Chapter 3

I said coldly, "You must be out of your mind if you think you can use our marital assets to cover Rebecca's debts, Declan. You can do whatever you want with your share once you sign the divorce agreement and split the assets."

Declan fell silent for a moment before saying coldly, "You only ever talk about getting a divorce. Is that the only way you know how to threaten me? There's a limit to how far you can throw a tantrum, Willa. If you really push me too far, you won't be able to bear the consequences."

I said nothing and hung up.

I returned home that afternoon to pick up some documents, but the moment I pushed the door open, I heard someone whimpering softly.

Rebecca was leaning against Declan, her face pressed to his chest and her shoulders trembling from crying. Declan looked down at her and gently tried to comfort her, his face filled with a tenderness I had never seen before.

They caught sight of me and immediately pulled away from each other.

"Why didn't you knock before coming in?" Declan spoke rapidly, sounding displeased.

I stared at him and asked, "Why would I need to knock before coming in? I live here, Declan."

Rebecca scrambled to her feet. "It's not what it looks like, Willa. I—"

She suddenly shrieked, her foot giving out beneath her as she tumbled right back into Declan's embrace.

"Did you sprain your ankle?" Declan asked as he lifted Rebecca into his arms and placed her on the couch. He then knelt before her, took off her shoes, and gently rubbed her ankle. "How could you be so clumsy?"

He spoke in a low, reprimanding tone.

Rebecca blushed deeply and tried to move away, but Declan grabbed her foot and pulled her back. She looked at me helplessly and said, "Please don't get the wrong idea, Willa. It was all my fault for being so clumsy—"

I grabbed the half-full glass of water from the table and tossed it over the two of them.

Declan shot to his feet, his chest heaving rapidly. "Have you lost your mind, Willa?"

I threw the glass aside and said, "You should get a divorce first if you want to be all over each other. You can do whatever you want once that's done."

Rebecca's eyes were brimming with tears as she struggled to stand. "I'll leave right now, so please don't be mad at me, Willa…"

Declan quickly held her by the waist. "You're in no condition to go anywhere. You should just stay at my place for the next few days and get some rest."

He then glanced at me and added, "It's my place, so you can stay with peace of mind, Rebecca."

I couldn't help but laugh bitterly when I thought about the mortgage payments I'd been putting in every month.

I hadn't even had the chance to respond when my phone suddenly rang. Edward's teacher called me, sounding frantic. "Edward actually hit another kid, Mrs. Smith. The other kid's parents are already here, so please come as soon as you can, Mrs. Smith."

I turned pale and grabbed my handbag before rushing out. I reached the school and noticed that Edward was standing in the corner of the office. He suddenly charged out the moment he saw me and threw another punch at the kid standing next to him.

"Edward Smith!" His teacher and the other parents yelled at him simultaneously.

Edward looked at me with a defiant expression.

His teacher was trembling with rage. "Did you see what Edward just did, Mrs. Smith? He actually dared to hit another student right in front of the teacher and the parents!"

I walked over and stood right in front of him. "Why did you hit that kid?"

Edward threw his head back and yelled, his voice echoing down the entire hallway. "I learned everything from you, Mom! You're selfish and awful to Rebecca, so I'm going to do that to others too!"

Declan followed on my heels, his expression grim. "Is this how you've been raising Edward, Willa?"

Rebecca let out a soft, wistful sigh. "Children are a reflection of their parents, Willa. If you set a bad example, your child will naturally follow your example."

Edward flashed a smug grin. "I'm going to keep bullying other kids as long as you pick on Rebecca, Mom! I'll skip my meals, stay up late playing games, and exercise through the night. I'll push myself until my heart gives out!"

Declan snapped, "Go apologize to the other kid's parents, then take all our money and use it to help Rebecca! You'd better not let Edward grow up thinking it's okay to be selfish like you, Willa!"

I stared fixedly at Edward, who thought he had found my weakness, and smiled. "Suit yourself."

I turned on my heel and walked away.

Declan grabbed my wrist, the veins on his forehead bulging. "Do you even care about Edward as his mother? Do you really want to stand by and watch Edward destroy his own life?"

I brushed his hand aside and said deliberately, "He's not just my son, so it's high time you stepped up to discipline him, Declan."

Rebecca suddenly shrieked before my words could even settle. She couldn't even stand up straight from how hard she was crying, collapsing limply against Declan. "I just got a message from the hospital—they said if I don't pay up right away, they'll throw my daughter out on the street..."

Declan's expression instantly shifted. He turned to me and growled, "Hurry up and transfer the 20 thousand dollars in our savings to Rebecca right now! I'm going to get the loan—"