No father would sacrifice the life of his Daughter

I understand the concept of blackmailing a man and the risk of losing his wife or family being at stake. I can even imagine there's some men who would go above and beyond what most consider "too much" in order to keep their adulterous actions hidden. I even could believe a man, driven into depression and lacking emotional connection from his daughter's life threatening illness could make such a selfish, thoughtless, and disgusting momentary lapse in their judgement.

What I find extremely difficult to understand is a FATHER that would risk his daughters life to save his name, marriage and the life of a female whom he'd only recently begun this so called "affair" (for lack of a better term). The two never even actually had intercourse, so I'm not sure what made the risk in telling his wife so much worse the truth being hidden at the expense of her life. If I was his wife, I'd of had less respect for him for telling me that seven years of the couple saving money for their daughter's extended lifespan, than a husband who almost cheated. Only to tell her the entire story immediately after he'd paid the blackmailer.

A father would never risk his daughters life for the sake of his good name let alone for some woman whom he'd "almost" had an affair with one time. I'm a mother myself, and I know the thought process of a parent, and this is too much of a stretch for me to believe.