Evelyn’s POV
The soft tapping of my keyboard was the only sound in the office until my colleague, Mrs.
Anderson, spoke up.
“I have to leave early today,” she smiled, packing her bag. “It’s my daughter’s PTA meeting.”
I paused mid-typing. “PTA meeting?”
“Yes, at St. Claire’s. They’re discussing the upcoming cultural day and some performance stuff,”
she replied cheerfully.
St. Claire’s.
My heart skipped. St Claire’s? That’s Liam’s school.
How come I didn’t know about this meeting?
I tried to act normal, but my hands were shaking slightly as I closed my laptop. I forced a smile.
“I think I’ll take the rest of the day off too.”
The drive to the school was a blur. My mind kept spinning.
Why didn’t Liam tell me?
Was there a message I missed?
An email? A note?
But I checked everything—I always do. I make sure his uniforms are clean, I pack his lunch, I
even stay up late ironing his projects. I may not be perfect, but I try.
I reached the school gate and parked. I didn’t plan to go in. I just wanted to take a peek. Maybe
catch Liam walking with his friends. Maybe get a little wave.
But what I saw…
What I saw shattered me
Standing under a tree not far from the main building… was my husband, Jason.
And next to him… Ivy.
Her hair was loose, long, shiny. Her heels clicked as she laughed. In her hand was a
toy—something Liam had been begging me for weeks. I couldn’t afford it yet.
And there, in the middle of them, was my son.
My little boy.
He laughed loudly as Ivy handed him the toy.
I stood frozen, watching.
Liam hugged her.
Tightly.
Then he grabbed her hand.
He smiled at her like she was his world.
And Jason… Jason didn’t stop him. He just smiled too, as if they were the perfect family.
I blinked. My chest tightened. It hurt to breathe.
Liam had never hugged me like that.
He never laughed like that when I was around.
At home, he barely spoke to me unless he needed something. He looked at me like I was a
stranger… or a burden.
I blamed myself always. Maybe it was the mark. The one I had obtained during that
crash—when I had sped to pick him up from school in the rain.
Or maybe it was the way my body had transformed after the surgeries.
Maybe Liam had noticed that too. Maybe he had learned to treat me like his father did.
Now, I am not wanted.
I clamped down on my lip to shut out the tears. But they still flowed.
Wet. Weighty.
They streamed down my cheeks and I didn't even dry them.
I didn't hear any of them approaching, so I slipped behind a wall and wrapped my arms around
myself and shook.
They didn't see me. Not a single one of them turned around.
Not my husband.
Not Ivy.
Not even Liam.
I wasn't there.
I was as if I never did exist.
I came to see my son.
But I left like a shadow.
A shadow of the woman I once was.
The woman who carried him for nine months.
The woman who almost died having him.
And yet I stood by and let another woman receive the love that rightfully belonged to me today.
I walked slowly, silently, my chest aching so much that I thought it was going to burst.
Maybe I had already disappeared from their lives… and I just hadn't noticed.
Evelyn’s POVThe morning air was quiet, but my heart wasn’t.I barely slept through the night. My pillow was soaked with silent tears, and my eyes were sore. Ihad made up my mind. I would collect the divorce papers today. My lawyer had called earlierand said everything was ready. All I had to do was show up and take them.I stood in front of the mirror, brushing my hair slowly. I didn’t even recognize the woman staringback. My skin was pale. My lips were dry. The scar on my cheek… I used to hide it withmakeup. Now I didn’t bother. What was the point?As I slipped into a plain dress and picked up my bag, I took one last deep breath. Today,something in me had changed. I wasn’t going to beg anymore.I walked towards the living room, ready to leave the house, when I heard laughter.Jason and Liam were there — father and son — sitting on the couch, getting ready for work andschool. Liam was holding his little backpack while Jason helped him fix his tie.I paused.I used to be the one
Evelyn’s POVI sat on the edge of the bed, my hands buried in my face. My whole body still felt heavy from thedrink the night before. I couldn’t even look at myself in the mirror.What have I done?A married woman… with a child… how could I let myself go that far?The image of that man — cold, handsome, the way he threw that card at me — it still burned inmy mind. I wasn’t that kind of woman. I had never been.But last night… I was broken. I was just a woman nobody wanted. A wife unloved. A motherunrecognized.I picked up my phone to distract myself from the shame building up inside. That was when I sawthe message.“Mrs. Evelyn, there’s a dinner meeting tonight. We need you there. It’sregarding the new project files and mreoverThe CEO from abroad is finallyreturning.”My heart skipped a beat.I remembered — they mentioned weeks ago that the real boss of the company was returning. Ihad never seen him. Only the manager had been running things.I wiped my face and replied, “Okay.
