Chapter 2

The system's voice chimed in my mind.

"Extraction portal opened. Target termination and extraction scheduled in 72 hours."

Looking at the boy's familiar features, I ultimately squatted down and held out my hands to him. "I'm your real mom. Would you come home with me?"

Leo walked over quickly, and a soft smile began to form on my face. A second later, he snatched up a nearby toy and hurled it toward my face.

"You're not stealing my dad away!" he snapped. "I only have one mommy! Get lost, you wicked woman!"

My cheek flared with a red, swollen throb as Vanessa nervously scooped Leo up into her arms. "Audrey, he's just a child. He didn't mean it. Please don't hit him."

Ida shoved me back like a mother hen guarding her chick. "He's just a little boy. Why are you bringing up his real mother?"

Leo buried his face in Vanessa's shoulder, crying uncontrollably no matter how they tried to soothe him. Carter finally lost his patience. He grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me away from the beach.

"Leo cries every time he sees you!" he huffed. "Just go home!"

He flagged down a passing cab and crammed me into the back seat. Through the rearview mirror, I watched Vanessa and him expertly comfort the child until tears silently streamed down my cheeks.

Once home, I began packing up my sparse belongings.

A photo album slipped out of the closet and fell to the floor. I opened the album and saw pictures of Leo's one-month milestone, his first birthday, his subsequent birthdays, and him on Christmas.

In every photo, Carter and Vanessa held him while my parents stood proudly on either side of them. On the back of each picture, someone had written: [Family Photo].

The photos captured them through all four seasons, and I was the only one kept completely in the dark. My vision blurred as I bit down on my lower lip, fighting to hold back the tears.

Hidden in the back sleeve of the album was a flash drive. With trembling fingers, I plugged it into my computer and clicked play.

The strains of the Wedding March began to play, sending a wave of numbness through my brain. On the screen, Carter held Vanessa's hand as they stood in front of my family's estate while my parents took the microphone to give a speech.

"We watched Vanessa grow up. We hope she and Carter will be happy together for the rest of their lives."

The scene cut to the bridal suite where Vanessa asked Carter nervously, "Is Audrey going to come home?"

Carter adjusted her veil with utmost tenderness. "No. She went to the cemetery today. She'll stay there all day."

I slammed the pause button and stared at the date stamp on the video. My heart sank in an instant because it just happened to be the second anniversary of Leo's supposed death.

On that same day, I had left the house at dawn. And while I was weeping at the grave, they were throwing a wedding.

The album slipped from my hands and hit the floor just as the front door swung open. The moment Carter saw the scattered photographs and the mess I'd made, his expression hardened with fury.

"What's with the temper tantrum over Leo's photos?" he yelled.

I glared at him, pure hatred spilling from my eyes. "Why did you do this to me? Why did you have to trample all over my agony to build your own happiness?"

Carter caught sight of the computer screen, and all his anger drained out of him in an instant.

"I..." He ran a hand frantically through his hair and stepped forward to pull me by the arm. "It has already happened. Can't you just pretend you never found out?

"I was only fulfilling Vanessa's wish to be a bride. You're the one I love most. We let her keep Leo, but we can still have our own kids."

He scooped me up into his arms, tossed me onto the bed, and leaned down over me. My hand flew up, delivering a resounding slap across his face.

He clutched his cheek, staring at me in disbelief.

"You slapped me?"

I shoved him off me, the last shred of hope in my heart shattering into dust.

"Carter, I want a divorce."