Chapter 2

My son landed hard on his bottom.

For a second he just sat there, stunned. Then his eyes filled with tears.

"Mommy, who are they? Why are they trying to take Daddy away from me?"

He looked up at me, bewildered.

My chest hurt so badly I could barely breathe. I rushed over and helped him up.

"Apologize!"

I turned to the kid who'd pushed my son down. "Apologize to Noah!"

"Mandy, Leo is just a little boy. Do you really have to be so hard on him?"

Adrian didn't wait for an answer. He scooped Chloe's son, Leo Davis, into his arms.

"It's okay, Leo. Don't be scared. Daddy will apologize to you for Noah, all right?"

Then he turned to me.

"Chloe and Leo just moved back, and they don't have anywhere to stay. They're going to live here for a while.

"Mandy, you and Noah can move out tomorrow."

He said it so casually that I was stunned.

Chloe, who'd been standing behind Adrian the whole time, finally spoke up.

"I'm so sorry, Mandy. Leo is still young and doesn't know any better. He grew up abroad, so he says whatever comes to mind. Please don't take it personally."

I didn't answer. Rage buzzed in my ears as I stared at Adrian, unable to accept what I was hearing.

"Adrian, what did you just say? You're moving them in and moving Noah and me out?

"Get this straight. Noah is your own son! How can you stand to hurt him like this! Do you have any idea how desperately he's waited for you to come home all these years!"

"Enough!"

Adrian's face hardened as he cut me off. "I know I owe Noah, and I'll make it up to him eventually. But Leo's parents split up when he was little. I'm the only father he knows now, and he can't stand hearing anyone else call me Daddy.

"Besides, I married you, just like you wanted. I made you Mrs. Shaw. What more could you ask for? If you hadn't pulled that disgusting stunt back then, Noah never would've existed."

I sucked in a breath. It felt like I'd fallen through ice.

After five years, he still hadn't let go of that night!

For years, I'd told myself that no matter what Adrian did abroad, as long as he was willing to come home, I'd let it go for my son's sake.

But standing there, I finally saw this man for exactly who he was.

The man I'd secretly loved for so many years, with everything I had, was now a total stranger.

I gave a bitter, helpless smile.

"Fine, Adrian. Then let's get a divorce.

"You and Chloe can have each other. You can have your happy little family of three!"

With that, I picked up my son. "Give Mommy a minute to pack, and then we'll go."

As I turned away, I heard Adrian's voice behind me.

"Well, thank you, Mandy.

"Not that a marriage you schemed to get ever really counted anyway."

I bit my lip hard and forced back my tears.

In the bedroom, I hastily packed a suitcase with a few essentials.

I was about to head out when I heard two children fighting in the living room.

I rushed out and found Leo trying to snatch something from Noah's hands.

"Let go! I made this present for my daddy all by myself. You can't touch it."

It was a ceramic mug Noah had made at preschool a few months ago.

He'd painted a picture of his daddy on it himself.

He barely dared touch it. He'd kept it on a shelf, waiting for Adrian to come home so he could give it to him in person.

"What is this piece of junk? You think you can give this to my daddy? Like you're good enough!

"You're a kid nobody wants!"

Leo screamed at the top of his lungs until his face turned bright red.

Then he yanked the mug from Noah and smashed it on the floor.

It shattered on impact.

Noah froze where he stood, his hand still outstretched.

I pulled him into my arms and tried to soothe him.

But Noah couldn't hold back any longer. He burst into tears against my chest.

"Mommy, why... why..."

Adrian and Chloe came out and saw what had happened. Adrian sounded annoyed. "I thought it was something important. It's just a mug. Is all this drama really necessary?"

Then he turned to comfort Leo. "It's okay. It's just a cup. If you like it that much, Daddy will buy you a nicer one tomorrow. No, ten of them. Even 100.

"Mandy, Noah's lived with you all these years, and you've made him way too soft. He's nothing like a son of mine."

His words crushed me.

I got to my feet, sobbing, and shouted at Adrian, "Don't worry. From now on, Noah is my son and mine alone!"