All Chapters of Three Chances, Then Gone: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

I hung up with the divorce lawyer and checked my phone.2 a.m.Eight hours since Stanley ditched Luca's birthday.Five since Hallie posted that photo—Stanley tucking her kid in like he belonged there.Luca was asleep.The birthday cake had melted, frosting sliding off the edge and oozing onto the floor. Sticky. Gross—just like Stanley's promises.He still hadn't come home.I sighed. Luca had asked for his dad even as he drifted off.I closed the lawyer's chat and headed to wash up.A car pulled up outside.Footsteps. Fast.Then a knock on Luca's bedroom door."Luca, you asleep? I'm back. Let's finish your birthday, okay?"Stanley was finally home, knocking soft like that made up for everything.Before, this would've been just another sweet family moment.Now all I could see was Hallie's post:[The kid cried for his dad, and this AMAZING man rushed over. So touching.]Was he this tender with her son too?I didn't know. I just didn't want Luca waking up to another fight

Luca toppled out of the car, smacking his forehead hard—blood started gushing.I stared at Stanley, stunned. "What the hell are you doing?"He didn't expect that. A flash of concern, yeah—but no regret."That's Archie's seat. He doesn't like people messing with his stuff. Luca, I didn't mean to. You're a good kid, right? You get it, don't you?"My eyes burned. I raised my hand to slap him.Luca's breath hitched like he was holding it all in, but he grabbed my wrist."It's okay, Mom. Don't fight Dad. I'm a good boy. I don't need Archie's stuff."He said it like it didn't matter, but his eyes were rimmed red.Last week was the same mess. Stanley bought Luca a new toy—then Hallie posted that Archie wanted one too.Next thing I knew, Stanley sweet-talked Luca into giving it up behind my back and dropped it off at Hallie's that night.And I didn't even find out until yesterday.So what else was he hiding?I looked at Luca's pale face, barely holding it together. No more waiting.

Archie started bawling. "Daddy, you are my daddy! You're not gonna stop wanting me, right? I don't wanna be a kid without a dad!"Stanley panicked, trying to hush him."Don't cry, don't cry. Luca didn't mean it. I'm your dad. Just yours.""Stanley Gibson." My voice was ice. "Think hard. You've got two chances left. You really choosing him over Luca?"***Stanley froze.He looked at me, panicked, like he wanted to explain—but Archie's sobs pulled him back.After a beat, he glanced at us with that weak, sorry expression."I'm sorry," he whispered.Then he turned, hugging Archie tight."Don't cry, Archie. You're my only child. I'm only your dad."Drip.Luca's tears hit the floor.He slipped his hand into mine, voice raw."Mom, let's go. I don't want a birthday anymore. I just wanna go home.""Okay." My voice cracked. I held him close and didn't look back."Wait," Stanley called after us.He darted to the table, sliced the ruined cake, and held it out."Luca, happy birthd

He looked at Luca, smile warping into something fake and off."Luca, Mommy's drunk. Don't listen to her. Come on, I'll hold you while we cut the cake. Let Mommy rest, okay?"He reached for him, eyes rimmed red.Luca stepped back. Hid behind me, head down, wouldn't look at him.Stanley's smile froze. Like one of those creepy clown puppets in a toy store—too much and not enough at the same time.Kinda ridiculous. Kinda sad.But no one laughed.This wasn't a joke.It was just a divorce.I opened the front door. Pitch black outside.The yard—once neat—was now littered with bags.Stanley's clothes. His shoes. A few everyday things.The toothbrush cup we made the year we got married.After Luca was born, he'd made another—green this time—for the three of us, same little ceramics shop.The towels? From Christmas, two years back.Luca didn't have much allowance, but still begged the maid to take him shopping. He picked out three towels with cartoon characters stitched on them.

Stanley must've picked up on it too. For the first time, his voice turned cold."Hallie, Loretta's my wife. I think she's great. Don't talk like that again."He hung up before she could get another word in.But seeing real anger in his eyes didn't make me feel better. It just made the bitterness sharper.I always knew he didn't like Hallie.So what?Just 'cause he stood up for me once? Just 'cause he only cared about a kid and not the woman behind him—am I supposed to be moved?No way.He loved me, sure. But he hurt our child.He loved Luca—but still made him swallow his feelings, over and over. Called it being a good boy.Maybe that kind of love was real.I didn't want it.I curled my lip and chucked the divorce papers straight at his face.Before he could even react, I shoved him out the door.The keypad lock slammed shut with a heavy bang.I stared him down through the glass and said, cold and solid—"I've signed the divorce papers. Think it over. If you won't agree,