Piss Off, Alpha! You Lost Me Forever-Chapter 142 Best Daddy

DAMIEN’S POV

I drove faster than I should have. I felt my wolf pushing at my control with concern for our pup. Every red light felt like an eternity.

When I finally pulled into the driveway of Stone Villa, I ran inside the house. Through the windows, I could see Franca hurrying through the kitchen, probably preparing something for Ashley.

I took the stairs two at a time, following the sound of crying to Ashley’s room.

The scene that greeted me made my chest tight.

Tiffany was sitting on Ashley’s bed, holding my daughter awkwardly in her lap. Ashley was crying and squirming, clearly uncomfortable, while Tiffany looked completely overwhelmed.

Her usually perfect hair was disheveled. There were sweat stains on her silk pajamas, and her expression was a mixture of concern and panic.

"Daddy!" Ashley cried when she saw me, reaching her arms out.

I took her from Tiffany’s arms. Ashley immediately buried her face against my chest. Her small body shook with sobs.

"It hurts," she whimpered. "My tummy hurts so bad."

"I know, princess. I know." I kissed her forehead, checking for fever. She was warm but not too hot. "When did this start?"

"About an hour ago," Tiffany said "She woke up crying and then she threw up. I’ve been trying to comfort her, but nothing seems to help."

I noticed the fear in Tiffany’s eyes. She genuinely cared about Ashley, but she was clearly out of her depth when it came to actually caring for a sick child.

"I’ll get her some soup," Tiffany said "Franca’s making it now. I’ll be right back."

She practically fled the room, leaving me alone with Ashley.

I paced the room, rocking Ashley gently in my arms the way I’d done when she was a baby. My wolf was agitated. My protective instincts were in overdrive. This was our pup, our responsibility, and she was in pain.

"Does your tummy hurt like last time?" I asked gently. "Or is it different?"

"Same," Ashley said. Her voice was hoarse from crying. She rested her cheek against my chest. Her fingers gripped my shirt. "Daddy?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

There was a long pause. Then, so quietly I almost missed it: "Is Mommy not coming back anymore?"

My chest went tight at her question. My wolf whimpered at the pain in our daughter’s voice.

I thought about Sophia on that sofa this morning with her back to me and her cold voice when she’d refused to come check on Ashley.

"No, princess," I said honestly, because I wouldn’t lie to my daughter. "Mommy’s not coming."

Ashley’s body went rigid in my arms. Then she started crying harder.

"She doesn’t love me anymore," Ashley wailed.

"Ashley, no-"

"Mommy is gone and she won’t come back even when I’m sick!" Ashley’s words tumbled out between sobs.

I sat down on the bed, still holding Ashley. My own heart broke at her anguish.

I remembered just a few weeks ago, Ashley had declared she didn’t care if she ever saw Sophia again, that Tiffany was better, kinder, more fun. I’d let her say those things.

But now, watching Ashley fall apart because Sophia wasn’t here...

"When I’m sick, I miss Mommy so much," Ashley said through her tears. "Tiffany tries to help but she doesn’t know how. She doesn’t rub my tummy the right way. She doesn’t know the songs that make me feel better. She doesn’t..." Ashley hiccuped. "She doesn’t make it stop hurting like Mommy does."

The admission hit me hard.

Because Ashley was right. Tiffany was kind and caring, but she didn’t have Sophia’s instincts. She didn’t have years of experience knowing exactly what Ashley needed when she was sick or scared or hurting.

Sophia had always been the one to handle illness - the doctor mother who knew how to make everything right.

"Come here," I said gently. I placed Ashley down on her bed, sitting beside her. "Let me try to help with your tummy, okay?"

I placed my hand on her small stomach and began to rub in slow, gentle circles - the way I’d seen Sophia do it countless times. Ashley’s crying gradually subsided to hiccups, then to quiet sniffles.

"Does that help?" I asked.

"A little." Ashley looked up at me with red, swollen eyes. "But Mommy does it better."

"I know. But I’m doing my best, princess."

We sat like that for several minutes with me rubbing her stomach while she gradually relaxed. Finally, she smiled.

"That’s nice, Daddy."

"Good." I brushed her hair back from her forehead. "Ashley, I need you to understand something. Mommy and I... we’re getting divorced. That means Mommy won’t be living with us anymore. She won’t be here when you’re sick or scared or need her."

Ashley’s lower lip trembled. "But why?"

"Because grown-ups sometimes stop being good together. And when that happens, it’s better to live separately." I chose my words carefully. "But that doesn’t mean you stop loving your parents or that they stop loving you."

"Mommy still loves me?" Ashley’s voice was so small, so hopeful.

"Of course, she does." Despite everything, I knew that was true. Sophia’s withdrawal wasn’t because she stopped loving Ashley. It was because Ashley’s rejection had hurt her too much. "She loves you more than anything in the world."

"Then why won’t she come when I’m sick?"

I didn’t know how to answer that or how to explain to a six-year-old that she’d hurt her mother so badly that Sophia couldn’t bear to be rejected again. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"You’ll need to get used to life without Mommy being here all the time," I said instead. "But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t care. It just means things are different now."

Ashley was quiet for a moment, then shrugged. "I guess I only miss her when I’m sick anyway. The rest of the time, Tiffany is better."

But I could hear the lie in her voice. I could see the loneliness in her eyes that she was trying so hard to hide.

My daughter was learning to protect herself the same way Sophia had - building walls, pretending not to care, dismissing her own needs and feelings.

And it was my fault.

I’d created this situation.

"I promise you something," I said, pulling Ashley back into my arms. "No matter how busy I get, no matter what else is happening, I will always make time for you always. You’re my priority, princess. Always have been, always will be."

Ashley’s arms wrapped around my neck, squeezing tight. "You’re the best daddy ever."

The words should have made me feel good. Instead, they just highlighted how thoroughly I’d failed as a husband, as a mate, as a man.

Because while I’d been winning my daughter’s affection, I’d been destroying my wife.

And now both of them were paying the price.