Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Sophie shot a warning, "Hey, what do you guys want? Try anything funny, and I'll scream for help."

The thug just grinned, totally unfazed. "Relax, we don't want anything. Just wanna buy you a coffee."

Two guys moved in to grab her, following his lead.

Sophie took a couple of steps back, her voice shaky. "I'm not alone. My husband will be here any second."

They clearly didn't buy it and kept closing in on her.

"Honey."

Just when Sophie was freaking out, a familiar voice came from behind.

She spun around, almost relieved, and saw Richard standing a few feet away, hands in his pockets, looking all chill.

His "Honey" was like a lifeline, and she dashed over to him, grabbing his arm.

"Honey, what's going on? These your friends?" Richard asked, his eyes sweeping over the group, sounding totally indifferent.

Sophie shook her head.

The guys hadn't expected anyone to show up, especially not a man. It was broad daylight, and they weren't dumb enough to cause a scene. With her "husband" there, the thug waved them off.

As they walked away, Sophie let out a sigh of relief.

Richard's teasing voice snapped her back to reality. "I'm curious, if I hadn't shown up, who were you planning to have pretend to be your husband?"

The word "pretend" made Sophie reluctantly let go of his arm.

She'd almost gotten swept up in his earlier "Honey."

How could she forget Richard had nothing to do with her? He only played along to help her out.

"I need to pick up the kids," Sophie mumbled, heading quickly towards the kindergarten just ahead.

After a bit, Richard caught up with her.

Sophie looked at him, surprised.

Wasn't he just passing by?

Richard glanced at her. "Why are you looking at me like that? I'm the kid's dad. Can't I pick up my daughter?"

Of course, he could! Sophie was surprised but also pleased.

She remembered when he first got out, he wouldn't go near Abby, refusing to admit she was his daughter.

He used to be so harsh whenever he saw Sophie and Abby, and Abby was terrified of him.

But in the past six months, Richard had changed a bit.

He could still be tough, but he seemed to have gotten used to calling Abby his daughter.

Because of the earlier delay, school was already out, and most of the kids had been picked up.

Through the window, Sophie saw Abby sitting alone, watching the door eagerly, her little face sad.

Sophie felt a pang in her heart and quickly walked to the classroom door.

Abby's eyes lit up. "Mommy!"

She ran towards Sophie but stopped halfway when she saw Richard behind her. "Daddy."

Her earlier "Mommy" was joyful and clear, but now her "Daddy" was timid and cautious.

The teacher, tidying up toys, heard Abby and came over with a smile. "First time I've seen Abby's dad."

Richard felt a bit ashamed.

The teacher knelt next to Abby and gently said, "Abby, why don't you go play on the slide with the other teacher? I need to talk to your mom and dad."

Abby nodded and was led away by another teacher.

The teacher pulled out two chairs for Sophie and Richard. "Have a seat. I want to discuss Abby's situation with you. I'm sure you want to know too."

The teacher's sudden request made Sophie uneasy, wondering if Abby had done something wrong.

The teacher said, "Abby is very well-behaved and sensible, but she's too quiet. At her age, she shouldn't have any worries. They should play, cry, make mistakes, and fight over toys, but she doesn't. She's so mature for her age that it makes me feel sorry for her."

The teacher pulled out two drawings from a stack and handed them over. "Look, these are Abby's drawings. Richard, you're in a lot of them."

Richard couldn't help but look at the drawings.

The child's drawing style was simple, but the meaning was clear.

The first drawing's background was a bridge, with a small figure falling from it, and

someone below reaching out to catch them.

The teacher smiled. "Abby titled this drawing 'Daddy is a Superhero.""

Richard was moved, recalling the scene when it happened.

That day, Richard was under the bridge and saw Abby being thrown down. He didn't have time to think; catching her was pure instinct.

The teacher pointed at the drawing, smiling. "Abby told me this is her, and this is her dad. She said her Mommy told her that her Daddy got hurt saving her, so she thinks Daddy is a superhero."

