Chapter 1 Betrayed

The hospital called. "Ms. Zimmer, your mother unplugged the ventilator. We tried our best, but it was too late."

I turned to the chauffeur. "To the airport."

I could not even remember how I boarded the plane or how I got to the hospital. My mind was on autopilot.

When I signed my mother's notice of death, my heart bled profusely. My mother thought her illness was dragging me down, so she chose to end her life for the sake of our little family of three.

No. Soon, it would have been four.

The family, however, was already on shaky ground. Daniel called me countless times. I came back home and there he was, holding his phone. "Yvonne."

The disheartened look on my face must have hurt him, and he pulled me into his embrace. "I'm sorry, honey. No matter what happens, do not for a second doubt my love for you."

With difficulty, I spoke. "Let's get a divorce, Daniel."

He pretended not to have heard that. His arms tightened around me, and he rested his cheek against my neck. "You're so cold. Take a hot shower. Don't fall sick now. We'll pick Edward up tomorrow."

He tried to sound at ease, as if he was talking about something interesting. "When we got to the airport, I realized you've taken his passport and papers. He couldn't board, so I left him there."

My son was the one who proposed this Brundela trip. He wanted to surprise Daniel and told me to not leak it to him. He was very excited on the way, and he kept talking to a friend, but he refused to let me see who it was.

Now I knew. The person he had been talking to was his other mother. Then, Daniel's phone rang. It was from our son, and he sounded urgent.

"When are you coming back, Dad? Mommy Jessica's down with a fever, but she told me not to tell you!"

Daniel comforted him and hung up. He looked conflicted. "Yvonne, I can…"

I shoved him away and rushed into the bathroom to hurl. The moment his hand touched my shoulder, I recoiled. "Don't touch me!"

He was shocked, and then he sighed. "Alright, I won't touch you. I know you're upset, and I don't feel great about this either. I never wanted you to get hurt."

I sneered. He had hurt me the moment he betrayed me. Not the moment I found out. My eyes burned red.

"Get out! Your son and his other mother are waiting for you in Brundela."

Daniel's face fell, then someone rang the doorbell. It was Selina Lawson, my best friend. She was breathing heavily. "Yvonne, your mother died! How are you…"

She saw Daniel, noticed the tension in the air, and shut up. Daniel frowned. Worried, he asked, "What's wrong with Veronica?"

My heart sank, and I held back the sorrow. "Nothing. She had a lung infection, but it's fine now."

He heaved a sigh of relief and softened up. "Why didn't you tell me?" He looked at his phone and then at me, conflicted. "I'll pick Edward up. You calm down. Veronica's bill is coming again. I'll pay for it. Don't worry about it."

He was the one paying for my mother's exorbitant bills every month. Now, he was using that to threaten me to calm down.

"No thanks," I said hoarsely.

Resigned, he said, "Don't throw a tantrum."

He then asked Selina to take care of me and left.

My legs gave way. I crouched on the floor, tears splashing against the wood. I wanted to scream, yet not a sound could come.

Selina immediately knelt beside me and wrapped her arms around my trembling body. That was when I finally broke.

I cried until I could barely breathe.

Until my stomach twisted and I started vomiting again.

When I finally collected myself, it was already the dead of the night.