Behind her stood Rob, carrying shopping bags. “Daniel! Surprise!”

“How did you know about the party?”

“Rachel posted about it. I thought it was time for a reunion.”

“After ten years?”

“People change. Besides, everyone loves a good reunion story.”

“What do you want, Vanessa?”

“To visit my daughter. Surely that’s allowed.”

“You haven’t visited her in ten years.”

“Must we discuss that on her birthday?”

She pushed past me into the house.

“Goodness, you still have the same furniture!”

“Some of us like keeping things.”

“Rob, bring the presents.”

Sophie emerged from the kitchen holding cake and stopped abruptly.

“Mom?”

Vanessa beamed. “Hello, sweetheart!”

My daughter stood speechless before Vanessa awkwardly embraced her.

“Look how beautiful you’ve become! You have my eyes.”

“You haven’t seen me since I was two.”

“Well, life gets complicated.”

Sophie noticed the bags.

“Are you staying for my birthday?”

“Of course, sweetheart!”

“For the whole party?”

Vanessa smiled. “We’ll see.”

Sophie nodded, visibly disappointed.

“Will you come back tomorrow?” Sophie asked.

“Let’s not make plans yet, darling.”

“But you know where we live now.”

“Of course I do.”

Sophie looked toward me before stepping aside.

Rob carried in a brand-new bicycle, while Vanessa presented Sophie with a wrapped tablet.

“Thank you,” Sophie whispered.

“See? Mommy knows what you deserve. I can finally give you what your father couldn’t.”

“Vanessa, enough,” I warned.

Sophie looked toward her restored desk.

“Dad made that for me.”

“That’s sweet. But now you have something better.”

“Better?”

“Something you actually deserve.”

Sophie’s happiness disappeared. She took out her phone.

“Mom, can I show you something I found online?”

I assumed she wanted to share a birthday picture. Instead, she’d uncovered something Vanessa had concealed from us.

“You have hundreds of thousands of followers?” Sophie asked, opening Vanessa’s Instagram.

“People love my lifestyle, darling.”

“Here you say children ruin women’s freedom.”

“I was speaking generally.”

“And that avoiding responsibilities keeps you young.”

“That’s advice for my audience.”

“Do your followers know you have seven children?”

“My personal life is private.”

“Then why are you livestreaming my birthday?”

Vanessa paused. “I wanted to share our beautiful reunion.”

“Did you tell them you abandoned me?”

“They don’t need every detail!”

“So you wanted them to think you were a good mom?”

“Sophie, don’t ruin this!”

Turning around, I spotted Vanessa’s phone positioned against a vase, recording the presents.

A red LIVE indicator shone on its screen.

“You’ve been filming us?” I demanded.

“It’s for my followers!”

Sophie grabbed the phone.

“Then they should meet us.”

“Sophie, stop!”

“Hi, everyone. I’m Sophie. Mom left when I was two. I have six brothers and sisters.”

Comments immediately poured in.

@Hel1n_ko: SEVEN CHILDREN?

@Kozl10v.Lir1: She said she had no responsibilities!

“How dare you, you little brat?!” Vanessa screamed.

After a decade of silence, hearing her attack Sophie pushed me to intervene.

“Get away from her!” I snapped.

“This is why I left! Seven needy children and no freedom!”

Rob seized Vanessa’s arm.

“My business partners could be watching!”

“Rob, not now!”

“You’re ruining my reputation!”

I switched off the livestream.

“Leave, Vanessa.”

“You taught her this!”

“She’s twelve, and you’re furious because she told everyone you abandoned seven children.”

Rachel appeared behind us.

“Go, Mom.”

Vanessa snatched up her purse.

“You’ll regret this!”

Rob walked toward the exit.

“Rob! Say something!”

He looked back.

“You’ve said enough for both of us.”

I assumed the ordeal had ended.

Unfortunately, it hadn’t.

Once the guests departed, I discovered Sophie crying beside her new desk.

“Dad, I ruined everything.”

“No, sweetheart.”

“I wanted Mom to see what she’d missed. But she acted like everything you gave us was worthless. Then I saw her filming.”

“How long have you known about her account?”

“Three months.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“She looked so happy traveling everywhere. Why couldn’t she be happy with us?”

I wrapped my arms around her.

“That was never your responsibility. You shouldn’t have confronted her online, but her words were her choice.”

Sophie played another video showing Vanessa promoting luxury furniture.

I recognized the manufacturer.

“I restored furniture for that company. I still know their marketing director.”

“Is that important?”

“It might be.”

Before I decided whether to contact anyone, Vanessa made an even more damaging mistake.

Rachel phoned the following morning.

“Dad, have you seen Mom’s new video?”

“No. What happened?”

“She’s telling everyone you manipulated us into hating her.”

“What?”

“And that you staged Sophie’s confrontation.”

“You’re kidding.”

“I wish. She’s even calling Sophie a liar!”

I’d avoided publicly criticizing Vanessa for ten years, hoping to spare our children further pain.

Now, remaining quiet only allowed her accusations to continue.

Nathan called shortly afterward.

“Are you going to let her say that?”

“No. I’m showing people the truth.”

“You’re going after Mom?”

“I’m standing up for Sophie. There’s a difference.”

“Oh, okay…”

“Will you help me make a video?”

“Absolutely. I’ll call Rachel and the others.”

We gathered later to discuss our response.

“What about Sophie?” Rachel asked.

“She’s staying out of it. She’s been through enough.”

“What if Mom makes another video?” Rachel asked.

“Then we’ll deal with it.”

“She’s going to blame you again.”

“Probably.”

Nathan frowned.

“Doesn’t that scare you?”

“Of course. But I’m more afraid of disappointing Sophie.”

I searched through family photographs, verified dates, and collected old workshop documents.

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