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Chapter 2

Penulis: Dayless Reverie

When I reached the playground, I stopped dead in my tracks.

Standing across the lawn were my husband, son, and my best friend, Maya Miller.

Leo Cross was resting comfortably in her arms.

He leaned down and planted a loud kiss on her cheek.

"You look so pretty today, Mommy! Way prettier than that old hag back at home!"

Maya stroked his hair, then leaned closer to whisper something in Ethan's ear.

Ethan crouched down without hesitation and unbuckled her high heels.

A passing parent smiled warmly at them. "What a perfect family you three are!"

Ethan didn't correct her. Instead, he pulled Maya close and kissed her forehead.

"She works so hard taking care of our boy," he replied, smooth as silk.

My hands trembled as I took a series of clear photos from behind the trees.

After I had gotten enough evidence, I stepped out from the shadows.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Maya froze, a flicker of panic washing across her face. "Evelyn! What are you doing here?"

My voice remained dangerously flat.

"If I hadn't come, I would've missed this whole happy family show."

She recovered quickly, sliding off her shoes to hurry toward me, grabbing my hands.

"Don't misunderstand! I was just passing by and wanted to drop in to see Leo."

Ethan Cross stepped up, his brows knit tight in irritation.

"Didn't I tell you to stay home and review the financial spreadsheets, Evelyn?" Ethan snapped, his voice sharp with authority. "You show up unannounced and cause a scene! What if you scare our son?"

I stared at the two of them standing side by side, a cold sneer forming on my lips.

"I am his biological mother. Do I need to submit an application to see my own son?"

I glanced down at their hands.

"And does 'just passing by' require holding hands like lovers? Does it require kissing her on the forehead?"

Maya's eyes instantly welled up with glossy tears.

Ethan shifted his weight and placed himself firmly in front of her. His expression turned ice-cold.

"Maya Miller is your best friend!" Ethan yelled, his posture rigid with righteous anger. "Why do you always have to be so disgusting and petty?

“You must be going through early menopause. You love making up fake enemies in your head!"

Leo scrambled in front of Maya, picked up a pebble from the dirt, and threw it right at my legs.

"Get out of here!" he shrieked. "I don't want a mean, wicked mother like you!"

Watching Maya hide behind my husband while her eyes gleamed with silent triumph, a chilling wave of betrayal washed over me.

Her family had favored her brothers, nearly forcing her into an unwanted marriage for cash.

I was the one who pulled her out of that hell and handed her a comfortable, high-paying corporate job.

And this was how she repaid me, by climbing straight into my husband's bed.

I scanned the three of them one last time.

"If that's how it is, let's get a divorce. I'll step aside so she can have my place."

Without waiting for their reaction, I turned on my heel and walked away.

---

Back home, I searched through the closet and pulled out an old smartphone that was hidden by Ethan.

I tried several passcode combinations. It finally unlocked when I entered Maya's birthday.

The device had been thoroughly wiped, but a few archived chat logs remained on a messaging app.

They dated back to the time Maya claimed she gained weight from stress and took a six-month hiatus in London.

[My due date is next week. Take care of yourself.]

[The doctor says the baby is completely healthy. Have you handled Evelyn on your end yet?]

The messages got darker the further I scrolled.

At that time, Maya returned home looking thin and drained.

On the exact day I gave birth to Leo, Ethan had carried my newborn out of the delivery room for a full hour.

What happened during that hour made my stomach turn.

I inserted a flash drive and copied every single piece of evidence.

I had abandoned my hometown and liquidated my entire personal fortune to support Ethan Cross's ambitions.

Yet he and my best friend were plotting behind my back to swap out my child.

Ethan didn't return home that night.

Early the next morning, under the pretense of brushing Leo's hair, I pulled two strands of hair from his scalp.

As I drove toward the DNA testing center with the samples, a terrifying thought consumed my mind.

If Leo was actually Maya and Ethan's child...

Then where was the infant I nearly sacrificed my life to bring into this world?

