Chapter 2: An Unexpected Father

Liu Heming arrived at the law firm in Jack’s car. The law firm was quite large; according to Jack, it was the second-largest law firm in the western United States, occupying floors 15 to 18 of the building.

Given Liu Heming’s current understanding of English, he really couldn’t remember the name of the law firm. They went up to the sixteenth floor, where everyone coming and going was foreign. Even some of the women gave off a fierce and strong vibe.

“Wait here for a moment. The other party will arrive soon. Don’t answer their lawyer’s questions directly. I will explain everything to you clearly, and then you can decide how to respond,” Jack said as he led him into a small conference room.

Liu Heming nodded. His mind was filled with mixed emotions. He was afraid, worried that there might be some kind of scheme involved. But he also felt a small sense of happiness. Even though he had no memory of it, this person was, after all, legally his wife.

At a quarter past nine, while Liu Heming was lost in these complicated thoughts, his so-called wife arrived with a whole team.

He wasn’t mistaken—it really was a team. From the looks of it, at least four of the people with her were lawyers, and the fifth seemed to be a bodyguard for a wealthy young lady. Liu Heming felt that if his “wife” gave the order, this bodyguard could tear him apart.

His attention was drawn to his legendary wife. He couldn’t see her eyes behind her sunglasses, and he didn’t recognize the brand of her clothes, but they looked expensive. Her presence was very powerful.

He imagined that this wife of his hadn’t changed much from the photo he’d seen; in fact, she seemed even more mature and beautiful. He couldn’t help but wonder how he had ended up “marrying” such a proud woman back then.

Sasha McGill merely glanced at him a couple of times after entering—or so it seemed to him. He couldn’t be sure if she actually looked at him because she was wearing sunglasses. Still, the sheer presence of her team had already overwhelmed him. The only silver lining was that it slightly eased his worries: his wife genuinely wanted a proper divorce.

Secretly, he hoped she would take off her sunglasses so he could get a good look at her face. Or maybe they could take a selfie together—something to show off later. After all, this was quite the legendary experience.

As it turned out, he didn’t have much to do. Jack was the one handling the conversation with them. They spoke quickly, and Liu Heming only caught numbers like “$400,000” and “$350,000,” guessing they were negotiating.

But when he noticed Jack frowning while carefully reading the agreement handed over by the other party’s lawyer, Liu Heming’s heart sank. Something was wrong.

Jack’s expression was serious, but he still turned to Liu Heming and said, “There’s a complication. They didn’t provide me with all the details initially. They also want full custody of the child.”

“Oh, let them have it. It doesn’t matter,” Liu Heming waved his hand dismissively. But as soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly froze. “Wait, what did you say? Child? What child?”

“You have a daughter together. She’s four years old. They want full custody and are offering $350,000, with no child support required from you.”

“Jack, hold on a minute,” Liu Heming said, frowning.

“Are you saying that not only did we get married that day, but we also… and now we have a child together? Is that right?”

Jack nodded. “If you’re willing to give up custody, I think they might be more flexible with the compensation. This is something you need to think about yourself. I won’t offer any advice.”

“Jack, are you sure it’s my child? Could it be someone else’s? I don’t remember anything from back then,” Liu Heming said, still frowning.

If there were no child involved, this would be a simple matter. But with a child in the picture, it became a serious issue—something money couldn’t solve.

Although he didn’t know much about these things, he instinctively understood that if he signed this agreement, he might never see this possible child again.

Now he realized why they had gone to such lengths to bring him here: it was all about custody. They hoped he would prioritize money and give up the child.

He had never started a family, and now he suddenly had a child. It left him feeling flustered. He didn’t know what to do, only that he couldn’t make a rash decision. Otherwise, he might regret it for the rest of his life.

Jack began discussing with the other party’s lawyers again. Liu Heming couldn’t understand what they were saying and didn’t bother trying. His only hope now was Jack.

