Later, Sophie admitted Daddy told her not to tell me, because I’d be upset. My stomach dropped. Mark tried to downplay it, claiming Sophie saw curlers and misunderstood, but I didn’t buy it. The final blow came when I confronted Tina who casually confirmed everything, saying Mark told her we’d split soon.

I filed for divorce quietly and focused on protecting Sophie. Mark moved in with Tina, but cracks showed quickly, and Sophie refused to visit if Tina was around. Meanwhile, I rebuilt our life with peace, paint, and glow-in-the-dark stars. One night Sophie whispered, “I’m glad we have no worms.” I smiled, holding her tight. “Me too, baby. Me too.”