Chapter 1 Betrayal

Haley's POV

“Daddy, can you divorce Mommy?”

I stood outside my son’s hospital room, frozen in place as his dissatisfied voice hit me like a hammer.

I was stunned.

My fingers clutched the doorframe tightly, and a sharp pain pierced my chest.

What had happened?

I had just gone to the doctor’s office to ask why Jordan had suddenly developed acute gastroenteritis.

I had always been extremely cautious about his diet. His stomach was very sensitive—fragile even—so I always kept a close eye on what he ate.

Thank God, he was now in stable condition.

I couldn’t wait to tell him—and my husband.

What did I do wrong?

"Why would you say that?" Sebastian asked gently.

"Because Mom isn’t like Aunt Joey. She lets me eat whatever I want," Jordan said.

Aunt Joey? My stomach dropped. She was back?

Joey Mondéz. The woman Sebastian once loved. The woman who left him for a richer man and moved to France. When did she return?

I clenched my fists, my breath shaky.

"Hey, buddy," Sebastian said in a calm voice. "Don’t mention Aunt Joey in front of your mom. Your mom loves you very much."

My nails dug into my palms. Why did he have to tell Jordan to hide it from me?

Jordan pouted. "But—"

"Listen, sweetheart," Sebastian cut him off. "You need to rest now."

I felt my chest tighten. Jordan was just a child. He didn’t know how much his words hurt me. I had always been strict with his food because of his weak stomach. Was that why he didn’t like me anymore? Had I been too hard on him? Perhaps I needed to be gentler in my approach. After all, his sensitive stomach had always been a concern. I believed that once he recovered, we would return to our close bond.

I forced myself to push the door open. Sebastian turned to me, looking surprised. I walked straight to him and kissed him lightly. Sebastian is a man who naturally drew attention. He is tall, with broad shoulders and a strong, commanding presence that made people take him seriously the moment he walked into a room. His dark hair was always neatly styled, and his sharp facial features—chiseled jawline, straight nose, and deep-set amber eyes, everything made him really handsome and it is his gaze that is intense and almost unreadable. To outsiders, he looks like the perfect husband, charming and composed. But right now, Haley isn’t sure about anything.

"The doctor said Jordan will be fine. We just need to watch his inflammation tomorrow," I said softly.

Sebastian wrapped his arms around me. "Sweetheart, you worry too much. No one doubts your love for Jordan."

His words gave me comfort, melting some of my pain. My husband loved me, understood me. Tears welled up in my eyes as he cupped my face. I composed myself, not wanting to cry in front of my son. Maybe I was overthinking. Maybe things weren’t as bad as they seemed. Moreover, there is no way Sebastian would rekindle anything with Joey. We are married, and whatever they had was in the past. I loosened my clenched fists.

Jordan was only five—he didn't understand the weight of his words. I had been strict, but it was only because of his sensitive stomach. I needed to reflect on my approach, to find a balance between discipline and understanding.

I walked to Jordan’s bed and reached to kiss his forehead, but he turned away from me. My heart cracked, but I told myself he was just tired.

"Sweetheart, get some rest. I’ll leave now," I whispered.

Sebastian followed me outside and pulled me into a hug. "Look at me. Jordan is just upset because of your rules. I’ll talk to him."

I nodded, though my heart felt heavy.

That night, I lay in bed, unable to sleep. I picked up my tablet, planning to look through old photos of Jordan and me, to remind myself of our happy moments.

Then, a message popped up.

Group Chat: Happy Little Family.

My stomach twisted. I hesitated before clicking it.

When the chat opened, I saw a picture that shattered my world.

It was a photo of three people—my son, a woman, and my husband, Sebastian Steele.

I zoomed in, my hands trembling.

The woman held Jordan in one arm and a large ice cream cone in the other. She was smiling, looking utterly relaxed, utterly happy. Sebastian stood beside her, his large hand wrapped around her waist.

They looked like a perfect family.

The way Sebastian looked at Joey—

it was exactly how he used to look at me—full of admiration and longing.

My breathing turned rapid.

Then I saw the word Jordan had used to address her—Mommy.

Jordan had called her Mommy.

The sleeping pills slipped from my fingers and scattered across the floor.

My body went numb, and a wave of nausea surged through me.

Joey Mondéz. She was beautiful, confident, everything I wasn’t. My mind flashed back to my wedding night. The night Sebastian whispered her name instead of mine.

I had convinced myself I misheard him.

But I hadn’t.

I picked up the tablet again, scrolling through the messages, each one cutting me deeper.

One message made my hands go ice cold.

Joey: "Sweetheart, you told me you wished I could be your mom. You said anyone but your current mom would do."

Tears blurred my vision. I tapped on a voice message.

Joey’s voice was sweet and teasing. "You just want to be happy, right? I get it. Your mom is too strict—she doesn’t let you eat what you want or play when you want. But don’t worry, darling. In this family, I’ll be your new mom."

Then Jordan’s voice came through, full of excitement.

"Daddy, my birthday wish is to live with Joey as my mom! Can you make it happen?"

Sebastian’s reply was soft but clear.

"Of course. Just give it some time... Daddy promises."

A broken sob escaped my lips.

He promised.

He promised to replace me.

Then, Jordan’s next message sent the final dagger into my heart.

"Ugh, it’s because of Mom, isn’t it? She’s just a housewife. She didn’t even come to my birthday. I don’t like her! She’s not as pretty as Joey, and she always smells like sauce. She embarrasses me!"

I gasped for air.

Yes, I was a stay-at-home mom, but the endless chores left me no time to change out of my cooking clothes. I never thought Jordan would resent me for it. I read the messages over and over, unable to believe that the child I had raised, the child I had poured my heart into, could say such things.

Tears streamed down my face as I remembered the countless times I had carefully planned Jordan's meals, trying to protect his sensitive stomach. The times he had been hospitalized as a toddler for gastroenteritis. All my efforts, all my love—reduced to a list of grievances in his eyes.

On his birthday, I had been with Sebastian’s mother because she was sick. Sebastian told me he would explain it to Jordan. But he never did.

I looked down at my hands, the same hands that had cooked for Jordan every day, that had held him through every illness, every nightmare.

And he hated me for it. Tears poured down my face. I had done everything for my son. I had loved him more than anything.

And now he wanted me gone.

Sebastian had been comforting me at the hospital, but behind my back, he was planning my replacement. Was this why Joey came back? Was this why Sebastian never stopped her? Was he secretly planning our divorce? Why was he so cruel? Why was he taking my son away from me?

Tears poured down my face, unstoppable. My heart felt like it was being ripped apart. I couldn't breathe. I clutched my chest, struggling to breathe.

My son had betrayed me.

My husband had betrayed me.

And now, I was completely alone.