After a Family Trip Without Me

When I woke up, the sharp scent of disinfectant filled my nose. Every inch of my body ached, and a heavy grogginess weighed me down.A nurse informed me that I had collapsed on my front doorstep the night before. It was a neighbor who found me and brought me to the hospital.Out of nowhere, my son, Jackson Walker's voice, rang in my mind. "Ms. Moore." He was referring to Sophia Moore—my husband, Mason Walker's, first love.It was midday, and the ward was alive with occasional bursts of laughter and conversation from other patients and their families. But at the foot of my bed, there was only emptiness.After sitting in silence for what felt like an eternity, I decided to call Mason. As always, he didn't answer.I scrolled through my social media feed, only to find his latest post. It read, "A once-in-a-lifetime family trip with the one I love."In the photo, Mason and Sophia had their arms around Jackson. They smiled brightly at the camera, their fingers forming a heart. They loo

I returned to the apartment I had purchased before getting married. There, I started to settle into a life on my own.I didn't have much—this apartment was the only valuable possession I owned.At one point, I had planned to leave it to Jackson. To me, it felt like the most tangible expression of a mother's love.But everything shifted with one careless remark from Sophia. "How could Jackson possibly live in a place this old and rundown? It's hardly worthy of someone who's the heir to the Walker family."Having grown up surrounded by luxury, Jackson didn't hesitate to agree. He threw a tantrum, outright refusing to accept the apartment. "I don't want to live in some rundown place. I want to live in Dad's villa!"My heart shattered to see him throw such a fit.Mason quickly pulled Jackson into his arms, soothing him gently. "Don't cry, Jackson. I would never make you live in a place like that."Shooting me a cold glare, he snapped, "Athena, what do you think you're doing? Why wou

On the fourth day after I moved out, I received a call from an unfamiliar number. A woman's voice came through. It was polite but distant."Hello, is this Jackson Walker's mother?"Sorry to bother you, Ms. Thornton. I'm Jackson's homeroom teacher. We held a parent-teacher meeting today, but unfortunately, neither you nor Mr. Walker was present."Some of the more mischievous students teased Jackson because of it. Being somewhat impulsive, he got into a confrontation with them."This situation could affect Jackson's emotional and physical well-being. I've tried reaching out to Mr. Walker, but I couldn't reach him. So, I'm contacting you. Would you be able to come to the school as soon as possible?"I paused for a moment after hearing this.I looked at the date on my phone. That day was indeed the day of the parent-teacher meeting. Just a few days ago, I had been preparing to go.In fact, I had attended every single parent-teacher meeting so far.Mason was always too absorbed in h

Noticing my calm demeanor, Mason's frustration only seemed to intensify.Soon after, I found Abigail and handed her the homemade cookies I had prepared. Her face immediately brightened with joy. "Wow, Athena! You're amazing! These are the best cookies I've ever had!"She eagerly passed them out to her classmates. "Abigail, your mom's friend is so nice. I'm so jealous of you!" one of them exclaimed."As you should be!" Abigail responded. "Athena doesn't just bake the best treats. She works in medicine and saves lives. She's a real hero!"The proud and joyful look on her face filled me with warmth. It was something I had never felt with Jackson.His teacher once mentioned that he hadn't eaten much at school. In a panic, I rushed to prepare a special lunch with homemade juice and delivered it to him myself. But he simply threw it all in the trash right in front of me, completely indifferent to the effort I had put in."I don't want to eat this! I want the food from that restaurant M

Jackson looked at me, his expression one of hurt. "Mom, I haven't eaten all day. My stomach really hurts," he said.I stood there, completely unmoved.He continued to ask, "Mom, can you make me some steak and mashed potatoes?"I walked right past him, unlocking the door with my keys. "No," I said firmly.Jackson paused, realizing only then that I wasn't messing around."But Mom, didn't you say you loved me the most? You can't just leave me like this."I scoffed coldly and said, "Why not? Why should I care about you?"Jackson, I'm not your mother anymore. Your father has custody now. You're the one who wanted to stay with him and told me to leave the house."Panic flashed in his eyes. He quickly stood up and tried to grab my arm. "Mom, even if you and Dad are divorced, we're still mother and son. We're family."Indeed, we were family. And because he was my flesh and blood, I had given him my everything for years. But he ultimately proved that he wasn't deserving of it.Jackson