"Grandma, we've already talked about this. I'm not moving in with Lian. He abandoned me, and now he wants me back? No… no."
"Listen, darling. Things have changed, and I'm sure he has too…"
After much convincing, she finally agreed. They said their teary goodbyes, and her life took a sudden turn. Within hours, Mr. Lian's bodyguards dropped her off at a massive mansion—bigger than anything she had ever dreamed of. She was overwhelmed; it was more than she expected. She never even knew he was this rich.
He walked in wearing a robe, holding a glass of wine.
"Karrin, I hope you like what you see."
She rolled her eyes at him in disgust. "Honestly, there's not much to see. All I see is a prideful boy who only cares about himself. And for the record, I hate you." She said that and stormed off.She was taken to her room, and to her surprise, she loved what she saw. She had never had a room of her own before, and now she did—and it was big and very comfortable. It truly felt like a dream come true.
When she was settled in, she was asked to come down for dinner, and she immediately rushed downstairs.
Lian was already seated, waiting for her. She was served meals that looked five-star.
"I'm signing you up for school," he said. "Or would you rather be homeschooled? It's your choice."
"Do whatever you want, Lian. It's not like you asked for my opinion before bringing me here."
The table fell into silence after her words. Lian didn't respond immediately; he simply stared at his daughter, her stubborn eyes so much like his own. He took a quiet sip of wine, hiding the sting that came with her coldness.
"Eat something," he said finally, his voice calm but heavy. "You've had a long day."
"I'm not hungry," Karrin muttered, pushing the plate away.
He sighed. "You're still the same. Just like your mother—never listening."
That made her look up sharply. "Don't talk about her. You don't get to."
Lian's grip on his glass tightened. He'd been waiting years for this moment, dreaming about the day he would finally bring his daughter home. But reality wasn't as simple as the plans he made when he was younger. She didn't see the man who had worked hard to rebuild his life; all she saw was the boy who left her behind.
"You think I abandoned you," he saidquietly. "But I wasn't ready back then. I was in no position to raise a child properly. I did what I thought was best."
"What was best?" she snapped. "Leaving me to grow up without a father? Mom died but I had you Lian
Her words hit him like a blade. He wanted to explain that he'd watched her from afar, that he'd sent money, that he'd waited for the right time. But how could he tell her that without sounding like he was making excuses?
Instead, he stood and said softly, "You don't have to forgive me now. Just… give me a chance to be your father."
Karrin looked away, her chest tight with anger she didn't fully understand. "You can't just walk back into my life and pretend it's fine, Lian. It doesn't work like that."
He nodded slowly. "I know. But I'll keep trying anyway."