Three Chances, Then Never Again

After putting my son, Jonathan Lane, to bed, I, Jasper Lane, returned to the guest room. I opened my laptop and started drafting the divorce agreement.This year marked the seventh year of my marriage to Zoey Sutton. It was also the seventh year we had been living apart. I was finally ready to let her go.Jonathan knocked on my door and walked in. My seven-year-old son was holding his airplane model as he asked, "Daddy, are we really moving?"He looked at me, clearly reluctant to leave. "But Ms. Sutton hugged me tonight. Doesn't that mean she's starting to like me?"I froze, momentarily disoriented.Seven years of marriage, yet Zoey had never let Jonathan call her "Mommy".When he was two, she had taken him grocery shopping. On the way, they had run into an acquaintance.Because Jonathan had accidentally called her "Mommy", Zoey put him down and made the barely walking toddler go on by himself. By the time they got back, his knees and palms had been scraped raw.When he was f

I froze for a moment, then instinctively rose and headed for the exit.That was when I saw Zoey fixing Sean's hair.Nearby, Jonathan stood by the elevator, watching his mother with another man. She was gentle and patient in a way we had never seen.I wanted to take him away, but Zoey noticed him. Her body stiffened, and she withdrew her hand. But the next second, she stepped in front of Sean and walked past Jonathan as if he were a stranger.My heart ached. I quickly led Jonathan back to my desk.Before I could explain, his eyes welled up with tears, and he asked, "Daddy, is that the person Ms. Sutton likes?"I lost the strength to speak and could only nod, my vision blurring. He didn't ask further, quietly working on his homework, though tears soaked the paper.I pulled him into my arms and held him tightly. He was all that mattered to me.Zoey had two chances left before she lost us for good.We packed up and headed home.On the way, Jonathan asked, "Daddy, can Ms. Sutton c

"Ms. Sutton," Jonathan said, "my daddy and I are going to leave."All my grief lodged tightly in my chest.Just as I turned to go, Zoey suddenly grabbed my arm. "What did Jon just say?"She stared at Jonathan in shock, as if seeking confirmation.Was she stunned because the child she once couldn't get rid of had now learned to keep his distance on his own?I managed a faint smile, struck by the irony. "He didn't say anything, Ms. Sutton. The parent-teacher meeting is about to start."I pulled my arm free and led Jonathan to the row in front.Even after sitting down, I could feel her gaze on my back, but it offered no comfort.The parent-teacher meeting began on schedule.I held Jonathan close. For the first time, I wished the teacher's voice would be loud enough to block out the warm chatter of that "family of three" sitting behind us.As expected, the teacher mentioned Jonathan. He was announced as the class monitor for the semester and invited to give a speech.Jonathan re

The client said nothing, weighing the damage to his ego.Sean suddenly broke down crying. His pitiful display made everyone frown, and whatever goodwill they had left quickly disappeared.In the workplace, looks were only a bonus. These seasoned professionals cared most about one's competence.I was decent-looking and far more capable than Sean. No one understood what Zoey was thinking. She had actually traded me for a useless ornament.After everyone left, Sean looked at Zoey. "Zoey, I'm sorry. I didn't expect this to happen. What should I do?"Zoey instinctively wanted to comfort him. But when she met his helpless gaze, she froze.I had never looked at her like that. I was prideful, and I pursued perfection in everything I did. No matter how difficult the task or how tricky the situation, I always resolved it.Unlike Sean, I never cried or dumped the mess on her to deal with.She thought that if I had been in Sean's place today, none of this would have happened. Jonathan was

Hearing the hostility in Zoey's tone, Sean said awkwardly, "Steve knows he caused serious trouble. He insisted on coming to apologize in person. I also have some work matters I wanted to ask Mr. Lane about. After all, he used to…"Zoey looked at the father and son. Their eyes were clearly red from crying. She also noticed the neighbors watching.Reluctantly, she stepped aside and let them in.Steve immediately spotted the KFC on the table. He reached for it, but Sean shot him a sharp look.Startled, Steve pulled his hand back. He then lowered his head and spoke in an aggrieved tone. "I was wrong, future Mommy. I shouldn't have drawn on your documents…"Seeing his expression, Zoey softened for a moment. Jonathan often looked at her with the same look in his eyes.She felt a pang of unease at the thought of Jonathan. So much time had passed, yet Jonathan and I were still not home.She ignored Sean and Steve, grabbed her phone, and went into the kitchen. She tried calling me, only