Chapter 4

With that, I turned and left, leaving a stunned Ethan behind.

Back in my room, I called my parents.

The moment the call connected, I couldn't stop the tears.

My parents immediately grew anxious. "Chloe, sweetie, why are you crying? Did that bastard hurt you again?"

I cried until my throat was hoarse before I could speak. "Mom, Dad... I regret it so much..."

Years ago, I broke ties with my family for Ethan.

I even gave up a high-paying corporate transfer just to stay home and raise Leo.

Now, I was going to be myself again.

My parents' voices were filled with relief. After a good, long cry, I started packing my bags.

But then, the front door burst open, and a woman rushed in.

"Ethan! Why didn't you pick up my calls? Do you know how worried I was?"

Ethan hadn't expected Rachel to show up at the house. Afraid I would hear her, he quickly tried to quiet her down.

"Rachel, what are you doing here? Go home first and wait for me, okay?"

But Leo, seeing his "Mommy" arrive, threw his arms around her legs happily.

"Mommy! Please don't leave!"

Ethan looked helpless. Just as he was about to speak, I walked out of the bedroom.

Watching the three of them clustered together, I felt nothing but disgust.

Suddenly, Leo rushed toward me.

He rammed his head hard into my stomach with all his might.

"Why won't you just leave? I only want my Daddy and Mommy! Stop taking up space in our house!"

I stumbled back two steps.

The house fell silent, save for the child’s angry breathing.

Rachel had a smirk on her face. She gestured for Leo to come back to her, praising him silently.

Ethan looked deeply embarrassed.

"Chloe, Leo is just a kid. He doesn't know what he's saying..."

"What did you just say? Apologize to your mother right now!"

Ethan pushed Leo forward, but the boy just stared at me stubbornly.

"No! She's not my mommy! She’s the one who makes my mommy unhappy!" Leo screamed, his eyes filled with pure hatred.

I remembered when he was running a 104-degree fever.

I took him to the ER at three in the morning.

While he was getting an IV, he snuggled in my arms and whispered, "You're the best mommy in the world."

He used to act spoiled with me too.

He would say, "Mommy is always so busy, I miss you. I want to play with you."

But now, he hated me.

My blood connection with him couldn't compete with a woman who had never actually taken care of him.

Ethan carried Leo to his bedroom and escorted Rachel out.

As he passed me, he only left one sentence:

"Wait for me to come back."

My tense body finally relaxed.

Only then did I feel a sharp pain in my stomach.

I rubbed it gently, went back to the room, and slowly continued packing my bags.

It was past midnight when Ethan returned smelling of alcohol and a strong, cheap perfume.

"Chloe, don't take it out on the kid."

"Tomorrow is our anniversary, right?"

"I booked a table at the rooftop restaurant. Let's go together at noon."

Before I could answer, his heavy breathing signaled he had fallen asleep.

Since we remarried, Ethan and I hadn't gone out for a nice dinner.

He always said he was too busy with work and didn't want to waste time.

Yet, he spent thousands on Rachel at the most expensive restaurant in the city, only bringing home their leftovers for me to eat.

As the sky turned gray with the morning light, I turned around.

I stared at the sleeping man's face.

Time to say goodbye, Ethan.

I left the signed divorce papers on his desk in the study and took one last look at him in the bedroom.

He was still muttering "Rachel" in his sleep.

I didn't care. I grabbed my suitcase and headed straight for the airport.

Before boarding the plane, I sent Ethan two final messages on Snapchat:

[The divorce papers are on the desk. Sign them. You can keep Leo.]

[From now on, we owe each other nothing.]