Chapter 2

"Last time I went to Daddy’s office, I was playing with Legos under his desk. I heard her saying bad things about you to Daddy."

"She said you were getting old, that you weren't good enough for Daddy, and that it was embarrassing for him to take you out."

Leo looked up at me, his eyes welled with tears.

"Mommy, I don't like her. And I don't like Daddy right now either."

A seven-year-old child could easily sense a grown-up’s kindness or malice.

He was using his own way to express his anger, and he had just sounded the alarm for me.

"Good job, buddy."

"What do you want for lunch? Mommy’s taking you somewhere nice."

Leo’s eyes lit up instantly. "I want Pizza Hut!"

By the time we finished lunch and got back home, it was already two in the afternoon.

I tucked Leo in for his nap, then walked out to the balcony.

I pulled up the dashcam video Sarah had sent me.

Sarah ran a used-car business and was also the authorized mechanic for Marcus’s company cars.

This morning, Marcus had dropped his car off for routine maintenance, planning to pick it up after the Field Day ended.

While performing a standard inspection, one of Sarah’s mechanics had accidentally seen some highly questionable footage on the dashcam.

The camera captured the interior of the car. Marcus was in the driver's seat, and Chloe was in the passenger seat.

Chloe peeled a grape, bit it in half, then leaned over to feed the other half into Marcus’s mouth.

Marcus laughed, playfully dodging at first, before biting down on the grape and kissing her fingers.

"Marcus, are you really going to that stupid Field Day today?"

Chloe’s voice was dripping with sweetness. "What's so fun about a school event anyway? You promised you’d take me to the dentist today."

Marcus sighed. "I have to. Jane insisted I go, saying Leo has been looking forward to it for weeks. I’ll just show my face, take a couple of photos, and leave. “

“I pushed my afternoon meetings so I can spend the rest of the day with you."

"Well, you better hurry. My wisdom tooth is killing me, I couldn't even sleep last night. If you don't come with me, I’m going to cry."

"Okay, okay, babe. I promise."

The video cut off there.

There were no overly explicit scenes, but their familiar tone and natural physical contact already explained everything.

I closed the video and texted Sarah on Snapchat: Thanks.

Sarah replied instantly: What are you going to do? Throw the video in his face? I can bring a couple of guys from the shop to help you kick his ass!

No need, I typed back. This video only proves they have an ambiguous relationship. It doesn't prove anything substantial legally.

If I show him now, he’ll just say they were joking and accuse me of invading his privacy.

So you're just going to take this? Jane, that doesn't sound like you at all!

Before I could reply, I heard the lock turn.

Marcus pushed the door open, covered in sweat. The top two buttons of his white shirt were undone, and he looked completely exhausted.

As soon as he walked in, he headed straight for the fridge, grabbed a bottle of cold water, and downed half of it. Then he walked out to the balcony to join me.

"Jane, I am so, so sorry." His face was filled with guilt, his voice incredibly sincere.

"Right when I was about to leave this morning, the VP called an emergency Zoom meeting."

"You know how the company is restructuring this year. My promotion to director is at a critical stage, and I really couldn't walk away."

He stepped closer, trying to put his arm around my shoulder. "Leo isn't mad, is he? Tell him I'm sorry. I'll take him to Disneyland this weekend."

I stepped aside, avoiding his touch, and asked casually.

"An emergency meeting?"

"Yeah, a video call with the Chicago headquarters. It dragged on for over three hours." Marcus sighed. "I didn't even have time for lunch."

"Was this meeting in the conference room, or at the dental clinic?"