Chapter 2

Chloe didn’t get home until 9 PM. By then, I was already packing my bags. The bedroom was a total mess.

She walked in with a sneer. She was clearly here to fight for Carlos.

"You know Carlos just found out he's sterile! Why would you rub salt in his wound? Don't you think you're being incredibly cruel?"

Looking at this self-righteous woman spitting words at me, I found it almost hilarious.

This was my wife.

She was terrified that a single word from me would hurt Carlos. Yet, she didn't care at all about how terrified I was when she lied and told me our son was missing.

I didn't even want to argue. I stood there, holding a glass of water, watching her storm around the room, frantically packing up the rest of Leo's things.

My mind flashed back to two mornings ago. I had barely sat down at my desk at work when my phone rang.

Her voice was trembling on the other end:

"Liam, what do we do? Leo is gone! I lost him!"

Through her sobbing, she claimed Leo had wandered off at the mall. I panicked.

I immediately called my friends and organized a search party around the mall.

Even as I frantically searched every corner, I didn't forget to call and comfort her.

But where was she? She was probably by Carlos's side the whole time.

Because Carlos had just been diagnosed with infertility. He could never have biological children.

Her heart bled for him. She wanted to be with him twenty-four hours a day, terrified he might do something drastic.

And when I called her a few more times to get more details about how Leo went missing, she got annoyed.

She thought I was interrupting her time with Carlos, so she blocked my Snapchat and my number.

For two days and nights, I didn't sleep or eat, searching desperately. Still, there was no sign of him.

Just as I was on the verge of a total breakdown, I stumbled upon Carlos's Instagram update.

"A family of three. Simple happiness."

In the photo, Carlos was holding a sleeping Leo with one arm, his other arm wrapped around a blushing Chloe. They looked like a perfect, happy family.

At that moment, all the strength drained from my body. I couldn't understand what I was to Chloe.

Seeing me sitting silently at the table, Chloe's anger flared up again.

"Why aren't you talking? Playing mute again? Giving me that silent treatment—who do you think you are?"

"I already explained it to you on the phone. Carlos can't have kids."

"Isn't it perfect to give Leo to him? He didn't ask for much—just one child!"

My hands trembled around the glass. I forced down my rage, looking up at her.

"He can ask for whatever he wants. But Leo is mine. Bring him back."

Chloe lost her temper, throwing a pile of clothes right at my face.

"Liam, have you had enough?!"

"I've told you a thousand times, Carlos and I are strictly platonic! I'm just trying to help him!"

"You're always jealous whenever I'm near him. Now that he's sick, why do you have to throw a tantrum?"

"Carlos was right. You're just a controlling, insecure guy trying to satisfy your own ego!"

I was too stunned to speak. The scratch on my leg from searching for Leo began to throb.