Both Sam and Melissa were divorced for some time, yet the daughter Bella stayed with Sam and not with Melissa. I believe that it doesn't necessarily matter which parent you stay behind with, but was there any hints in the story that made Bella stay with her father? Did Melissa do something wrong for someone to force her to stay away from her own daughter?

Feel free to share comments. Besides, I felt I should make a topic as my account seems to be inactive according to the moderators...

I'm pretty sure that they share custody with her. Inside one of the archives, Melissa's Locket to be exact, is a photo of Melissa and Bella celebrating Bella's birthday. Bella's birthday was recent (from the time the game started), and Melissa also wrote in a letter to Bella about how big and mature she's becoming.

So, I think they just share custody ^^ Good question though, I never thought of that.

I think the reason why Bella was in Sam's custody is because Melissa was busy in her work in her latest project (the t.v show) while Sam had a better schedule because he was a teacher,also his mother (I think it was stated in the archives, correct me if I'm wrong) did the babysitting for him. In a sense both of them aren't bad as parents they were just too busy to take care of Bella.

I always had the impression that Melissa had compunction for not having enough time for Bella. It shows in her overprotective actions towards Bella later in the game, as if she wanted to make amends for her previous neglect even going as far as sacrificing herself or caring for a abhorrent shibito brain daughter that only a mother could love (maybe other moms would act the same way in that situation?)

Looking back in the archive files, I think there could be more to Melissa than it meets the eye.

Melissa's letter towards Bella in Archive 13 implied that Melissa and Sam's mother doesn't get along.

"It's Mommy. I'm not sure if Grandma will want you to read this letter or not, but I'm writing because I miss you so much."

They either had a huge falling out with Sam's mother having the idea that Melissa was abandoing her daughter for the sake of her career, or perhaps Melissa lost her temper towards Bella and Sam's mother just happened to be a witness.

Melissa's temper is obvious in the story, but she doesn't seem to be the kind to get angry towards Bella in the same way she does towards Sam. In the video footage from Archive 2 when she scolds Bella for chewing her nails, she doesn't sound as angry as she was towards Sam, but that's just me.

Reading the last section of Archive 13 gives the implication that Melissa cannot be with her daughter unless she changes her ways first:

"I'm so sorry we can't be together. I've missed so much time with you, and there's no way I will ever be able to make that up, but just always remember that Mommy loves you more than anything in this whole world."

But then again, maybe I'm just looking too deep in all this. Who knows?