Chapter 2

A few days later, Noah still hadn't received any news from Alexander about attending his birthday party. He cried in sadness and frustration. Seeing him so sad broke my heart.

I didn't care if Alexander got angry. I frantically tried to communicate with him through the mind link, called him repeatedly, and even asked other people to relay my messages in the hope that he would answer my calls.

Finally, Alexander replied to my message. He agreed to come. Noah almost jumped with joy. "Dad is coming! Dad is really coming to my party!"

It would be the first time Alexander had ever attended Noah's birthday party.

I forced myself to perk up and cleaned the entire house until it was spotless. In the afternoon, my son's classmates arrived. The pups chatted away in curiosity about Noah's father, as no one had ever seen him.

"You guys will see him soon!" Noah beamed proudly.

However, my heart sank. If the other pups found out that Alpha Alexander was actually Noah's father, there would be an uproar in the pack. Alexander would be furious if our mate bond were exposed.

But I couldn't bear to stop Noah after seeing him so happy for once. I decided that I'd just have to ask the pups to keep it a secret later.

In the evening, the table was filled with food that all pups loved. The delicious aroma wafted through the house. Everyone was seated at the table, waiting for Alexander.

As time ticked by, the sound of the clock on the wall grew louder in this silence. The dishes on the table went from steaming hot to stone cold.

Still, Alexander didn't show up. Noah's classmates exchanged glances. Finally, someone couldn't hold back and asked, "Noah, where's your dad?"

"Is he not coming?"

"You must be lying, right? You don't have a father!"

"I didn't lie!" Noah's face turned crimson as he tried to defend himself.

The mocking and suspicious glances from the other pups made Noah feel utterly humiliated.

My heart burned with anxiety when I saw him in that state. I turned away and kept calling Alexander's phone. After countless attempts, my call finally connected.

"Hello?" Alexander's voice came through the phone.

I was just about to speak when I heard Vivian's sickeningly sweet voice on the other end of the call. "Alexander, come over here…"

Suddenly, the call ended immediately. My vision went black, and I nearly lost my balance. I knew that he wasn't coming.

As I tried to think of a way to break the harsh truth to Noah, I heard his low, shaky voice behind me. "It's okay, Mom. It's better if Dad doesn't come. I can feel more at ease. Let's not wait for him and cut the cake."

I turned around and saw Noah holding back tears. His tiny fists were clenched tightly as he tried to force a nonchalant smile. Behind him, the lively atmosphere at the dining table completely vanished as everyone had left.

The last pup to leave even ran off while turning back to make a face. He shouted, "Noah's a big, fat liar!"

I shot the pup a glare and looked down to comfort Noah, but all I saw was him putting on a brave face. His maturity felt like a knife to my heart.

Noah was still so young… How could Alexander be so cruel? The sorrow in my heart was overtaken by an intense rage!

Unwilling to give up, I turned on my phone again. The first thing I saw was Alexander's newly posted update. It was a photo of him and Vivian cuddling by the pool, accompanied by a caption that read, "Celebrating a beautiful evening together."

I was the one who organized that event! Her welcome ceremony should've ended in the afternoon…

But Alexander couldn't bear to leave Vivian's side, not even for his own son's birthday party. He hadn't wanted to let Vivian out of his sight for even a minute.

My heart clenched as if it were being crushed. I had to pound on my chest just to breathe again.

"Mom?" Noah called out behind me.

Wiping away the tears, I forced a smile and kissed his disappointed face. "Alright, we won't wait for him. Let's begin."

Alexander? It no longer mattered whether he turned up or not. From now on, I would shower my son with double the love to make up for it.

Noah closed his eyes and made a wish before blowing out his birthday candles. I didn't need to ask what he wished for. I knew that he wanted a dad like everyone else.

That night, neither of us mentioned Alexander again. The next morning, I was awakened by the sounds downstairs. I grabbed the "Bond Termination Agreement" and headed down the stairs.

Alexander was standing by the dining table, staring at the leftover birthday cake in a daze.

"Sorry, I was too busy yesterday and forgot," he said to me.

That trace of pitiful regret in his eyes didn't move me anymore. Busy? Was he too busy to answer a single one of my calls while keeping Vivian company?

At that moment, I felt an inexplicable sense of calm within me. I slammed the document onto the table. "Sign it."