What You Did to Our Daughter

The classified project I was working on wrapped up ahead of schedule, so I made sure to get back on my daughter's birthday. When I walked in, a girl I had never seen before was wearing my daughter's princess dress, a crown perched on her head. She sat in front of a cake as tall as she was, eyes closed, making a wish. I frowned and stepped closer. "Who are you? Why are you wearing my daughter's dress? Where's Heidi?" Before she could answer, two housemaids rushed out and started yelling at me. "Where the hell did you come from? How dare you talk to our boss's daughter like that? If you know what's good for you, get out! When the boss gets back, you won't like what happens." I stood there, confused. Boss? The boss's daughter? In this house, wasn't it just me and my daughter, Heidi Foster? I barely had time to speak before they shoved me toward the front door. In the middle of the pushing, something caught my eye. Off to the side, chained to a pillar, was Heidi. The girl I used to hold like she was the most precious thing in the world was now sprawled on the ground, digging through a dog bowl for food. A thick iron chain was locked around her neck, and her body was covered in bruises. My vision tightened. "Heidi, what happened to you?" The moment our eyes met, her hollow gaze filled with tears. She shrank back, then let out a soft bark at me, like a frightened dog. The maids looked at her with open disgust. One of them sneered, "Our boss said that that little thing was born to live like a dog. You have to keep her chained up if you want her to behave." Chapter 1 Rage shot straight to my head. My vision went red as I shouted, "That's complete nonsense! Let my daughter go right now, or I'm calling the cops!" I pushed forward and tried to get to my daughter, Heidi Foster. The two maids blocked me hard, sneering like I was a joke. "Are you out of your mind?" one said. "You broke into our house, and now you want to call the police? Are you trying to get yourself killed? Our boss's daughter is celebrating her birthday today. You think you can cause trouble at the Dixons' and walk out fine? Our boss won't let that slide!" I stared at them, then at the girl still sitting by the cake, eyes closed while making her wish. "Who exactly is your boss? And who is she?" I said coldly. "Are you blind? Heidi is the boss’s daughter! Where did this knockoff come from? Since when does she get to take my daughter's things?" The girl opened her eyes, stood up, and looked down at me like I was dirt. She grabbed a glass from the table and smashed it against my head, then spat at me. "Unbelievable," she snapped. "My mom is Stella, the CEO of Dixon Corporation, and my dad's one of the top executives. I'm their precious daughter. You call me a fake again, and I'll have my mom shut you up for good!" The room tilted. My legs almost gave out. When I first met Stella Dixon, she was barely getting by, working nonstop just to pay off her debts. I helped her out of kindness. That was how our love story started. I spent seven long years lifting her from drowning in debt to running one of the most powerful companies in the city. Our relationship had been strong. Everyone said we were the perfect couple. Later, we had Heidi, our little girl. A year ago, when I left for a classified project, Stella had her arms around my neck, crying, begging me to come back soon. I missed them so much that I forced a two-year project into one. I came back today to surprise them. Instead, I found my daughter chained like a dog. And somehow, Stella had a different husband. My teeth clenched so hard that it hurt. I grabbed the maid in front of me and threw her to the ground. Then I lunged at the girl, yanked the crown off her head, and tore the dress right off her. "Since when did my daughter's things belong to you?" I said, voice low and shaking. "I didn't realize the Dixons had sunk so low that some side piece's kid gets to run her mouth here. Guess I've been too nice to all of you." I grabbed a chair and smashed the cake that should've been my daughter's into a mess across the floor. Only then did I turn back to Heidi. I walked over slowly and crouched beside her, hands shaking as I reached for the chain around her neck. "Heidi, don't be scared. I'm here." The chain was thick and heavy, digging into her small neck until it was red and raw. Her face, once soft and bright, was now thin and darkened, covered in cuts. Some had already crusted over. At my voice, her eyes filled, and tears started falling, one after another. She screamed in panic, making broken, barking sounds, her body pressed low to the ground like a stray dog. My breath hitched. It felt like something inside me had been ripped apart. I never imagined my confident, cheerful little girl would end up like this. My eyes burned as I forced the words out. "Heidi, sweetheart, don't be afraid. It's me. I'm your dad. Don't you remember? I took you to the amusement park. We flew kites together." Afraid of setting her off again, I softened my voice, speaking gently as I coaxed her along. "Remember what I promised you? When I got back, we'd go to the aquarium and see the big fish together. I'm back now. I'll take you with me, okay?" She hesitated, her voice shaky and uneven. "D…Daddy? Is that really you? But I can't go. Robert said I'm a dog. Dogs are meant to be ridden. If I don't listen, he'll beat me to death…" My hands trembled as I lifted the torn fabric of her clothes. Her body was covered in bruises and burn marks. Even lower down, there were signs she had been whipped. For a second, I almost lost it. I wanted to grab a