Chapter 5: Summer’s POV

Rage took over, but I didn’t yell. 

“Listen to me carefully. You have Adrian. You can drag my name through the mud, but if you ever hurt or even look at my son wrong again, I’ll make you wish you were the one with cancer.” 

No room for doubt or regret.

I needed to draw this line, for Cy’s sake. “Keep his name out of your disgusting mouth,” I finished.

The voice that answered had shed its cruelty, replacing it with sobs. “How could you say that?”

She should have been an actress.

Then, Adrian spoke. Sabrina was on speaker, making sure he overheard at the right moment. “I can’t believe you, Summer. Even if you have no courtesy, you can at least give Sabrina your respect.”

“I’m done with this conversation. Submit the divorce decree, Adrian. There’s no point in waiting.”

I hung up.

…

The next day, I expected to drop Cy off at therapy and put in some work at my parents’ house.

But something was wrong. I couldn’t get him out of bed on time. I tried tickles, special interests, visual timers…nothing.

He only whimpered, face ashen. I checked for fever, looked at his throat, and felt his stomach. 

When he finally woke up, he crawled into my lap and leaned on me. 

Missing therapy wasn’t good. Early intervention wouldn’t work if he didn’t go, but maybe after everything, he needed a mental health day.

I messaged the clinic, and sat down with Cyan. Gave him time. 

He did get up eventually, but his mood was low. Worst of all, he wouldn’t eat. Not even his safe foods.

When he refused Pedialyte for the fourth time, I dialed his pediatrician’s office. They had an opening next week. It was a long wait. The scheduler suggested I go to the ER if he kept refusing fluids.

I tried popsicles, ice cream, and unlimited juice. Full of sugar? Yes, but better than nothing. Cy sucked on a blue popsicle, staring at the flowers I’d picked for him in silence. 

The next day was the same, and the day after. I tried taking him to the playground. He ignored the other children and refused the slide, sitting and running his hands through the grass. 

By the day of the appointment, I was tired but mostly afraid. Cy’s exhaustion, his lack of speech and social skills… Where had the happy boy who laughed and sang on his birthday gone?

That morning we made it to therapy. I apologized to his supervisor and explained as much as I could.

The woman smiled, “We’ll keep an eye on things. Hopefully when he sees his doctor this afternoon, you’ll get some answers.”

Even with her reassurance, I watched my phone all day, waiting for something to go wrong. 

Later, as I drove up to the pick-up line, my anxiety finally found the fuel it had been seeking.

A crowd of parents and employees clustered around the entrance. I parked crooked and launched myself out of the car.

Pushing through, I found Sabrina and Lily. The toddler was sprawled on the concrete with her tiny hands out. A behavior tech stood with Cyan. My son flapped his hands as he screamed.

Before I could get to him, Adrian ran over, going straight to Lily and Sabrina. 

“What kind of place is this?” He shot at a nearby tech. “You just let children push each other?”

The therapist protested, “Mr. Whitmore, that’s not what happened… If you’d let me—”

“I’ve heard enough.” Adran gathered Lily up and rocked her. So tenderly. Like she was his whole world. 

Cyan didn’t need to see this. I stepped out of the crowd. “It looks like she’s fine. The best thing to do is get Cy home.”

Adrian handed Lily to Sabrina and stepped in front of me. He grabbed my arm, fingers like a vise. “He pushed Lily, Summer. Pushed her.”

“I don’t believe it. He wouldn’t do that.” I pulled back on my arm, but he only squeezed harder.

“No. Stop this. Stop making excuses for him. Lily’s body is fragile and she could have died. He needs consequences.”

I twisted and wrenched my arm away, not caring if the bastard left bruises.

I stared at him in shock. “Do you even hear yourself? When has Cy ever been violent towards another kid? Where’s your trust in him? He’s your son!”

I made it to Cyan, hugging him tightly. He trembled all over.

