A Father's Nightmare in Broad Daylight
"Kevin and Emily are an ordinary couple who finally had their own baby after three years of IVF. The day before the baby’s full moon celebration, they went shopping at a mall. Kevin was drawn to a coffee table shaped like a cradle, but Emily thought it looked dangerous and unsafe for their child. Hearing this, Kevin—who had always felt overshadowed by Emily—became upset. He believed his wife was too domineering, making all the decisions about their home’s decor and appliances, leaving him feeling emasculated. Even when he wanted to buy a coffee table, she opposed it, so the more she objected, the more determined he became to buy it. The next day, while Emily was cooking to host relatives and friends, Kevin became engrossed in assembling the coffee table. The two argued again over it, and Emily finally relented, saying she would go pick up the cake first. As soon as she left, the baby woke up. In a moment of inexplicable recklessness, Kevin placed the baby on the half-assembled coffee table. In an instant, the table collapsed, and the baby’s cries abruptly stopped. Kevin was stunned—filled with regret, terror, and guilt. Just then, Emily called, saying she and the family would be back in 10 minutes. Panicked, Kevin began covering up the accident. Every little noise made him frantic, but he managed to clean up the bloodstains before Emily returned. However, the relatives insisted on seeing the baby. Kevin desperately made excuses, finally convincing them to drop the matter. As the family sat down to eat, the doorbell rang—it was the coffee table salesman. Rage surged in Kevin’s heart. The salesman had assured him the table was ""indestructible,"" which was why he had bought it with confidence. Now, it had led to tragedy. He wanted the salesman to pay but couldn’t reveal the truth, so he had to swallow his anger. Finally, an elderly neighbor walked her dog, and the dog picked up a bloodstained baby shoe, exposing the truth. Emily, shattered by the discovery, jumped to her death. Drenched in sweat, Kevin woke up—realizing it had all been a nightmare. He swore to himself that from then on, he would let go of his pointless pride, listen to his wife, and be a better father."
