Chapter 3

"Spit it out! What's going on? What happened to Joey?" Zach snapped. His face was twisted with impatience.

Peter's voice trembled as he said, "Mr. Carter, the surveillance footage shows... Mrs. Carter appears to have been dragged into an alley..."

Just then, a video popped up on his phone. The words hit Zach like a punch to the gut. His hand instinctively reached for the phone, ready to dial the police.

Zayla leaned in to get a look, but her voice was soft and almost soothing. "Zach, don't rush. I saw Joey yesterday. She seemed drunk and was stumbling around.

"With the way she was acting, she probably went to a bar to find someone else—"

Zayla suddenly fell silent and covered Eugene's ears with her hands. With a worried expression, she whispered, "Sweetheart, you shouldn't hear this. It's not for kids."

Zach's expression darkened with fury. "So this is what she's doing behind my back, huh?"

Eugene shoved Zayla's hands away and snapped, "That shameless woman! What a disgrace! Dad, you need to divorce her! I want Mommy Zayla to be my real mom!"

A pang of sadness hit my chest as I shook my head, feeling helpless.

When we first got together, Zach promised to protect me and always stand by me, no matter what. But now, after hearing Zayla's words, he took them as truth without question.

I'd given him a son and managed the house for years, but all of that seemed to matter less than a single word from Zayla. He'd completely forgotten everything I'd done.

Love and indifference—there was no mistaking the difference.

Zach opened his mouth to speak, but Zayla went into labor. Without missing a beat, he hung up the phone and completely forgot about me.

Doctors rushed into the delivery room, a sharp contrast to when I had been left alone in the operating room. This was the private hospital Zach had carefully chosen for her.

Zach and Eugene hovered by her side with concern etched on their faces.

Even though Eugene was just in third grade, he tried his best to cheer Zayla on.

"Mommy Zayla, don't be scared. Dad and I are here with you. You're my superhero, the best mom ever. Be good, Elly. Don't hurt Mommy Zayla," he cooed.

When I gave birth, the only one crying like her heart was breaking was Mom. But even she, like me, had been despised by Zach and Eugene.

What did we do wrong? Why did they treat me like this?

Just then, Peter called again, but Zach hung up without a second thought.

His gaze lingered on Zayla, and it was filled with tenderness and concern. His nails dug into his palm, drawing blood without him even noticing.

He loved her—really loved her—more than anything.

Moments later, Elly's cry filled the room.

I silently prayed for Zayla to bleed out and die, but Zach had called in the best obstetricians in the city—she would never be in real danger. She would never hemorrhage or teeter on the edge of death like I had.

Zach didn't rush to check on Elly. Instead, he eagerly embraced Zayla and kissed her forehead.

"Thank you, darling," he said gently.

That was a reality I had dreamed of countless times, but one I could never seem to grasp.

Eugene, holding a large bouquet of flowers, beamed. "Mommy Zayla, you're amazing! I'll take good care of Elly!"

As the room filled with joy, Peter's call broke through.

Zach scowled, clearly irritated. "What now? Do you have any idea where I am?"

"S-sorry, Mr. Carter, but... Mrs. Carter has been found."

"Where?"

"Mrs. Carter... she's dead... in the bear enclosure."