“It’s okay. You’re safe. We’re going home now.” I thanked the tech and picked him up, only to find Sabrina in my way.

“Where are you going? This isn’t over.” 

I tried to walk around her, but she seized my arm in the same place Adrian had. I winced, and Cy wailed and twisted, breaking free and launching himself at Sabrina. His teeth found their mark on her arm, and the woman screamed.

The crowd went quiet. The other parents looked away. I knew this could happen. Even neurotypical children acted out. But not Cy. Never my baby.

I tried to pry his mouth off Sabrina’s arm. “Let go, Sweetie. That’s hurting.”

His teeth came away, leaving broken skin and a trickle of blood, but his hands were still flailing and gouged red marks into Sabrina’s perfectly made-up face.

“Ah! My face! I’m about to get married!”

I fell back with Cy in my arms, trying not to listen as people muttered.

“Can you believe this?”

“Maybe this isn’t the right place for him. He seems…unmanageable.”

“That’s not the word I’d use.”

“Dangerous.”

I forced myself not to listen. Adrian approached, and the whispers died down.

He looked at me with a steadiness I’d only seen him aim at rival business owners. Quiet. Calculating. My heart sank.

“I’m not letting this go, Summer. This can’t go on.”

Adrian turned on his heel, pulled Sabrina up, collected Lily where she sat on the ground, and pushed through the crowd, leaving Cyan and me bruised and terrified.

I had to reschedule the appointment. Cyan became increasingly silent. He refused to go to school and avoided interacting with others. 

When at last we made it to the pediatrician’s office, Dr. Langdon looked over Cy, saying, “He’s regressing from the stress of a major life event. You need to offload the pressure, keep his environment calm. I’m concerned he could get worse if things between you and Mr. Whitmore don’t become amicable.”

I fought to take in enough air. My fault. This was all my fault.

…

I did what I could, letting Cyan take his time in the morning, and have unlimited access to comfort items. Another week passed, and I was picking up paint for Cy’s bedroom at the new house when my card declined.

Later, at Jen’s place, I scrolled my email and found a notice from the bank. My account had been restricted. I sent them a reply requesting an explanation.

The kindergarten Jen and I had applied to sent a rejection letter.

The ABA clinic discharging him for having “more needs” than they could accommodate was the nail in the coffin.

Adrian rang Jennifer’s doorbell that same day. Sitting on my friend’s beige sofa, he said, “You see, without me, you and Cyan are nothing.”

Glancing into the dining room, I confirmed that Cy was engrossed in sorting blocks.

I stood, arms folded, nails pressed into my palms. “What do you want?” 

Adrian paused, then said, his voice low, “The shares of your family company.”

I froze. Other than the house, that was the only inheritance my parents had left me. Although it had long been merged into the Whitmore Group, some shares were still in my name.

“Give me the shares, and Cyan can go to school and receive treatment. You won’t have to worry about your expenses either.”

“What if I refuse?”

A sneer twisted my ex-husband’s face. How had I ever loved him?

“Then you can only watch Cyan be rejected by society, and his illness won’t improve. This is the punishment he deserves for hurting Sabrina and Lily.”

My clenched fists shook. I knew Cyan wouldn’t hurt anyone without reason. But Adrian didn’t believe me. 

As I mulled over the situation, the front door opened. I expected to see Jennifer, but it was Sabrina walking into a stranger’s house like it was nothing. She sat on the couch at Adrian’s side, threading her arms around his neck. 

“Adrian, don’t force her. It’s okay if Summer doesn’t want to.” Despite her words, she was really siding with him. She pretended to be kind, but her eyes revealed smug satisfaction.

“I can compromise. You don’t have to hand over the shares for now. But if you want me to lift the restrictions on you and Cyan, you must agree to one condition.” Adrian sat back, leaning into Sabrina.

Cyan wandered over and reached for me. I held him tightly. “What condition?”

“You will be a bridesmaid at the wedding for Sabrina.”