knife and kill every single person who did this to her. But I forced it down. I had to get her out first. I couldn't let her take another second of this. It took everything I had to unfasten the chain from her neck. Just as I was about to lift her, a heavy metal rod slammed into my hand. I heard the crack before I felt the pain. "You think you can cause trouble in Ms. Dixon's house like this?" a voice barked. "What, you think we're not here?" The maid I had thrown earlier had brought in security. The girl I had stripped of the crown and dress stood nearby, wiping her tears, her face twisted with anger. "Break his legs!" she screamed. "And beat that stupid dog, too! My dad said I’m a rich little princess now. You ruined my favorite dress. You're gonna pay for it, you loser!" The rod swung toward me again. I quickly pulled out the marriage certificate I always kept with me and snapped it open in front of them. "Touch me and see what happens," I said, voice steady despite the pain. "I'm Stella's legal husband, and Heidi is our daughter." Chapter 2 Everyone froze when they saw the marriage certificate, staring like they couldn't believe it. I didn't waste a second. I scooped Heidi up from the ground, ready to get her out of there. I barely made it a few steps before someone blocked my way. A man stepped out of a black luxury car, dressed head to toe in designer, a heavy watch catching the light as he moved. "You've got some nerve, causing trouble right outside my house," he said coldly. The second I saw his face, I recognized him. He was the student Stella and I had sponsored years ago. Back then, when we went back to our old school for an event, he had been so thin that he looked like he might collapse. He had groveled before us at the school gate, begging us to help him. He said his parents had sold everything just to get him through high school, and they couldn't afford college. He kept asking us to give him a chance. Stella had looked at him with open disgust. "In this day and age, anyone can make money if they try," she'd said. "Why grovel and pressure people into supporting you?" And now, the same person she once looked down on was standing in our house, acting like he owned the place and hurting our daughter. My jaw tightened until it hurt. The man didn't seem to recognize me. His eyes went straight to Heidi in my arms, something dark flashing across his face. "Get down on your own," he said flatly. "Or…" He didn't even finish. Heidi started shaking violently, then scrambled out of my arms and dropped to the floor, curling in on herself. My eyes burned. The man smiled, satisfied, then turned to the maids. "What's going on?" he asked. "It's Angela's birthday. Is this how you're handling things?" The maids rushed to explain. "He forced his way in," one said quickly. "He smashed Ms. Angela's cake and ruined her dress. He even claimed he's Ms. Dixon's husband. He showed a marriage certificate, but we don't know if it's real." The man's expression went cold. He slapped the maid across the face without hesitation. "Of course it's fake," he said. "I'm Stella's husband. Don't you people know that?" Then he looked at the guards. "Throw him out. Send him to a psych ward," he said. "As for that girl… I'll make sure she pays for seducing men here." Before I could react, he kicked Heidi hard, sending her tumbling across the ground. The maids and guards grabbed ropes and closed in on me, ready to send me to the psych ward. "Don't touch me!" I said sharply. "I'm not just Stella's legal husband. I'm part of a classified government research team. You lay a finger on me, and you'll regret it!" At the same time, I pulled out my phone and sent out a distress message to Stella and the Federal Security Agency. The Agency replied almost immediately. But Stella didn't. I tried to call her, but the man reacted fast. He snatched my phone and smashed it on the ground. I didn't hold back. I drove my fist straight into his face. He staggered back, furious. "You're done!" he snapped. "You think you can touch me? My wife won't let you off the hook!" He pulled out his phone and made a call. The line connected quickly. A familiar and warm voice came through, filled with affection. "Hey, honey, you and Angela go ahead and have some cake. I'll be there soon. I'm picking out a gift right now. I have a big surprise for both of you tonight." Chapter 3 Robert Simonds shot me a smug look, then turned soft and aggrieved as he spoke into the phone. "Babe, forget the gift. Just come home, okay? Some guy showed up, claiming he's your husband. He even hit Angela and me. He messed up my face." The voice on the other end turned sharp with panic. "Don't listen to him. You're my only husband. And how dare he hurt you and Angela! He's asking for it. Have the guards grab him and lock him in the basement. I'll deal with him when I get back." "Okay," he said sweetly, dragging it out, then he tossed in a few more soft, clingy words before hanging up. My teeth ground together so hard that my jaw ached. In my head, I was already cursing Stella a thousand times over. Everything the Dixons had now came from the connections and influence I had built over the years. Back when she had nothing, she swore she would love me forever, that she would always stand by me. Yet the first thing she did after getting rich was take a lover. All those promises meant nothing. Robert hung up and tilted his chin at me, smug. "Got some nerve, don't you? Thinking you can take my status from me," he said. "I'm going to teach you a lesson today!" He waved the guards over. They grabbed me. I fought back as hard as I could, but there