When my ex-husband, Leo, suddenly reached out, saying he wanted to reconnect with our daughter, Lily, I thought maybe—just maybe—he was finally ready to be the father she deserved. I could never have imagined the real reason behind his sudden interest, and the truth made my blood boil.

Being a single mom to a five-year-old isn’t easy, and I’ve been doing it alone since the day Leo decided to leave me for the woman he'd been having an affair with.

Leo walked out on me almost three years ago when Lily was only two, and I needed a partner to help care for our little girl. Instead, he moved in with another woman just a few blocks away.

Honestly, I didn’t beg him to stay or try to change his mind. My pride wouldn’t allow it. But as Lily grew older, the questions she started asking broke my heart.

"Why doesn't Daddy come see me?" and "Does Daddy not love me anymore?" she’d ask. Every time, it felt like a piece of my heart was being torn out.

I did my best to give Lily everything she needed, working double shifts as a nurse to ensure she had clothes, food, and could go to a good daycare. But hearing other kids talk about their fathers at school only made Lily feel more left out. She’d come home, telling me how she wished Daddy would show up for her school plays or read her bedtime stories.

A girl looking down | Source: Midjourney

A man talking on the phone | Source: Pexels

That’s when I swallowed my pride and decided to call Leo.

I told him how Lily missed him, how she sometimes cried at night asking for her daddy. I begged him to be present in her life.

"Leo, she misses you," I said during our phone call. "She asks about you every day. Can't you just visit her sometimes?"

"I'm busy, Stacey," he replied coldly. "I'm building a new life now. You’ll figure it out."

He didn’t show up for her birthdays or special moments. Not when she got her first bike, or when she lost her first tooth. I guess he was too busy with his new life, planning a perfect future with someone else.

This was how things stayed until last week.

It was a regular Friday morning when I saw his name flash on my phone. I almost didn’t answer, but something urged me to pick up.

"Stacey, I’ve been thinking a lot," Leo said. "I’ve been ashamed of myself. I want to reconnect with our daughter."

My heart skipped a beat. After three years of silence, he wanted back in?

"Can I take her for the weekend? Just us. I want to show her she still has her dad. I made a mistake, and I want to fix it."

My heart cracked open a little. Lily had been so quiet lately. She had stopped asking about her dad, and it felt worse than when she cried for him.

"Are you serious about this, Leo?" I asked, my voice trembling with doubt. "Because if you hurt her again, I swear—"

"I’m serious," he interrupted. "I promise. This is about her, not us."

I agreed, though it took everything in me. No matter how much I despised what he did to me, I couldn’t get in the way of Lily having a relationship with her dad. Every child deserves to know their father loves them.

I packed her favorite unicorn backpack with pajamas, snacks, and a pink dress she loved. I kissed her forehead and told her, "Daddy is going to spend the weekend with you, just like he promised."

"Really, Mommy?" she asked, eyes wide.

"Really, baby girl," I said, smiling through the lump in my throat.

We agreed he’d bring her back on Sunday at 5 p.m. sharp.

As I watched them drive away, a sense of unease settled in my chest. I hoped I wouldn’t regret sending her with him.

On Saturday, I received pictures from Leo: Lily laughing on a carousel, clapping at a kid-friendly theater, smiling in every photo. It seemed like everything he promised was happening.

I was happy, thinking maybe he finally realized what he’d lost when he walked away from us.

But then came Sunday.

As I was getting ready for Lily’s return, my sister called me.

"Stacey, how could you allow this?" she asked, her voice full of concern. "Have you seen what your ex did to Lily?"

"Allow what?" I asked, confused. "He promised daddy-daughter time at an amusement park and all that. Lily really misses him, and I thought—"

"Oh God, he lied to you," she said, her voice softening with disbelief. "I thought you knew. I just saw him on Instagram."

My heart began to race. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm sending you a photo right now," she said.

The photo arrived. It was a screenshot from an Instagram account I didn’t recognize, but I immediately recognized the people in it.

There they were—Leo and his mistress-turned-girlfriend, Rachel, in full wedding attire. And between them, holding a small bouquet and wearing a frilly white dress, was my daughter.

Lily—innocent and unaware—looked lost and confused in the photos.

This was why Leo wanted to take Lily for the weekend. He was marrying Rachel and used Lily as a prop for their wedding photos. How could they do this without even telling me?

The captions were filled with fake sweetness: #OurDay #FamilyComplete #MyPrincess #FlowerGirl #BlessedFamily.

Fury exploded inside me. I immediately called Leo, but it went straight to voicemail. I called again. No answer.

I looked at the photos again and recognized the venue. It was a local estate with a huge glass gazebo—one I’d passed by hundreds of times. They were probably still there, celebrating their perfect day with my daughter as their unwitting prop.

I grabbed my keys and drove straight there.

The 20-minute drive felt like hours. How could he do this to her? How could he lie to us both?

When I arrived, I found them at the edge of the reception area. Leo was sipping champagne, laughing with his new bride while my daughter sat alone on a bench, hugging her teddy bear, looking like she wanted to disappear.

As soon as she saw me, her face lit up with relief.

"Mommy, can we go home now?" she whispered, arms stretched toward me.

I scooped her up immediately, holding her tight. "Yes, baby. We’re going home right now."

Rachel rushed over, still wearing her fake smile. "Wait! We didn’t get the family photo yet!"

Family photo, I thought. Yeah, right.

I looked her dead in the eyes. "You used my daughter as a prop for your Instagram wedding," I said, my voice shaking with rage. "She’s not your flower girl. She’s a child. And she had no idea why she was here."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Well, she looked cute. I needed a little girl for the photos. And it’s not like we have one of our own… yet."

Just then, one of Rachel’s bridesmaids stepped forward, visibly disgusted. "She planned this whole thing," Sarah announced. "Rachel told us she needed a flower girl for the pictures and that she’d get Leo to ‘borrow his kid.’ She said, ‘Her mom will fall for it.’"

Everyone’s gaze shifted to Rachel.

She tried to brush it off. "Sarah’s just jealous. She wants to ruin my day."

But it was too late. People were already whispering and casting judgment.

One of Leo’s cousins turned to me. "I’m so sorry, Stacey. I had no idea they were lying to you."

I nodded, too drained to speak. There was nothing left to say.

I’d seen enough. These people didn’t deserve another second of my time. And my daughter certainly didn’t deserve to be used.

Without a word, I turned and walked out with Lily. I didn’t look back.

By Monday morning, half of the bride’s side had unfollowed her on social media, and she had taken down the wedding photos.

I wasn’t surprised. You don’t use someone’s child as a prop for your wedding and expect to get away with it.

Looking back, I’m grateful my sister called me that day. If she hadn’t, I wouldn’t have known the truth until it was too late.

Thanks to her, I was able to bring Lily home safely.

And Leo? He won’t be near my daughter anytime soon. Not until he learns what it means to be a father.