Evelyn’s POVMy head throbbed. Everything was spinning. I groaned softly and tried to sit up.My eyes opened slowly, and confusion hit me like a wave.Where… am I?This wasn’t my room. The sheets were silk, smooth beneath my skin. The air smelledexpensive—like cologne, leather, and something else I couldn’t place. I looked down.I was wrapped in a white towel. Nothing else.Panic exploded in my chest. I clutched the towel tighter and looked around the unfamiliarhotel-like room. Then, I saw him.A man.He was standing across the room, buttoning his shirt, completely calm—as if nothing waswrong. He looked rich. His black shirt clung to his chest, his wristwatch sparkled under the light,and his face… he was so handsome it hurt. Sharp jaw. Cold eyes. Lips that held no kindness.“What—what happened?” I asked, my voice shaking.He didn’t answer.I grabbed the nearest thing—a pillow—and held it to my chest. “What happened last night?!”He glanced at me once, then continued fixing his cuf
Evelyn’s POVI checked the time for the tenth time.6:45 PM.Liam should’ve been back by now. The school closes by 4:00, and the driver always brings himhome before 5:00. I had called the driver earlier, but he didn’t pick up. Maybe he was just busy.Or maybe… maybe something was wrong?I had spent the whole day in the kitchen. My hands were sore, my dress had oil stains, and myhair smelled of onions and chicken, but I didn’t care. I wanted to do something special. For myson. For Liam.Today was his birthdayAnd even if he hadn’t smiled much at me that morning, even if he had whispered to Jason that Iwas embarrassing, I still wanted to make him feel loved.Because I was his mother.Even if he no longer believed it.I looked at the table I had decorated—blue balloons, a small chocolate cake, his favoritemashed potatoes, and the gift I’d wrapped with trembling hands. A toy car just like the one hewanted two years ago, before he started hating me.Still… no one came.My heart pound
Evelyn’s POVI woke up earlier than usual today.The sky outside was still grey, and the house was silent. But my heart wouldn’t let me rest.every year. Not because anyone reminded me, but because how could I forget the day Ibecame a mother? Today was special — Liam’s birthday. I had marked the day in my mind the same way I did I didn’t need an alarm clock. My love for him had always been louder than anything else.I stepped out of my room quietly, still in my robe. The floor felt cold, but I didn’t care. All I couldthink of was how much Liam used to love it when I sang him awake on his birthdays — when hewas smaller, before he learned how to hate me.I walked to his room with a soft smile, holding onto a thread of hope that maybe, just maybe,today he would remember that I’m still his mother.The door creaked open and I peeked inside.He was curled under the blankets, his small frame rising and falling gently. The sight of himsleeping always did something to me — a mixture of p
Evelyn’s POVThe morning was quiet.Too quiet.The kind of quiet that feels heavy in your chest. Like the silence is screaming all the thingsyou’re not allowed to say.I stood by the doorframe, watching my son, Liam, frown as he sat on the edge of the bed.His socks were halfway on. His school bag leaned against the wall. His uniform was a littlewrinkled. I had ironed it the night before, just like I always did.I took a small step forward. “Do you want me to fix your tie?”He didn’t answer.I walked closer, kneeling in front of him. My knees hurt these days, but I didn’t care. “Liam,” Isaid again, my voice soft, “Would you like me to make your favorite lunch today? I could bring itto school at break time. The j rice with the diced meat. Remember how much you used to loveit?”He looked up at me with the coldest eyes I’ve ever seen on a child.“No.”Just one word.But it shattered something inside me.“No?” I asked, trying to keep smiling.He stood up and pulled the tie out of my