Semua Bab He Made Us His Secret, So We Disappeared: Bab 1 - Bab 9

The next afternoon, I took Ethan to his school's Family Science Challenge alone.Before the event started, he kept glancing toward the auditorium doors. Even when his teacher called his name, the seat we had saved for Damian was still empty.Ethan said nothing. He only lowered his head and walked onto the stage.He had spent two weeks building a water-cycle model. When the results were announced, he won first place in his grade. His teacher congratulated him, his classmates gathered around, and Ethan ran back to me with the medal in his hand.Then he looked toward the entrance again."Mom, is Dad not coming?"I didn't know how to answer.On the drive home, he stayed quiet before asking, "What about tonight? Is he coming to my birthday dinner?"Since Ethan was born, Damian had missed almost every school event. Birthdays, parent days, holiday performances—whenever a father was supposed to be there, it was always just me.But today was his seventh birthday.I still couldn't bring myself t

"Mr. Caruso, thank you for letting us stay here."Ethan said it again.I looked down at him, and something tightened in my chest. His eyes were already red, but he still held his chin up, refusing to cry.For eight years, Damian had never publicly acknowledged our marriage.I had handled contracts, lawsuits, and high-profile cases for Caruso & Associates, helping him build the firm's reputation piece by piece. Yet in front of everyone else, I was still only one of his lawyers.When Ethan was younger, he didn't understand. He would run toward Damian and call him Dad the moment he saw him.Every time, Damian stopped him."Not here, Ethan."Eventually, Ethan learned. Around other people, he simply stopped calling Damian anything at all.At home, though, he still called him Dad in a small, careful voice.Today, for the first time, he had chosen a name for the distance between them.Mr. Caruso.And Damian looked like he couldn't stand hearing it."Ethan."He stepped closer with a frown."Wh

After Sofia stormed out of Damian's office, the room stayed quiet.Plenty of people outside had seen what happened, but no one was foolish enough to gossip where Damian might hear.Rachel sent me a message.Everyone's betting on how long he can keep putting up with her.I replied with a smiling emoji and left it there.How capable Sofia was, or how much longer Damian could tolerate her, had nothing to do with me anymore.Damian had criticized me plenty of times too. The difference was that I never cried or walked out when he pointed out a mistake. I wrote everything down, fixed it, and made sure I didn't repeat it.I lost my parents young and got through college and law school on scholarships, loans, and part-time work. When I joined Caruso & Associates, I had no family name or connections.Damian didn't make things easier.I stayed late night after night, reading contracts, case law, and transaction records until I understood every line. Whenever I got stuck, I went to the senior atto

Damian looked at Sofia standing in his way."I'm not lying to you."His voice was calm and final."I love Elena. I'm going to find her."He pulled his arm free and left the house without looking back.By then, Ethan and I had already settled into life in Seattle.My new job had not officially started yet, so my days were simple. I took Ethan to school in the morning, came home to unpack and organize the house, and occasionally handled a few independent legal consultations.The quiet still felt unfamiliar.No midnight calls from the firm. No contracts waiting on my laptop. No wondering whether Damian would come home or disappear again.Rachel told me from time to time that Damian kept asking where we were.I didn't care.He could look for me if he wanted.I wasn't going back.Eventually, my attorney confirmed that Ethan and I were living in Seattle after Damian requested visitation.A few weeks later, after dropping Ethan off at school, I was watering the flowers in the front yard when