a grown man in your thirties and you still managed to get laid off. You're such an embarrassment to Melody!"

I stumbled from the push, nearly falling over.

Yet my beloved wife and daughter seemed not to notice, their full attention on another man.

This was supposedly my home, but I felt like a complete outsider.

In the end, I said nothing and went to the bedroom to freshen up.

When I came back out, they were already seated at the dining table eating. Not one person called for me.

There wasn't even a place set for me at the table.

Melody slowly put down her chopsticks when she saw me approach, then turned to our daughter:

"Vivienne, go get your dad some dishes and utensils."

My daughter rolled her eyes at me: "I'm not doing it. He doesn't even have a job. He can't support me, Mom, and Grandma anymore. Why should I have to get stuff for him?"

"Dad, don't you have hands? Are you planning to just be useless from now on?"

Such harsh, cutting words, coming from the mouth of my own daughter.

My heart was filled with nothing but sorrow and self-mockery.

Melody gave her daughter a disapproving glance, then spoke to me softly:

"Nolan, you've spoiled this girl. Go to the kitchen and get your utensils, then sit next to me. We can squeeze in..."

Before she could finish, my mother-in-law suddenly stood up.

I thought she was going to help me get a bowl and chopsticks, as she used to when I was bringing in money for the family.

But to my surprise, she grabbed the dog's food bowl and shoved it into my hands.

"There are no bowls left in the kitchen. Wash this and use it."

At that moment, I felt incredibly bitter.

This is the wife, daughter, and mother-in-law I had worked hard to support for ten years...

"Never mind, I'm not eating anymore."

I was about to return to my room when William spoke up with surprise:

"Nolan, you're not angry, are you?"

"I just asked for you. My company needs a janitor. It pays two thousand dollars a month."

"It's not very respectable, but if you do well as a janitor, there's a chance to be promoted to supervisor."

I knew very well that he was trying to belittle me to show off his own abilities to Melody.

I had barely said "No need" when my mother-in-law suddenly stood up and slammed her hand on the table!

She yelled at me angrily:

"Someone's offering you a job and you're being picky?""

"You're not taking care of your darling and child anymore?? You really plan to live off my daughter's money, be a kept man?"

At that moment, I could no longer contain the anger welling up inside me.