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

SHE FELT LIKE A STRANGER IN HER OWN HOME

“Yes, let's surprise Mommy!” Brandon said with a faint smile.

The drive back to the suburbs was really calm. Maggie watched the trees go by and hummed a tune to herself. When Brandon pulled the car into the driveway of their house, he took a slow breath and got ready to start decorating as soon as they went inside.

Brandon unlocked the door and held Maggie's hand and when the door opened they both stopped and stared. 

The front hallway and living room were looking amazing. 

There were banners that said "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" in gold letters and lots of balloons floating around. 

The walls had party decorations on them. There was a big table in the middle of the room with bright tablecloths on it.

Maggie was so surprised and happy. She let go of Brandon's hand as she gasped with her eyes shining with excitement.

"Oh my gosh, Daddy! Look!" Maggie exclaimed, jumping up and down. "Mommy did it! Mommy came home early. She made the house look pretty for me! It's a surprise party! She really didn't forget my birthday!"

Brandon was also really surprised. He stared at the decorations and felt a little better. After what happened at the hospital he thought Lyra would not care about Maggie's birthday. It seemed like she actually put in some effort.

Watching Maggie run around and laugh made Brandon feel peaceful. 

‘Maybe,’ he thought, ‘maybe Lyra finally understands how sick Maggie is. At least she is trying to do something for our child.’

The happy moment did not last long.

"Hey! Don't touch that! Those are my balloons!" a mean voice said from upstairs. “Let go of the balloon.”

Brandon's smile disappeared when he looked up.

Leo, Jake's son, was running down the stairs. He was wearing a party hat as he snatched the balloon from Maggie's hand. "This is my party! Go away!"

Before Brandon could do anything, Lyra's and Brandon’s bedroom door opened.

Jake came out first fixing his shirt, then Lyra came out laughing at something Jake said. They looked really comfortable together.

Brandon’s fists trembled violently as anger surged through him.

Lyra had brought these people into their house while Maggie was in the hospital. They came out of the bedroom together. In his house. In the bedroom where they used to sleep together.

Had they already moved in together? Had they started living as a family before he even signed the divorce papers?

"Lyra," Brandon said, his voice shaking with rage. "What is going on here?"

Lyra stopped laughing when she saw Brandon and Maggie. Her expression immediately hardened with irritation.

Jake immediately hurried down the stairs with an apologetic expression on his face, raising both hands as if trying to calm the situation before it exploded.

“Brandon, please don’t misunderstand what’s happening here,” Jake said softly, his voice sounding sincere even though there was something fake beneath it. “Tomorrow is Leo’s birthday, and our apartment suddenly started having serious problems with the water pipes.” He let out a tired sigh before continuing. “Lyra knew how stressed we were, so she kindly invited us to stay here for a few days until things got fixed.”

Jake glanced at Brandon with an awkward smile filled with false guilt.

“We honestly didn’t mean to upset you. If our presence here makes you uncomfortable, just say the word and I’ll leave immediately with Leo. The last thing we want is to cause problems between you and Lyra.”

Just then, Lyra slowly walked downstairs and stopped beside Jake, her expression immediately hardened the moment she looked at Brandon.

“Why you've to leave Jake?” Lyra asked coldly. “This house belongs to me too. My name is on the ownership papers, and I helped pay for this place.” She crossed her arms firmly over her chest. “I have every right to invite my friends into my home, and I don’t need anyone's permission to help people I care about.”

While Lyra was speaking, Leo quietly walked over to her side and tightly grabbed her hand with a satisfied smile on his face.

Then he looked directly at Maggie.

It almost felt as if he was silently telling her,

“She belongs to me now, not you.”

Maggie stood quietly near the couch, frozen in place. Her small face had turned pale, and tears slowly filled her big brown eyes as she struggled not to cry.

At that moment, Maggie finally understood the truth.

None of this had been for her.

Not the golden banners.

Not the balloons.

Not the decorations filling the house.

Even the surprise party she had gotten so excited about… was never meant for her.

For the first time in her life, Maggie felt like she no longer belonged in her own home.

Brandon saw the tears gathering in Maggie’s eyes, and something inside him finally snapped.

He took a few steps forward until he was standing directly in front of Lyra, his entire body trembling with anger.

“Have you completely lost your mind, Lyra?” Brandon demanded, his voice shaking as he pointed toward the birthday decorations hanging from the ceiling. “Do you even remember that tomorrow is Maggie’s birthday too? She’s your daughter!”

His chest rose and fell heavily as years of pain and frustration poured out of him.

“You promised her that you’d spend the day with her. You promised you wouldn’t work. You promised you’d be there for her birthday.” His eyes burned with disbelief. “So how can you stand here and break that promise so easily just to prioritize someone else’s child over your own daughter?”