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  • Parting Ways with Old Friends   Chapter 10

    The moment I stepped out of the prison gates, the bright sunlight stung my eyes.A gentle spring breeze swept past, carrying the sweet, crisp scent of blooming magnolias.In truth, little Leo was doing just fine.I had placed him with a humble, kind-hearted couple who couldn't have children of their own. I knew they would treat him well.I arranged regular stipend payments and check-ins, keeping his daily life strictly under my watchful eye.He was still young. His bad habits and toxic behaviors could still be corrected with proper guidance.However, I couldn't bring myself to give him a life of luxury or lavish him with my personal love, not after what my true son endured for five long years.I wasn't a saint. I had my own biases.Ensuring he grew up with food on the table and a roof over his head was the final act of kindness I could offer.I took a deep breath, feeling the heavy suffocation that had weighed on my chest for years finally vanish.All those nights spent compr

  • Parting Ways with Old Friends   Chapter 9

    The visitation room smelled strongly of disinfectant and old, rotting wood.Behind thick, bulletproof glass, I saw Ethan Cross once again.This time, he couldn't maintain even the slightest illusion of pride.His head was shaved close to the scalp, his cheeks hollow, and his eyes completely vacant, like a walking corpse.Seeing me sit down, he picked up the receiver with a trembling hand."Evelyn, you came." His voice was faint, dripping with cautious desperation.I stared back without expression. "Say what you need to say quickly. I'm busy."Ethan forced a bitter smile, his eyes drifting into a daze."I dreamt about our early days last night," he murmured softly. "Back when we lived in a tiny basement apartment without any heating."You wrapped your only winter coat around my shoulders," he whispered, his voice cracking. "You told me that as long as we worked hard, we would make it out."Tears spilled over his lashes. "I want to go back to that time so badly. Just the two of

  • Parting Ways with Old Friends   Chapter 8

    Ethan gripped the railings of the defense stand until his knuckles turned bone-white."Where is he... Where is my son?" His voice was raspy, laced with a faint trace of desperation.I stared back with absolute silence.Based on the clear paper trail, the judge issued the divorce decree immediately.The court granted the divorce, stripping Ethan Cross of every single marital asset due to severe misconduct.The financial crimes and criminal child abandonment were transferred to the criminal court for sentencing.---When the trial adjourned, bailiffs escorted Ethan out of the courtroom.Passing my chair, he froze in his tracks, his eyes drowning in despair."Evelyn, please let me see him," he pleaded, his voice breaking. "I had no idea he suffered so much, I swear I didn't know!"Maya showed me photos and videos of a little boy every single month! I thought... I thought our boy was living a comfortable life!"I didn't know it was all fake!"Looking at his pathetic, hypocritic

  • Parting Ways with Old Friends   Chapter 7

    As the police shoved Ethan into the back of a cruiser, I turned on my heel and took absolute control of the company.Maya Miller was immediately issued an arrest warrant for conspiracy to defraud and corporate embezzlement.She attempted to flee the country with the stolen funds.However, federal agents tackled her to the ground at the airport security checkpoint, ending her run before she could board her flight.Over the next two weeks, I systematically purged Ethan's remaining loyalists from the firm.Every senior executive who took his side and tried to kick me while the company was down was unceremoniously fired.At the same time, I filed for a formal divorce.I demanded Ethan walk away with nothing, alongside full compensation for all financial damages.---On the day of the trial, a light rain drizzled from a gray sky.I wore a tailored black trench coat, holding my umbrella high as I stepped up the courthouse stairs.In the defendant's box, Ethan Cross sat wearing a g

  • Parting Ways with Old Friends   Chapter 6

    Hearing his response, a bitter laugh almost escaped my lips."Ethan Cross, after all these years, I thought you would grow a brain. I see you're still as foolish as ever."Ethan frowned, a flicker of unease crossing his features.I clapped my hands twice.The heavy boardroom doors swung open, and several uniformed officers and senior financial auditors marched into the room."What are you doing? Who let you in here!" Ethan's assistant, Austin, tried to block their path, but an officer shoved him aside without breaking stride.I slammed a thick audit file directly in front of Ethan Cross."Did you really think the funds you wired to offshore bank accounts were safe?"I stared at him coldly. "I breached the server of that shell company registered to Paul Miller, Maya Miller's brother, long ago."Every cent you transferred went straight into frozen accounts monitored by Federal investigators."I leaned over the table. "The police let you post bail so easily just to catch you mak

  • Parting Ways with Old Friends   Chapter 5

    Up on the second floor, a truly stomach-turning scene played out against the glass.The original one-way mirror had been secretly replaced with a two-way pane overnight.They thought they were staring into their own reflection. They had no idea every touch and every kiss were fully visible to the crowd below.When I hired the private investigator, I learned Ethan Cross loved the thrill of public risk. He made a habit of pushing Maya Miller into dark corners during packed conferences and staff meetings.So with a press conference happening downstairs, how could they pass up the opportunity?My contact confirmed that Ethan scheduled a quick meeting with Maya in his office at precisely 7:30 PM.I almost laughed out loud.Now, their secret liaison was being broadcast live to dozens of press cameras.Ethan Cross had Maya Miller pinned against the glass, their clothes disheveled and untidy.Maya clung tightly to his neck, her head tossed back in raw indulgence.A deafening gasp e

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