**Diary Entry**
Ive asked my wife to leave and shielded my daughter from her after discovering where shes been taking the girl. Emily and I have been together for six years. She has an eight-year-old daughter, Sophie, who was only two when we met. Her father vanished months before she was born, then suddenly turned up on our doorstep in December while I was at work. When Sophie first saw him, he barely glanced at her.
Two weeks later, Emily dropped a bombshelltheyd agreed on shared custody. She refused to tell me where he lived or even give me his number. She always handled the school runs and club pick-ups, but in early January, Sophie started resisting visits. Shed say his place was horrible, filthy, and she couldnt sleep there. Once, right in front of Emily, she begged not to go back. Then, last Friday
Emily finished work at 8 PM and was meant to collect Sophie straight after. By 9, they still werent home, and she wasnt answering her phone. I rang her sisters, her mumno one knew where she was. I even drove to her workplace, but it was deserted.
Just after 2 AM, they finally walked in. I was livid. Emily offered a meek sorry, spinning some story about her phone dying. She claimed shed gone to her exs place, found no one there, and waited. He and Sophie supposedly arrived after 9, carrying takeaway. Hed walked her to the shops, apparently. Emily went inside, let them finish eating, then dozed off on the sofa. Woke up at 1:45 and raced home, blaming exhaustion.
She finally gave me his address the next day, insisting I drop Sophie off. The place was a hovel by a motorway in a rough part of towncrawling with cockroaches, beer bottles everywhere. The man himself sat in his underwear, staring blankly at the wall. I turned right around and brought Sophie home.
Tonight, I learned Emilys been giving him money and topping up his phone from our joint account. Are they back together? At this point, I wouldnt be surprised if theyve slept together. The deceit is too much.
Last night, I told her to leave but demanded Sophie staythis house is the only place shes safe. I wont send her into that squalor. Even my mother-in-law agrees shes better off with me; legally, Im listed as her guardian.
I dont see another way. Well see how this unfolds.
