LOGINShare
Chapter 9
Latest chapter
The Replaced Mother Chapter 10
For the first month after the divorce, I still found myself checking my phone every afternoon at four-thirty.That was when Yale got out of school.For years, Yates would send the same message around that time:[I picked him up. Just wait at home.]Even after moving to Santara, I kept wrapping up work early and returning to my empty apartment as if I still had somewhere I needed to be. It wasn't until one evening, standing alone in the elevator, that it finally occurred to me.No one was expecting me to wait anymore.The company offered counseling to employees on overseas assignments. During one session, the therapist asked me, "When was the last time you told someone no?"I thought about it for a long time and couldn't remember.Whenever Yates frowned, I lowered my voice. Whenever Helen sighed, I was the one who gave in. If Yale started crying, my first instinct was always to wonder what I'd done wrong.I was twenty-two when Yates and I started dating. One day, a torrential storm shut
The Replaced Mother Chapter 9
During my first month in Santara, I moved into a new place and changed my phone number.Once a week, Yates sent Yale's therapy updates through our lawyers.At his first counseling session, Yale refused to go inside. At the second, he tore every star sticker off the walls of the therapist's office. By the third, he finally admitted why he'd spent so long pushing me away."I was scared Mommy Yara wouldn't like me anymore if I didn't."The psychologist's report read:[Yale has developed a clear pattern of making choices to please others. All primary caregivers should participate in family intervention.]Yates attended every session he was required to.Yara showed up only for the initial evaluation.The preschool's final investigation found that she had repeatedly presented herself as Yale's mother and had participated in altering his records. Her access to the parent portal and pickup privileges was permanently revoked, while Yates was ordered to complete parenting education for improperl
The Replaced Mother Chapter 8
The preschool called the next morning with the results of its initial review with the child psychology center. Until Yale's evaluation was complete, Yara's pickup authorization and access to the parent portal would be suspended. A formal report would follow within a week.Yara's first reaction was to reach for Yale."I've taken care of him for three years. You can't just stop me from seeing him."Yates stepped between them. "For now, we're doing what the doctors asked."She stared at him. "Yesterday you said I was only temporary. Now you're actually getting rid of me?""Yara." This time, he made no attempt to soothe her. "Don't drag Yale into this."It was too late for that. Yale had understood enough to slowly back away toward the couch."So when I didn't like Winnie before... was that something you made me do too?"Yara shook her head at once. "No. Mommy was just scared you wouldn't want me anymore.""But you made me call you Mommy." His voice dropped lower and lower. "And you told m
The Replaced Mother Chapter 7
There were sixty-seven tasks in the program, each worth one star when Yale completed it.[When Mom comes to preschool, be brave and tell her you don't need her.][When Mom signs up for a family activity, choose Mommy Yara instead.][Before school lets out, make sure Mom is waiting at home. Don't let her come to the school gates.]As I went through the history, the pattern became impossible to miss. Forty-six of the tasks matched the family activities I'd signed up for and later been removed from. The other twenty-one matched the times my requests to pick Yale up had been denied.The newest task had been completed today.[Protect Mommy Yara's family seat.]A gold star glowed beside the completed status.Created by: Yates FosterCo-editor: Yara XavierYates's voice tightened. "It didn't start out like this. I just wanted him to talk about how he felt every day, then use rewards to help him adjust to school pickup."I opened the edit history.The program had originally been called [Yale's
The Replaced Mother Chapter 6
Yale was too young to understand what she meant. He stood there clutching the award, looking back and forth between the adults in confusion.Yates recovered first. "Grandma's upstairs. Go find her."Yale only grabbed hold of Yara's dress. "I'm not going."For once, Yara didn't soothe him. Her eyes stayed on Yates."That's not what you said at the hospital three years ago."Yates lowered his voice. "Yara, don't talk about this in front of him.""You're the one who said I was only helping."Her eyes were red when she gave a small, bitter smile."The day I lost the baby, you told me Yale was about the same age our child would have been. You told me to treat him like my own for a while, so I wouldn't feel like I'd lost everything."I turned to Yates."The baby she lost. Whose was it?"His throat moved, but he didn't deny it.I'd imagined a truth like that would hit harder when I finally heard it. Instead, all I could think about was that morning three years ago, when he'd come home from th
The Replaced Mother Chapter 5
The confirmation flashed across my screen while Yates was still holding my wrist."Winnie, let me explain."I pulled my hand free in disgust. "We can talk at home."On the drive back, Yates still let Yara ride with us. Yale sat in the back seat clutching her award, refusing to look at me the entire way.Just as we reached the house, he suddenly asked, "Can Mommy Yara still pick me up after this?"Yates hesitated. "We'll talk about it later."Yale immediately turned on me."It's because of Winnie Lawson again. Everything changed as soon as she showed up."I looked at him. "Yale, do you really think I don't love you?""Yes."There wasn't a second of hesitation."Other moms pick their kids up from school. They go to field day. They answer the teachers' messages. You just sit around at home doing nothing. You don't care about Dad or me, and now you're suddenly pretending you do."Yates's expression hardened. "Yale Foster, that's enough."Yale's eyes turned red as he climbed out of the car.
You May Also Like
Starting Over at Sixty Years Old
Lil' Heart23.0K viewsThe Priceless Honeymoon
Goldie Bloom23.7K viewsNever Coming Back
Candice Rowan85.6K viewsThey Gave My Room to Their Chosen Daughter
Heliotrope141.5K viewsSense of Direction Lost in Love
Brooke Chase15 viewsI'm Done Asking Her Approval
Muddle Egg12 viewsMy Graduation Day, Their Wedding Day
Litchi Froot39 viewsMay All Your Wishes Come True, and May We Never Meet Again
Marvelous Meow13 views
