HE LOST HIS DAUGHTER ONCE, NOW HE’S A RUTHLESS BILLIONAIRE

MAKE HER GO AWAY

“Do you really think I’m heartless enough to forget my own daughter’s birthday?”

Lyra didn’t even flinch. She simply crossed her arms and looked at Brandon as though he were overreacting over nothing.

“I remember everything, Brandon, so stop yelling in front of the children,” Lyra replied calmly, her voice cold and flat. “And since Maggie and Leo happen to share the same birthday, I honestly think combining the parties tomorrow makes perfect sense. It saves time, saves money, and makes things easier for everyone involved. There’s no reason to turn this into such a huge issue.”

But Leo immediately felt dissatisfied at the idea.

“No! I don’t want that!” he shouted, stomping his foot angrily before tugging hard on Lyra’s hand. “Mommy Lyra, you promised me a rocket ship party! I want my own party. I don’t want to share my cake or my balloons with anyone else…”

Then Leo pointed directly at Maggie as if she were the problem.

“Make her go away.”

This time, Lyra didn’t immediately give in to Leo’s demands. She frowned slightly as she looked down at him, her tone becoming firmer than before.

“Leo, stop being selfish,” Lyra said gently but seriously. “Maggie is my daughter, and tomorrow is her birthday too. You can’t always have everything to yourself. You need to learn how to share with others, okay?”

The moment Leo realized throwing a tantrum was not working, his expression changed instantly.

He looked toward Jake, and Jake gave him a small, subtle nod.

Almost immediately, Leo’s eyes filled with tears.

His tiny shoulders slumped as if his heart had been broken and he lowered his head sadly.

“I’m sorry, Mommy Lyra,” Leo whispered in a trembling voice. “I shouldn’t have asked for so much. I forgot I’m just a kid without a real mommy.” His lips quivered as tears rolled down his cheeks. “Having you celebrate my birthday with me is already more than I deserve. I should’ve been grateful instead of asking for more… I’m sorry for ruining everything.”

Then Leo slowly reached for Jake’s hand and tugged on it weakly as he turned toward the door.

“Come on, Daddy,” Leo mumbled sadly as he lowered his head. “Let’s just go back to our apartment. We shouldn’t keep bothering them anymore…”

His small voice trembled as tears filled his eyes.

“It’s my fault for expecting too much. I just wanted a small birthday party with you and Mommy Lyra… like other kids who get to celebrate with both their parents.” He wiped his nose with his sleeve before looking down sadly. “But I forgot… I don’t have a real mommy.”

Leo forced a tiny, heartbreaking smile onto his face.

“I’m sorry for being selfish.”

Lyra’s heart immediately softened when she saw the little boy crying.

Jake let out a frustrated sigh before lightly grabbing Leo by the arm as if trying to pull him away.

“I already told you not to cause trouble for Lyra,” Jake scolded him, though his voice sounded more performative than genuinely angry. “Come on, Leo. We shouldn’t stay where we’re clearly not wanted.”

But the moment Jake tried pulling him away, Leo cried even louder, clutching tightly onto Lyra’s hand.

“Wait, Jake! Leo, stop crying. Don’t leave,” Lyra said quickly as she stepped forward to stop them.

Then she slowly turned back toward Brandon and Maggie.

For a brief second, uncertainty flashed across her face when she saw the tears in Maggie’s eyes. She remembered the promise she had made to her daughter.

But as Leo’s sobs grew louder behind her, the hesitation in Lyra’s expression slowly disappeared, replaced once again by the same cold firmness as before.

“Brandon,” Lyra said firmly, “take Maggie somewhere else tomorrow and celebrate her birthday there. Use my credit card and book any place you want. I don’t care how expensive it is, just make her happy.”

She took a slow breath before continuing.

“Buy her whatever she wants, dolls, dresses, cakes, anything. But you need to help Maggie understand that sometimes she has to be selfless too. Maggie already has both her parents, a home, and people who love her… unlike Leo, who’s growing up without a mother.”

She glanced toward Leo and finally looked back at Brandon.

“Right now, Leo needs this house more. He’s already emotionally overwhelmed, and he’s too sensitive to share his birthday with someone else at the moment. So just take Maggie away for the weekend, alright? I’ll pay for everything.”

Brandon stood there in stunned silence as the entire room fell quiet.

Behind him, Maggie’s teddy bear slipped from her hands and landed softly on the floor.

A second later, quiet sobs broke the silence.

Brandon slowly turned his head and saw tears streaming down Maggie’s face as she stood there heartbroken, finally understanding that her own mother was choosing someone else over her.

In that moment, something inside Brandon finally shattered completely, he looked back at Lyra in disbelief, and his breathing turned uneven.

“…Are you seriously saying this right now?”