When my girlfriend Lucia and I had our daughter Marla, complications during delivery left her paralyzed. Lucia struggled with postpartum depression and eventually left, but I stayed, raising Marla with the help of my mother, Rosetta. Marla was my world, but dating became impossible, as women couldn’t accept my daughter’s disability. One by one, women like Ella, Oona, and Janette walked out of our lives.

Then, one day, Marla asked me to buy a lottery ticket. To my shock, we won nearly a million dollars. I used the money to improve our lives and provide for Marla’s future.

Soon after, all the women who had rejected me suddenly reappeared, vying for my attention. It was clear they were after my newfound wealth. My mother quickly sent them away, and I realized their true motives.

That night, I talked to Patricia, Marla’s tutor, who had always been there for us. It hit me—I had been searching for love in all the wrong places. Patricia already loved Marla and fit perfectly into our lives.

We started dating, and two years later, we got married. Patricia adopted Marla, and we had two more children. It turns out, the love I had been seeking was right in front of me all along.