When my ex-husband suddenly said he wanted to reconnect with our daughter, I thought maybe he was finally ready to be the father she deserved. I couldn’t have imagined the real reason behind his sudden interest—it made my blood boil. Being a single mom to our five-year-old hasn’t been easy since Leo left us for another woman nearly three years ago, leaving me to raise Lily alone.

Lily’s questions about why her dad never visits broke my heart, and I tried my best to fill the gap by working double shifts as a nurse. When Leo finally called, saying he wanted a weekend with Lily to make things right, I hesitated but agreed—hoping it was a genuine attempt to reconnect. For a moment, I allowed myself to believe he might change.

But then my sister sent me a shocking Instagram photo: Leo, his new fiancée, and Lily dressed as a flower girl at their wedding—without telling me. They had used my daughter as a prop to complete their perfect picture, lying about the weekend visit to cover their real plan. My heart shattered as I realized how Leo had betrayed both of us.

I rushed to the wedding, took Lily away, and confronted them. Watching the crowd turn against Leo and his fiancée, I felt relieved to protect my daughter from being exploited. Now, Leo is out of our lives until he learns what it truly means to be a father.