“It’s confirmed—she is your child. I just asked if you could meet her, and they agreed. You can decide after you see her,” Jack said after finishing the conversation.

Liu Heming nodded firmly. His mind was a mess, but he had to meet this child.

Across the room, Sasha took off her sunglasses. Liu Heming finally saw her real face—her blue eyes were truly captivating.

“I hope you won’t do anything extreme after you see Alex,” Sasha said in slightly awkward Chinese.

“OK, I won’t do anything extreme. I just want to see the child,” Liu Heming replied with a nod.

Sasha whispered something to her bodyguard, who stared at Liu Heming for a moment before making a call.

The next ten minutes felt like an eternity to Liu Heming. Soon, another group of people arrived, and he knew his child was among them.

She had long black hair cascading down her back, with one strand tied up, playfully swaying as she moved. Her chubby cheeks still carried a hint of baby fat, and her eyes were dark and bright, like two gems set in her face.

It wasn’t like in the stories where you immediately feel a deep connection upon seeing your child. But in Liu Heming’s heart, he already knew—this was his daughter.

He didn’t know how others felt about suddenly becoming a father, and he wasn’t sure what the right way to feel was. Seeing this little girl in her Princess Dress, looking like a porcelain doll, all he wanted was to hold her.

“May I?” Liu Heming asked Sasha, hesitantly reaching out his hands.

Sasha frowned but nodded in agreement.

Liu Heming crouched down and waved at the little girl, who was studying him curiously. But even though she was his biological daughter, she didn’t give him any face—she hid behind Sasha.

“Jack, we can get divorced, but I can’t give up custody. I don’t want any of their money,” Liu Heming declared, standing up abruptly.

“This complicates things. Even if you have custody after the divorce, the court likely won’t grant it to you. The gap between you and Sasha in terms of providing for the child’s future happiness is too great,” Jack explained tactfully.

“In that case, you’d need to travel frequently between China and the United States. The financial burden would be heavy. You need to think this through carefully.”

Liu Heming’s brows furrowed. He truly couldn’t afford that financial burden.

After a brief moment of thought, Liu Heming turned to Sasha and said, “I’ll agree to the divorce, but you must help me get residency in the United States. I won’t interfere with your life, but I need to be able to see my child regularly.”

This was the only solution he could think of. If he could get a green card, it would be much easier for him to visit his child while living in the U.S.

He had missed the first four years of her life, but he didn’t want to be absent from the rest of it. This was his child, and no matter his capabilities, he needed to protect her, watch her grow up, and see her get married.

The flicker of fear he had seen in her eyes had struck a chord deep within him. Even if he couldn’t find a good job here, he was willing to do manual labor just to stay.

He spoke slowly, and Sasha understood him. However, the request he made was not easy to handle.

“I’m not sure if this is possible,” Jack interjected.

“Could you sign a supplementary agreement? Once Dexter obtains his green card and is clear with immigration, then you can proceed with the divorce.”

He first said this in Chinese, then repeated it in English to Sasha and her lawyers.

Sasha and her lawyers began discussing. Liu Heming couldn’t make out what they were saying, and even if he could, he wouldn’t have cared. His entire focus was on that little figure.

“Dexter, Dexter… Liu Heming!” Jack called out twice before finally using his Chinese name to get his attention.

“Any results?” Liu Heming asked, turning around.

“Yes. They agree, but you’ll need a two-year stable residency period to avoid issues with immigration. During those two years, you must have a normal tax record,” Jack explained.

“Your wife will provide you with a Ranch as a foundation for your life in the United States. However, they have conditions: even though you’re not divorced, you can only see the child once a month, and you must arrange it in advance. They also need to assess your living conditions.”

“No problem, no problem at all. As long as I can stay and see my daughter, I’ll agree to anything. And tell her to write the value of the Ranch in the agreement. I’ll pay her back in the future,” Liu Heming replied without hesitation.

He wasn’t the same person who used to drift through life anymore. He was a Dad now, and he had to take on this responsibility.