I trusted my ex-wife when she begged for full custody, promising I’d always see our daughter. But when she ignored my calls, I drove to her house. Her new husband opened the door and whispered, “There is no daughter.”
We were young, married quickly, and had a baby girl. She was perfect. I promised I’d always be there for her.
Then came the divorce. “I want full custody,” she said. “You can see her anytime.” I agreed, wanting peace for our daughter. She remarried a month later, and I suspected something was off, but I had no proof.
At first, she kept her promise. But soon, visits became fewer, excuses piled up, and I couldn’t reach her. One day, I showed up at her house. “She’s asleep,” she claimed, but I heard my daughter laughing inside. When I insisted, she slammed the door in my face.
I missed her second birthday and felt like I was losing her. Then, one night, I knocked on her door. It wasn’t my ex who answered, but her new husband. “There is no daughter,” he said. “She has a new father now.”
I demanded to see my daughter. My ex appeared, smirking. “You will never see her again.”
I knew then it wasn’t over. I walked away, but I called a lawyer that night. I had been documenting everything, preparing for this moment. “Do you have proof?” my lawyer asked. “Yes,” I said. “I do.”
We went to court. My ex’s lawyer argued that she was the rightful custodian, but my lawyer played the recording: “You will never see her again.” The judge ruled in my favor: shared custody.
Over time, my ex’s marriage began to crumble, and my daughter started preferring to stay with me. One day, I showed up to pick her up. My ex was defeated. I smiled. “You were wrong. I’ll be seeing her a lot.”
As I drove away with my daughter, I knew I had won. “I love you, Daddy,” she said. “I love you more, sweetheart,” I replied.
Finally, free.