Reporting For Duty, Daddy!

Synopsis

Three years after my divorce from Ryan Harper, I thought we would never cross paths again in this lifetime. He was the father of my daughter, and also the stern instructor who could make new recruits cry on the training ground. Between us, apart from the monthly visitation, there was only the cold figure of alimony on the bank card. Then a sudden academic conference from out of town disrupted all my plans. I had no choice but to send my socially phobic daughter, Sophie, to him. I listed all the precautions on three pages and repeatedly emphasized them. He only replied to me with one word: [Received.] I left for seven days with a heavy heart. When I came back, my daughter, who usually hid from everyone and spoke in a low voice, was actually standing tall and proud in the living room, shouting to him, "Reporting! Sophie Harper requests to watch cartoons." And my ex-husband, who was as tough as steel, was kneeling on the ground, using his hands that could carry a gun to clumsily tie a bow for her. When he saw me, he blushed with embarrassment. He said, "Reporting... Wait, I..." At that moment, I knew something had completely spiraled out of control.