Chapter 2

That night, my dad sneaked over to my crib. "Emily, be a good girl and say 'my daddy' first, okay? Help me look good in front of everyone, will you?"

He held up his phone, filming me with a hopeful look. "All my friends' kids said 'Mommy' first. If you say 'Daddy' first, I'll be the coolest dad ever.

"And I've already told everyone you're super close to me, so you have to say 'my daddy' first. Don't embarrass me, okay?"

So, was that why my dad blew up at my first chance? Just because I made him look bad?

My eye twitched in embarrassment, and I sighed inwardly.

My dad's got billions, and he was still fussing over something so trivial?

But then I realized that if I could solve this, I would be rolling in cash for the rest of my life. That thought snapped me right back to attention.

I fixed my gaze on my dad, my mind spinning at full speed.

How could I make my dad happy?

My dad said, "I set up a three hundred-million-dollar fund for you right when you were born, bought you a house and a car, and when you turn one, I'll give you company shares, too.

"After everything I've done for you, you still won't call me 'Daddy' first?"

Seeing the disappointment on my dad's face, I jolted. I hurriedly took off the gold bracelet from my wrist and shoved it into his hand.

While my dad was still stunned, I grabbed my toys and piled them all into his hands, babbling away.

My dad stared at me, totally stunned, and then it finally clicked. "Emily, are you giving me all your favorite things?"

My cheeks turned bright red as I nodded hard.

My dad was over the moon. "You're so little, but you already know how to be grateful and even give my daddy presents? My precious Emily, you really are such a good girl."

He scooped me up, showering me with kisses, and snapped a selfie. "See that? My daughter gave me a present. Isn't she way better than your kids?"

He was showing off nonstop in all his group chats, and he got so hyped that he went on a shopping spree, ordering me a mountain of new gifts.

By the time he finally left, I barely had a second to catch my breath before my mom showed up at my crib, looking seriously annoyed. "Emily, how could you treat my mommy like this?"

I froze, my breath catching in my throat.

That look of disappointment on my mom's face was the same as last time. "Your dad gave you all that money, but I'm the one who gave you life.

"I went through so much to have you, and now I'm stuck with all these aches and pains. I barely get any sleep because I'm always up feeding you, and you only give your dad gifts?"

My mom scooped me up and started rambling, venting all her frustrations. But honestly, I wasn't even listening anymore.

All I knew was that my mom wasn't as hard on me as she was at my second chance. She was upset that I gave my dad a present.

So, she came to me, complaining like a kid who didn't get her candy.

This was still fixable.

I scrambled out of her arms, crawling on all fours toward the nightstand.

I remembered that in the very bottom drawer, my house deed and Rolls-Royce keys were stashed away.

I clumsily pawed at the drawer, trying to get it open.

Seeing me huffing and puffing, my mom finally opened the drawer for me. "Emily, what are you looking for? Mommy can help you."

Before she could finish, I grabbed the house deed and pressed it firmly into her hand.

Before she could even react, I grinned and tossed the Rolls-Royce keys at her, too.

Just like before, I didn't say "Mommy" out loud. I just flashed my sweetest, most innocent smile and babbled away, waving my hands around.

My mom looked at me, her eyes suddenly turning red. "Seriously, Emily, are you really giving me the villa and the Rolls-Royce?

"You handed me something so valuable without even blinking. You really are Mommy's little sweetheart."

My mom practically danced out of the room, waving her arms. "Honey, you bragged too soon! Emily loves me the most.

"She only gave you toys, but she gave me a villa and a Rolls-Royce."

So, that was why my mom was upset. My dad was showing off way too much.

Both of them were happy, and they started bickering like kids over who I loved more.

"Emily loves me the most, of course. She's definitely going to say 'my daddy' first," my dad insisted.

"Emily gave me a whole villa! She loves me so much. She'll say 'Mommy' first, for sure," my mom shot back.

Even after all that, they were still waiting to see who I'd call first.

I still hadn't come up with a good plan yet, so I kept playing dumb and bought myself a little more time.

I thought I'd get a little peace, but nope. A couple of days later, my mom and dad dragged me off to the hospital to see a specialist.

"What's wrong with our daughter?" my dad asked.

"We did everything right: prenatal care, early education, you name it. She seems so smart, so why won't she call us 'Mommy' or 'Daddy'?" my mom added.

After a thorough check-up, the specialist told my parents, "Your daughter is developing perfectly. Her nervous system is completely normal.

"If she's still not talking, it's probably not a physical issue. Maybe it's something in her mind."

I hesitated. Should I say something and prove I was fine?

But the memory of those tragic endings in my first three chances hit me hard, and I clamped my mouth shut.