Chapter 3

I looked down and saw that Leonardo's eyes were red. He was biting his lip hard, stubbornly refusing to cry.

I smiled and asked him, "Do you really not want your mom anymore?"

He shook his head and said nothing.

During the parent-child activity, Emily did everything she could to help Adam win. The three of them looked like a real family, enjoying the event together.

Meanwhile, I won a toy for Leonardo.

However, Adam suddenly ran over and pointed at the toy in Leonardo's hands. "Mommy, I want that toy."

Emily patted his head and smiled. "Okay."

She walked up to Leonardo and held out her hand. "Adam wants this toy, Leo. Give it to him."

She did not ask him but demanded it from him.

Lucas smiled and teased Adam for being naughty, and no one cared that I had won the toy for my own son.

Leonardo refused.

Emily frowned and said, "Leo, do you still remember what I told you? You need to be generous with Adam."

Leonardo still stubbornly refused.

Emily's tone turned colder. "Leo, give the toy to Adam."

Meanwhile, Adam came over and tried to snatch the toy away as if he had been given permission. Then Adam lost his footing while trying to take the toy and fell to the floor, where he started crying on the spot.

Emily went livid and she shoved Leonardo. "Leonardo! Why are you so disobedient today? It's just a toy! What's wrong with giving it to Adam?!"

Leonardo bit his lip, his eyes full of hurt, but he clutched the toy tightly. If I had not caught him in time, the back of his head might have hit the floor.

Countless eyes fell on us.

Emily looked especially embarrassed.

She said coldly, "Jake, how exactly have you been raising Leonardo? It's just a figurine. Look how hard Adam is crying."

Lucas comforted Adam with distress all over his face, then gave us a helpless look.

My gaze turned icy as I met Emily's eyes and said calmly, "This is the prize I won for Leo. Why should he give it to someone else? Emily, have you forgotten that Leo is your actual son?"

Emily's expression shifted slightly.

Adam cried louder and louder.

His crying irritated me, so I took Leonardo away to work on the paperwork to withdraw him from kindergarten.

On the way home, I asked Leonardo why he had suddenly stopped liking Emily. In the past, Leonardo had still wanted to be close to her even if he had been afraid of her. He had secretly butt heads with her only because he wanted her approval.

But now, he seemed to be genuinely disappointed in her.

Leonardo's face instantly turned into a frown, his eyes full of hurt. After a while, he said quietly, "Mom said that if you weren't around, Lucas would be my dad. She said you stole Lucas's place, so I have to give in to Adam from now on and treat him like my real little brother. She said we'll be a family in the future, but I know she only sees me as one of Adam's toys. Dad… She's so gentle with Adam… Is she Adam's mom too?"

I patted Leonardo's shoulder, and it felt as if my heart was being ripped apart.

To think that Emily had actually said those things to Leonardo…

No wonder, after he came back from meeting Lucas that day, he pushed me into the guest room and told me not to sleep with Emily anymore.

He said Emily was filthy.

She really was filthy, inside and out.

That night, I had just finished packing the luggage when Emily called. She said Leonardo's birthday was tomorrow and she had set aside time to spend with him. Then she asked where Leonardo wanted to go.

I watched Leonardo's eyes light up for a second before he blurted out a long list of places.

Emily was still cold, but she agreed to all of them.

That night, Leonardo was so excited he could not sleep.

He climbed out of bed early the next morning. He held my hand and hurried downstairs, full of anticipation. But we waited from morning until noon, and Emily still did not come home.

Instead, Lucas called. His smug, provocative voice came through the phone. "Sorry, Jake. Today is Adam's birthday too, and Em is spending the day with him. As for Leonardo, I guess you just have to keep him company."

Adam's happy shout and Emily's voice came from the other end of the call. They were getting ready to ride the swinging pirate ship.

I looked at Leonardo. He had raised his face with his lips pressed tightly. I smiled and said, "Don't worry. Have fun. Tell her she doesn't need to worry about Leo anymore."

After hanging up, I took Leonardo's hand and grabbed our luggage as we went to the airport. On the way there, I contacted a lawyer to draft a divorce agreement.

This time, I did not ask Leonardo. Because I could not convince myself to forgive Emily, and I could not convince myself to compromise for the sake of my son.

Leonardo stayed silent the entire way.

Only after we got off the plane and saw my parents did he seem to recover his spirit. He threw all his sadness behind him, leaving only happiness in front of him.

My mom glanced behind me. "She didn't come along?"

I shook my head and told her the truth. "We're preparing for divorce. Leo will come with me."

My mom sighed but said nothing.

For Leonardo's birthday, my mom made a whole table of food and ordered a two-tier cake. He was overjoyed and spent a long time making his wish.

I had just posted the occasion on social media when Emily called. "Jake, where are you and Leonardo right now? Why aren't you back yet? Didn't we agree to celebrate Leonardo's birthday? I bought a cake, so you don't need to buy one. Hurry back. We can still celebrate before midnight."