were too many of them. In the end, they forced my arms behind my back and tied me up tight. He watched me struggle like it was entertainment, then said lazily, "Bring it out." One of the guards stepped forward and handed him a long whip, lined with sharp barbs. Just looking at it made my stomach turn. Heidi, still on the ground, saw it and scrambled over to him. Tears covered her face. "Please, don't hit my dad!" she cried. "I'm begging you. Let him go. You can hit me instead. I don't mind. I'm not scared. You can hit me as much as you want." My throat tightened. Even now, she was still trying to protect me. "Heidi, don't worry about me," I said, my voice shaking. "Go hide. I'll get you out of here, I promise." Robert let out a short laugh. "Hah! You think you can leave?" he said. "Better ask my daughter first!" He pulled the girl into his arms and smiled down at her. "So, what do you think, sweetheart? How should we punish them?" The girl crossed her arms, her eyes cold, nothing like a child's should be. She lifted her foot and nudged Heidi's head with it, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "My shoe's dirty," she said. "Lick it clean, and I might let your dad go." "No, Heidi, don't do it!" I shouted. "I can save you. Just wait a little longer." She looked at me and forced a small smile, as if she was trying to reassure me. Then, without hesitation, she lowered her head. "You monsters! Stay away from my daughter!" I yelled, my vision blurring as tears finally spilled over. Right then, a sharp voice cut through the yard. "What the hell is going on here?" Chapter 4 I knew that voice instantly. I turned my head, and there she was. Chloe Dixon, my sister-in-law. Hope hit me all at once. I rushed to speak. "Chloe, you're finally here. Tell them to let Heidi and me go." She didn't even look at me. Instead, she walked straight past me, her face full of concern as she went to Robert and the girl in his arms. "Are you two okay?" she asked, her voice tight with worry. "Stella's useless. She can't even protect her own husband and daughter. Don't worry, I'm here now. No one's going to hurt you again." One of the maids jumped in right away. "Mr. Simonds just got punched by him," she said. "His lip's bleeding. We don't know if there'll be any lasting damage." Chloe's expression hardened with anger and concern. She turned and slapped me across the face twice. "You piece of trash!" she snapped. "Who told you to lay a hand on Robert? Do you have any idea how important he is in this family? If anything happens to him, what are you going to use to make it right?" Then she turned on Heidi, her voice sharp and cruel. "And you, ungrateful little thing. Don't you know you're supposed to protect Robert and Angela?" My face burned from the hits. I stared at her, disbelief settling in. "Chloe, have you lost your mind, too?" I said. "I'm Stella's husband! Heidi is your niece!" She let out a cold laugh. "I know exactly who you are," she said. "And having a brother-in-law like you is embarrassing. You're not even worth a fraction of Robert. Do you know what he's done for our company? The moment he came in, our profits went up ten times. He's our lucky charm. "And Angela is our little good-luck star. Whenever we took her to meet clients, they would all rush to hold her, tossing out gifts worth hundreds of thousands like it was nothing." What did any of that have to do with them? Those results came from the project I completed overseas. The higher-ups rewarded me by connecting Dixon Corporation to major resources and opportunities. Without that, their tiny company wouldn't have stood a chance at landing those government-backed deals. And those clients were just trying to get close to Heidi and mistook that little girl for her. The gifts weren't for them. They were for me! Robert's lips curled into a smug smile. Chloe's voice turned cold again. "You didn't just hurt Robert," she said. "You ruined Angela's birthday. I'm going to make you pay for what you did to him!" She pulled out a divorce agreement and held it in front of me. It said I was giving up everything and walking away with nothing. "Sign it," she said. "You don't deserve to stand next to Stella as her husband." Maybe before, I would've hesitated. But then, I saw Heidi. She had just licked the girl's shoe, and suddenly, she started coughing up blood. Her whole body began to shake. Something was wrong. There had to be something on that shoe. I signed without another thought. "I've signed," I said, lowering my voice. "Please, just let Heidi and me go." I thought that would be the end of it. It wasn't. "That's just the beginning," Chloe said. "You still haven't paid for hitting Robert. He took one punch from you. You'll pay it back a hundred times. You'll get 100 lashes. After that, you can leave." My jaw clenched. "You're going too far." Robert let out a cold laugh. "If you don't want it, we'll whip your daughter instead." The whip came down on Heidi. Her small body jerked as the barbs tore into her skin. Blood followed, spilling faster than before. I rushed over and threw myself over her. She looked up at me through tears. "Daddy, don't worry about me. I'm okay…" I held her close, shielding her with my body. "Heidi, don't be scared. Just hold on a little longer. I'll get you out of here." The whip struck again and again, tearing into my back. Pain blurred my vision, and the world slowly went dark. Just when I thought I couldn't take another hit, they started soaking the whip in salt water before striking again. The pain exploded. Right as everything started to fade, I heard someone shout, "Ms. Dixon is back!"