Sophie stared blankly at the drawing.

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She hadn't expected Abby to draw this incident.

She told Abby the story to help her understand that Richard loved her, hoping it would make her feel less distant and timid around him.

The second drawing depicted Daddy, Mommy, and Abby.

In the picture, Daddy and Mommy were holding her hands, playing on a green lawn. Everything was colored except for Daddy.

The teacher said, "I asked Abby why she didn't color Daddy. She said because Daddy never played with her and Mommy. This is her dream, not reality, so Daddy is actually blank."

"Daddy is actually blank!" This sentence struck Richard's heart.

So, even though Abby called him Daddy, he was actually blank to her, without warmth. Sophie felt very uncomfortable seeing this drawing.

She thought little Abby didn't understand, but it turned out she had kept all this inside. The teacher pointed outside the window. "Come and look."

Sophie and Richard stood up and looked outside. Abby was playing on the slide with a teacher.

"Look, Abby is playing and smiling, but her smile lacks the vitality that children her age should have. This isn't the state she should be in," the teacher sighed.

Sophie looked at Abby, tears welling up in her eyes.

She felt heartbroken and guilty. As a mother, she hadn't realized Abby wasn't truly happy.

The teacher comforted, "Don't worry, she's still young, and there's time to change things. For children, no toy is more important than the company of their parents. I hope you can spend more time with her, giving her a healthy and happy childhood."

When Abby slid down again, she saw Sophie and Richard standing by the slide. She ran to Sophie, holding her hand. "Mommy, I don't want to play anymore. Let's go home."

As they walked out of the kindergarten together, Richard tried a few times to hold Abby's hand but hesitated.

After walking a bit, Richard suddenly said, "Let's not go home yet."

He squatted down and said to Abby, "Abby, how about Daddy takes you to get a

burger?"

Abby didn't answer immediately; she looked at Sophie.

Abby's overly sensible reaction made Sophie feel heartbroken. She gently said, "Daddy

is talking to you, why don't you answer?"

Abby thought for a moment and then asked sweetly, "Daddy, what's a burger? Is it tasty?"noveldrama

Sophie felt particularly sad.

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Because they had been poor before, Abby had never seen many things that other kids her age enjoyed.

Even though their situation had improved, Sophie, having experienced hardship, still lived frugally.

Abby's innocent question made Richard feel even more guilty.

He picked Abby up and coaxed her with a smile.

"Daddy will take you to try it, and you can tell Daddy if it's tasty, okay?"

They took Abby to a nearby KFC.

It was after school, so there were many parents and children there.

Richard didn't know what Abby would like, so he ordered one of everything he saw other kids eating.

Abby ate happily, the happiest part being that she had her parents with her, just like the other kids.

Sophie frequently wiped Abby's hands and mouth with a napkin to keep her from getting her clothes dirty.

"Abby, is it good?" Richard sat across from her, asking with a gentle smile.

Abby, munching on a chicken wing, nodded with her mouth full of grease. "Daddy, it's

really good! I've never had anything so tasty!"

This almost broke Sophie's heart.

Richard, even more gently, said, "Then Daddy will bring you here often, okay?"

Abby nodded enthusiastically, her excitement genuine.

At that moment, Sophie saw the light of fatherly love in Richard's eyes.

"Daddy, Mommy, you should eat too." Abby picked up some fries and fed one to each

of them.

Richard took it, deeply moved.

In being good to Abby, he felt the love Abby gave back to him.

Sophie barely ate; the rare warmth of the moment was enough to satisfy her.

How she wished time could stop at this moment, forever!

Outside the KFC, a Lamborghini was parked by the roadside.

The window rolled down, and a woman took off her sunglasses, looking resentfully at

the familiar figure inside the KFC. His eyes held a tenderness she had never seen

before.

"Find out about that woman," she said to the person next to her.