Chapter 32: Chapter 32-I beg you

Just as Dave was about to explode with frustration, the little girl spoke again.

"Daddy, if you're nicer to Mommy, she'll be nice to you too. My teacher says love is mutual—if you're kind to others, they'll be kind to you."

That seemingly innocent remark hit Dave hard.

He understood the concept of mutual love, of course.

But in a marriage that had started with endless resentment and anger, he couldn't give her the love she needed. The only thing he could do was use every possible means to torment her, to watch her suffer and struggle. That was the only way he could feel some relief.

Yet now, their daughter was telling him to be nicer to her mother, even as their marriage teetered on the brink of collapse.

It was laughable, but also deeply ironic.