Chapter 2

Cynthia left and didn't come back that night.

Once I made up my mind to divorce her, I went to the nursing home to visit her mother, Mia Harper. I figured I owed it to her to let her know what was happening.

"Daniel, how come you didn't come with Cynthia?" Mia beamed the moment she saw me.

She had been my mother's best friend. Ever since my parents passed away, she had treated me like her own son. Every time Cynthia and I had a fight, she always took my side.

When I saw Mia, a sudden lump formed in my throat. I tried to force the truth out a few times, but the words choked me.

She was getting old and her health was failing. She couldn't take this kind of shock.

But I couldn't hide it forever. I took a deep breath and looked her in the eye. "Mom, I'm going to divorce Cynthia."

The smile froze on Mia's face before she asked cautiously, "Did you two get into another fight? Tell me what happened. I'll straighten her out for you."

Watching her pat her chest defensively for me made my eyes sting.

I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that Cynthia had secretly had a child with her ex-husband and kept it from me for five whole years.

Right then, the ward door swung open.

A little boy came bursting into the room. It took me only a second to recognize him as Theo.

Sure enough, Cynthia walked in right behind him.

"Granny! Mommy and I came to see you!"

Mia's face instantly lit up. She pulled Theo into her arms, showering him with kisses. "My sweet boy, it's been so long since you visited me! Let me see if you've gained any weight."

Her eyes were overflowing with pure adoration.

I stood at the foot of the bed, completely paralyzed.

It took me a long time to find my voice. My fingers trembled uncontrollably. "Mom… so you knew all along."

Hearing this, Mia awkwardly let go of Theo. She shot a look at Cynthia before turning back to me. "Daniel, is this why you want a divorce?"

At the mention of divorce, Cynthia let out a cold scoff. "Mom, don't listen to him. I just finally told him the truth about Bradley and Theo. He's just throwing a tantrum."

Mia, now fully understanding the situation, spoke to me in an earnest tone. "Daniel, before your mom passed, she asked me to look after you. Ask yourself, haven't I treated you well all these years?

"You and Cynthia have been together for so long. Don't throw around the word divorce over every little thing. Since you have a medical condition and chose to be childfree anyway, why not just raise Theo as your own son?"

The color drained from my face. "What medical condition?"

Mia frowned, her patience wearing thin. "Cynthia already told me you can't have kids. Stop being so petty over something so minor."

My brain went entirely blank. When reality finally registered, a bitter, hysterical laugh escaped my throat.

Cynthia was the one who insisted on being childfree, which was the only reason I had gone to the hospital to get a vasectomy. Now, in her narrative, I was the one who was broken.

Cynthia averted her gaze, refusing to meet my eyes.

Mia sighed and tried to reason with me again. "I'm old, Daniel. All I want is to see my family whole. It's just a kid. It doesn't cost you anything."

Maybe out of a lingering sense of guilt, she promised to register Theo under my legal guardianship. She even offered to put up all her savings as a guarantee that Cynthia would never cross the line with Bradley.

But none of these promises meant a thing to me anymore.

Mia clutched her chest, and the warmth completely vanished from her face. She grabbed the cup from the bedside table and hurled it at me. The hot water scalded my skin with a sharp sizzle.

"Daniel Houghton! Are you trying to drive me to my grave? I have been so good to you all these years, and you won't even compromise on this one tiny thing? Are you even human?"

"Mom, he'll agree once he cools down. Don't waste your breath," Cynthia chimed in, her tone entirely unbothered. She was still convinced I would give in, just like I always did.

Mia's words turned my heart completely to stone.

I had basically grown up under her roof. I truly loved her like a second mother. I had genuinely believed that she, like me, had been kept in the dark by Cynthia.

But in the end, I was the only fool left out of the loop.

Deep down, I finally realized that the only people who ever truly loved me were already dead.