Sorry Daddy, I Fired Your Girlfriend

Dad's new girlfriend was coming over for dinner to meet me for the first time. But the moment she spotted my Hermès bag, her smile vanished. She slammed her fork down and stormed out without a word.

When Dad asked what was wrong, she snapped, "How can someone her age afford a bag like that? She must be mooching off you!"

I couldn't help but laugh. "You know what? You're right. We shouldn't leech off our parents—or our kids. Guess I'll have to cancel Dad's credit card then!"

I'd just wrapped up a company meeting when my phone buzzed. Dad's name flashed on the screen.

"Sweetheart, free tonight?" he asked, his voice bright. "Autumn and I have been dating almost a year now, and she thought it was time we all had a proper dinner. What do you say?"

I scrolled through my calendar. The evening was wide open.

"Sure, let's do it at home. I'll be there."

Dad sounded like I'd just told him he won the lottery. "Perfect! I'll have Mrs. Chen make your favorite chicken stew," he gushed before hanging up.

Mom died in a car crash when I was six. After that, Dad juggled work and raising me alone. Over the years, friends tried setting him up, but he always refused—worried it might mess me up. It wasn't until after I graduated college that he finally agreed to meet someone a friend introduced.

Work kept me too busy to ask for details, but from Dad's calls, I'd pieced together that this "Autumn" was supposedly kind and nurturing.

Since it was our first meeting, I had my assistant pick up a Chanel handbag as a welcome gift.

After work, I drove straight to Dad's place. He'd moved back to our old house after retiring, while I'd been crashing in a condo near the office for convenience. Walking up the driveway, it hit me—I hadn't visited in nearly six months.

The door swung open before I could knock. A well-put-together woman blinked at me, startled, then plastered on a smile.

"You must be Lydia!" she trilled. "I'm Autumn, your father's girlfriend. Call me Auntie!"

Before I could respond, her eyes locked onto my bag like a heat-seeking missile. She only stepped aside when Dad's voice boomed from behind her.

Two months since I'd last seen him, and he looked happier than ever. He bombarded me with questions—how was work, was I dating anyone—while steering me toward the dining room.

I rolled my eyes. "Dad, focus on your own love life. I'm fine."

He chuckled, his gaze drifting to Autumn, who was fussing in the kitchen with Mrs. Chen.

At dinner, I slid the gift box across the table.