Edgar walked up onto the stage, standing behind the huge cake, and took the microphone from the MC.
He glanced at his family members, smiled, then turned to the crowd once more.
"Thank you all for coming…" he paused briefly before continuing with a grin, "And just so you know, I fully intend to haunt you all on this same day every year with party invites, bad jokes, and cake. You've been warned!"
Laughter filled the entire room.
"Alright, that's enough now. Let me blow the candles," he said, handing the microphone back and stepping up to the cake.
He finally blew out the candles.
A wave of cheers and applause echoed throughout the hall.
He then cut the cake and fed the first slices to his mother and father.
After that, all the guests raised their glasses for a toast. But just as everyone's glasses were raised…
The room suddenly went pitch black.
A chorus of confused, disgusted "eww" sounds followed in the darkness.
Then, the white curtain behind Edgar lit up, drawing everyone's attention.
Soon, images began to appear on the screen—pictures of Ivy and her father.
Some showed Edgar teaching little Ivy how to walk.
Some were of him consoling her as she cried.
Others captured him holding her on his shoulders.
There were shots of them building sandcastles on the beach together.
And more…
As the pictures continued to play, Ivy's gentle voice echoed through the ballroom over the microphone.
"Dear Dad,
Thank you for the hands that held me, steady and strong,
For teaching me right when I didn't know wrong.
For guiding my steps when I first tried to stand,
And catching me gently with your open hand.
Thank you for teaching me how to walk,
With patience in silence, or laughter in talk.
For every scraped knee and every small cheer,
You made all my fears just quietly disappear.
Thank you for teaching me how to speak,
For listening close when my voice was still weak.
For all of your stories, your jokes, and your songs,
For knowing what's right and correcting what's wrong.
Thank you for showing me how to be kind,
To lead with my heart and strength in my mind.
You taught me that love doesn't need to be loud,
And being yourself is what makes you most proud.
Thank you for late nights and rides in the rain,
For hiding your tiredness, masking your pain.
For lifting my world when yours felt so low,
You never let me feel the weight of your load.
So here's to the hero who walks without fame,
To the man who built me and never asked gain.
Dad, you're the reason I rise when I fall—
No gift could repay you, no words say it all."
---
As she finished her final words, tears brimmed in both Ivy's and Edgar's eyes. The lights slowly brightened as Ivy walked out into the spotlight. Two beams focused on her and Edgar for a long moment as they simply stared at each other.
Then Ivy ran and threw her arms around her father.
"My sweet baby… I'm so proud of you," Edgar said, choking back his tears.
"Dad…" Ivy cried even louder, clinging to him.
Applause and cheers burst out across the room once more.
Many guests were deeply moved by the father-daughter moment—some even had tears in their eyes.
However, most of the guests didn't realize the girl hugging Edgar was Ivy. They all assumed it was Levina.
Whispers spread among them, praising Levina for being such a loving and gentle daughter.
In the dimly lit room, Levina remained seated among the crowd. Though she enjoyed the admiration directed toward her, she couldn't fully embrace it—because she knew it wasn't her up there.
It was Ivy.
She clenched her fists, digging her nails into her palms.
She watched as her father embraced Ivy, patting her back with tears in his eyes.
Ever since she was young, her father had never shown her such affection. He always seemed distant, spending most of his time away from the house—often at his mistress's home, with his beloved Ivy.
She had always hated it. She had always felt neglected and invisible.
No matter how hard she tried to gain his attention, Ivy always seemed to receive it effortlessly.
Why?
She hated Ivy before, and even now.
Levina gritted her teeth in frustration.
Regina, noticing her daughter's emotional struggle, gently held her hand. When Levina met her eyes, Regina shook her head slightly.
Levina frowned.
"Mom, do you see that? How he's holding her and crying? He's never done that with me. Why, Mom? What did I do wrong? Aren't I his daughter too? We even look alike… so why the difference?"
"Is it because he loves her mo—"
"Levina."
Regina's sharp tone cut her off.
"Enough with the nonsense. So what if he doesn't love us? We are still his legitimate family. They're still the mistress and the illegitimate daughter. Don't forget, you rightfully own everything."
Regina warned her firmly.
Levina smirked bitterly.
"You're right, Mom. I do have everything. And I'll never let them have anything."
"Good. That's my daughter. Never let your enemy see your emotions. Now come—the party is ending. We must return to our room."
Levina nodded, and the two of them quietly left through the back door.
Back on stage, father and daughter were still hugging, tears now drying on their faces. As the lights returned to normal, they noticed the stares from the guests and pulled apart with soft smiles.
"I didn't know my daughter could make me cry this much on my birthday," Edgar chuckled.
"Come on, Dad—it's the least I could do," Ivy smiled warmly.
The guests began to enjoy their food again, and the atmosphere returned to cheerful chatter and laughter.
Edgar and Ivy walked back to Serina.
"Dad, here—I also got you this. Open it," Ivy said, handing him a box.
Edgar opened it and found a beautiful jade bracelet inside.
He smiled warmly. "What a good daughter I have. You always surprise me, Ivy."
"Of course, Dad. In Chinese culture, jade isn't just a stone—it's a symbol of protection, health, and luck. They say it absorbs negativity and keeps the wearer safe. So even if I can't always be around, this is like a piece of me—always looking out for you."
"You made this the best birthday of my life, my beautiful daughter. Thank you."
Soon the party ended and everyone went back to their separate destination.