Chapter 1

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• Five Years For A Lie   Chapter 9

  After that day, whenever I had time, I would go home with Chloe to visit Ellie. I ate at her place so often that I eventually started using my own salary to pitch in—buying ingredients for us. Sometimes, I would bring a new toy for Ellie. Other times, I would get a little something for Chloe. Before I knew it, I was staying over occasionally, especially when Ellie did not want me to leave. Slowly, more and more of my personal things ended up there too. There was something unspoken growing between us—a quiet connection. I had not worked up the nerve to break the silence yet. I wanted to be ready, really ready, before I said anything.That changed the day Chloe and I were out with Ellie and ran into Xena and Riley. They looked dirty and worn down, completely different from the people they used to be. It was Riley who saw me first. He ran over and suddenly shoved Ellie to the ground. “Who are you?! Why are you holding my daddy’s hand?!”Ellie was caught off guard and burst into

• Five Years For A Lie   Chapter 8

  I was sitting in a restaurant and eating with her when she burst into tears. When I saw that, I panicked and grabbed a napkin to wipe her face. Then, I remembered that it was not appropriate to touch a woman like that, so I quickly put my hand down.However, Chloe suddenly grabbed my hand and pressed it gently under her eye to wipe away a tear. My ears flushed, and for a moment, I forgot to pull away. When I came back to my senses, she was quietly watching me. I felt nervous under her gaze and quickly pulled my hand back.She said, “Actually, I have a daughter too. Her name is Ellie, and she’s four years old.”We had known each other for over a year, but I had never seen her bring her daughter anywhere.Chloe lowered her head and explained in a quiet voice, “My ex-husband was abusive. She developed autism early on and never wants to go out.”I was stunned for a moment. Flustered, I nervously apologized. “I’m sorry.”She let out a soft chuckle. “There’s nothing to be sorry abo

• Five Years For A Lie   Chapter 7

  Soon after, Xena was officially reported and dismissed from her position. Along with that, she was about to lose all the benefits she had been receiving.Lucas had even reluctantly spent what little he had and bought a necklace to try to win her over. However, when he found out what was happening, his face twisted with anger, and he cursed as he stormed home.After that, he took the necklace and tried to charm other women, hoping to be supported by them. Only one woman, who was about 50 years old and known for her wild ways, took an interest in him.Lucas quickly settled into a life of being supported, but he was in unbearable pain every night.Even in the middle of summer, he wore long sleeves and pants just to hide his bruises when he went out.On the other hand, news about Xena spread fast. The only good thing was that Riley could still finish kindergarten. Riley quickly became isolated at school due to Xena being his mom.The other kids would point at him and call him names w

• Five Years For A Lie   Chapter 6

  Xena sat at home all night, completely out of it. Early the next morning, Lucas came home with Riley. He had two takeout containers and three sandwiches in his hands.When he saw Xena sitting motionless in the living room, he jumped in surprise, then walked over to put his arm around her. “What’s wrong? You look terrible. Where’s your husband? Why isn’t he taking care of you?”He could not help but throw shade at me.Xena, who had been sitting there like a lifeless robot, suddenly came back to her senses. She glared at him and barked, “Shut your mouth!”Lucas was totally caught off guard and did not dare say another word.Riley looked around curiously. “Is Daddy not home?”Lucas’ eyes lit up. He stood up and did a quick walk around the house before scooping up Riley and spinning him in a circle. “You’re right! He got mad and stormed off. We’ve got the place to ourselves today!”Riley threw his hands up and cheered.However, in the next second, Xena grabbed Riley and set him f

• Five Years For A Lie   Chapter 5

  Xena’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly got up to open the door. The moment she opened it, a complaint letter was slapped right into her face.“You’ve been reported by your own husband for having a chaotic personal life, cheating, and even having a love child! Oh wait, my bad. He’s your ex-husband now. He filed for divorce on his own, and now, everyone knows just what a piece of trash you are!“You were the top candidate to be promoted to department manager. And now? You've just handed that spot to your competitor on a silver platter!”Stunned, Xena stood frozen as she shakily opened the letter in her hands. Sure enough, it was written in my handwriting. Her face turned pale, and she took a step back.“How could this happen…”Then, it was as though something clicked in her mind, and she asked urgently, “Do you know where he went?”Her supervisor looked at her with a look full of disappointment. “You’re still worried about your ex? He’s long gone. You should be worrying about

• Five Years For A Lie   Chapter 4

  Xena’s face stiffened, and she gripped my hand tightly. “I’m not agreeing to that. All I did was invite Lucas over to celebrate your birthday. Is that really worth divorcing over? You've already beaten him till he's been admitted to the hospital. Isn’t that enough for you to let out your anger?”Her eyes turned red, and her expression was full of grievance as she stared at me.I slowly lifted the paternity test in my hand, lowering my eyes to look at her.“Riley is not my biological son. That’s reason enough. I always thought he wasn’t close to me because he was shy. Turns out it was just instinct. He knew from the start I wasn’t his father.”In a panic, Xena snatched the report from my hands and fumbled it open with trembling hands. Her face instantly went pale as she shook her head.“No, that’s not possible! Riley is your biological son! Maybe there was a mistake. Let’s do another test!”I let her drag me to Lucas’ hospital ward without resisting. She flung the door open with a