Chapter 2

Cherie's POV

Early the next morning, I was woken up by the sounds of Aster's laughter.

"Mommy, look! Daddy got this gift for me!"

Aster then happily showed me his new airplane model with a huge smile on his face. Yet, I wasn't able to smile back at him.

I had seen one of Stacy's maids holding that exact gift last night.

I didn't say anything and just called Mitchell out to the balcony.

"That was one of Stacy's presents, wasn't it?"

He didn't seem bothered by the tremor in my voice and casually lit up his cigarette.

"Stacy said she didn't like it. I was in a rush when I came back, so I just brought it along with me."

"How could you give Aster a present that someone else didn't want!"

I finally lost it and yelled angrily at him. However, Mitchell didn't think that it was a big deal at all as he retorted, "Are you done making a fuss, Cherie? Can't you see how happy Aster is? You're even worse than a kid when it comes to matters like this."

With that, he snuffed out his cigarette and went back inside to continue playing with Aster and his airplane model.

Aster was overjoyed and a little stunned.

Looking at his little face, I felt a surge of mixed emotions. Aster had been neglected by Mitchell for so long and always longed for his love and attention. Would Aster even be willing to come along with me?

I was still feeling a little distressed when I was suddenly snapped out of my reverie when Aster's handphone buzzed with a new text message.

I looked at him still playing happily in the living room and decided to bring the phone to him. However, I immediately stopped in my tracks as soon as I saw the message preview on the screen.

"Pfft, look at you showing off your stupid present. It's just something that I didn't want anymore! Take that!"

My hand trembled all of a sudden.

"Mommy? What's wrong?"

I hurriedly deleted the text message and said that it was nothing before looking at the clock on the wall.

"Sweetie, how about we skip school today? I'll take you to the amusement park you've always wanted to visit."

He immediately jumped for joy and rushed into the study.

"Daddy! Mommy's taking me to the amusement park! Can you come with us too?"

He looked eagerly and expectantly at Mitchell, but all he got in response was a very cold and distant, "Get out."

Mitchell then glared coldly at Aster and said, "I still have a lot of work to do."

Aster froze where he stood, tears welling in his eyes. He probably never thought that the person who'd just gifted him the airplane model and played with him earlier would suddenly turn so cold and distant without any warning.

I happened to witness the scene and ushered Aster out, handing him over to the maid. Then, I walked into the study and slammed the door behind me with a loud bang.

Mitchell jumped at my actions.

However, it was only for a brief second as he immediately regained his calm composure and called his secretary, Morgan Berger.

"Order a limited-edition Lego airplane set and have it delivered to my place within 30 minutes."

After hanging up, he looked at me again and asked, "Happy now?"

I felt as though my anger had suddenly been doused with a bucket of cold water to my face. It was as though I was a deflated balloon now.

"I don't understand why you dislike me and Aster so much yet still insist on living with us, Mitchell Clayton."

My voice began to choke up. "We can… get a divorce if you want.

"A divorce?"

Mitchell frowned. "It's just a small matter, Cherie Hudson. Why are you even bringing divorce over something as trivial as this?"

He walked up to me and wiped away the tears in the corner of my eyes with the pads of his fingers.

"Aster is still my son after all, and he's also the future heir of the Claytons. How could I not like him? It's just that he still needs to go to school like the other kids. You can't overindulge a kid like that, or they'll turn out spoiled and rotten."

He then pressed a black card into my hands.

"Alright, stop making a fuss and take Aster out. I still have another meeting to attend."

I looked at the card in my hands and smiled self-deprecatingly before turning to leave without another word.

Aster stood not too far away from me, staring at me blankly as he said, "Don't cry, Mommy. It's all my fault… I shouldn't have made Daddy angry."

He wiped away the tears in his eyes as he spoke, and suddenly, I felt that my entire marriage had been nothing but a terrible mistake.

Still, it didn't matter anymore because it would soon be over.

I tried my best to recompose myself. Aster then said that he didn't want to go to the amusement park anymore because he was too upset, so I just kept him company at home while trying to cheer him up.

When Mitchell finally came out of his study, I was drawing pictures with Aster in the garden. The sun was shining down brightly on us as we both laughed happily, like the little episode with Mitchell earlier hadn't happened.

Mitchell's expression softened.

"I have to attend another event tonight," he said to me. "You don't have to come with me. You can keep Aster company instead."

I simply hummed in acknowledgement without even looking at him.

However, Aster set down his coloured pencil and said, "I don't need Mommy to keep me company. You can let Mommy come with you too."

Both Mitchell and I were astonished to hear Aster say that.

The secret marriage had always been a source of resentment between Mitchell and me, but I never thought that Aster would actually catch on like this.

Suddenly, I felt a wave of regret washing over me.

I was just about to speak when I saw Mitchell glaring coldly at me. "Did you teach him to say that?"

Everything I wanted to say immediately got caught in my throat.

"Don't teach him anything like that again. You'll ruin my relationship with him."

Then, Mitchell added, "There'll be another event in a week. I can bring you with me to that one instead."

I chuckled coldly and silently watched him close the door behind him.

Then, I let out a long sigh of relief as I pulled myself together. While Aster was taking a nap, I hurried to the lawyer's office to inquire about divorce and custody matters.

I no longer wanted to prove my worth by attending events with Mitchell anymore. I didn't want any of his love anymore, either.