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Chapter 2

Author: Lonely Boat
Lucas didn't come home that night.

At 6 a.m., he sent a quick text saying that Hallie Clark’s ex-husband had been taken away by the police, and that he had to stay behind to help give a statement.

At the end of the message, he added a note telling me to remember to eat breakfast.

I didn't reply.

At 7 p.m., I arrived early at the reserved restaurant. I waited for an hour before Lucas' call finally came through.

"Emma, I'm so sorry. Something urgent just came up on my end."

In the background, I could hear a child crying alongside Hallie's soft voice.

"Is it because of Hallie again?"

He went silent for a moment.

"Hallie’s son has a high fever and went into convulsions. She can't handle this all by herself. Let's cancel dinner tonight, and I'll make it up to you another day."

Without waiting for my answer, he hung up.

Listening to the dead dial tone, I looked down at the anniversary cake sitting on the table.

I had chosen it with meticulous care. On top sat two small figurines in formal wear, and written on the base were my name and Lucas'.

I asked the waiter to pack up the cake along with the anniversary gift, then caught a cab to the hospital alone.

The pediatric IV unit was brightly lit.

Through the half-open door, I spotted Lucas right away.

Hallie was leaning against him, her eyes completely bloodshot. The little boy in her arms was hooked up to an IV. The moment he caught sight of the cake in my hands, he sat up straight.

"Mommy, I want cake!"

Hallie quickly held him back.

"Ben, don't throw a tantrum. That belongs to the lady."

Hearing the noise, Lucas turned around. The moment he saw me, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.

"Emma, what are you doing here?"

He glanced at the cake in my hands and reached out to take it.

"The kid had a big scare today. This is actually perfect to cheer him up." He said so naturally, as if he was completely certain I wouldn't refuse.

Before I could even open my mouth, he had already unpacked the box and placed the cake right in front of Ben.

Seeing the two little figurines on top, Ben finally flashed a smile.

"Mr. Lucas, did you buy this for me?"

Lucas lit the candles for him.

"Yep. Happy thoughts for a speedy recovery, Ben."

Hallie looked over at me, a perfectly timed look of apology surfacing in her eyes.

"Mrs. Bolton, I'm so sorry. Kids don't know any better. How much was the cake? Let me pay you back for it."

I didn't answer her.

On the base of the cake, the names "Lucas" and "Emma" had already been sliced in half.

Turns out, a cake prepared for our seventh anniversary could be handed off by him just like that, all to comfort another woman's child.

I placed the box containing the anniversary gift onto a chair.

"Lucas, I need to talk to you."

He froze for a moment. "Right now?"

"Yes. Right now."

Hearing this, Hallie quickly cradled Ben and shifted to the side.

"Mr. Bolton, please go accompany your wife. I can manage on my own."

Ben, however, yanked on Lucas' sleeve, whining softly about the pain.

Lucas immediately bent down to check his IV needle. Only after making sure there was no blood backflow did he turn back to me.

"He’s still on an IV. Whatever it is, just say it here."

"Fine. We'll talk here."

I pulled the divorce agreement drafted by Ava out of my bag and held it out to him.

"Let's get a divorce."

The moment the words left my mouth, the room fell dead silent.

As if only just snapping back to reality, Hallie stood up with red, tear-filled eyes.

"Mrs. Bolton, did you misunderstand something? Ben fell sick out of nowhere today, and I really didn't know who else to turn to. That's the only reason I called him."

She lowered her head, her voice cracking with tears.

"If you're asking for a divorce because of me, I can switch to a new attorney right away. Even if I lose the lawsuit, even if his father takes custody away from me, I won't bother Mr. Bolton ever again."

Hearing those words, Ben panicked and threw his arms around her. "Mommy, I don't want to go with Daddy!"

Hallie pulled her son tight into her chest, tears streaming down her face. "Don't be scared, baby. Mommy will figure something out."

Lucas' expression darkened completely.

"Emma, stop making a scene out of nothing. Ben just got out of the ER, and Hallie is out of her mind with stress. Do you really have to threaten a divorce just to force me home?"

Lucas' eyes were filled with utter disappointment.

"I know I was in the wrong for breaking our dinner plans tonight, but this is a life-or-death situation. Can't you tell what takes priority?"

With every word he threw at me, Hallie hugged the child in her arms a little tighter. It was as if I was the villain pushing a helpless mother and child into a corner.

Seeing that I remained completely silent, Lucas softened his tone. "You're not in the right headspace right now. Go home and calm down first. We'll talk when I get back."

Looking at this familiar face in front of me, I suddenly lost all desire to argue.

I turned around and walked out.

As the door to the IV room slowly slid shut behind me, I glanced back one last time.

Lucas was leaning down, gently comforting the weeping mother and son. Helpless and overwhelmed, Hallie rested her head lightly against his shoulder.

I pulled out my phone and booked a flight out of the city for three days from now.

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