chapter 1

On my son’s birthday, Emily Miller—a childhood friend of my husband—shared a post online.

"Happy birthday! My dear son."

The photo showed my boy cuddled in Emily’s embrace.

Quietly, I hit the like button.

Shortly after, Emily removed the picture.

Within minutes, my husband and son burst through the door, their faces flushed with rage.

"All this is on you! Why’d you make Ms. Miller delete that photo?

"You’re a horrible mom. I don’t want you anymore," my son shrieked, his bottom lip quivering.

Before I could utter a word, he launched into a tantrum, kicking my shins and pounding his tiny fists against my legs.

My husband stood by, arms crossed, his gaze as cold as ice—no attempt to restrain our son, no flicker of concern in his eyes.

Only after the boy’s yelling dissolved into sniffles did my husband toss me a half-eaten slice of cake, the frosting smudged where tiny fingers had grabbed it.

"Here," he grunted, as if offering scraps to a stray dog.

"Emily asked me to bring this to you. Eat it, and apologize to her tomorrow."

His tone was frigid, laced with irritation. He likely blamed me for ruining their "date."

Clutching my aching stomach, I stared at the vibrant mangoes on the cake.

Suddenly, an overwhelming tiredness washed over me.

Daniel Scott, let’s get a divorce.

I struggled to my feet, turned toward the stairs, and started packing my things.

I didn’t notice Daniel follow me until he sneered at the sight of me wrestling with my suitcase.

"What’s this act now? Pretending to leave to make me beg you to stay?

"Emily wasn’t feeling well today, so I took Lucas Scott to visit her. Can’t you stop being so jealous?"

"I’m not jealous, Daniel. This is over."

This wasn’t the first incident involving him and Emily. I was truly exhausted.

As I dragged my suitcase toward the door, Daniel blocked my path.

"Fine, fine—I’ll apologize, okay? It’s just a birthday. Do you have to make such a scene? Besides, look how happy our son was."

When I looked up, he thought I was relenting and tried to hug me.

"But you went too far today," he said. "All Emily did was post a photo. Why escalate things? Just apologize to her tomorrow."

He reached for me, but I flinched away.

"Daniel, do you really think I’m stupid?"

"What do you mean?" His hand dropped, and his voice turned impatient.

In the past, I would have tiptoed around his feelings, but then, I no longer cared. I looked him straight in the eye.

"My own son is almost becoming someone else’s, and you want me to apologize to the other woman? Our son came home and attacked me without asking why, and you didn’t lift a finger to stop him."

Daniel’s face darkened with annoyance.

"Emily adores Lucas and treats him like her own. What’s wrong with that? It’s good for him to have more people who care."

"The other woman? I’ve told you—she’s like a sister to me. Don’t say such ugly things!"

I laughed coldly. "Do I sound harsh? But isn’t what you did even more disgraceful?"

"What have we done? Didn’t I already explain it to you?

"Emily worried you’d be upset, so she sent you cake, but you had to cause a scene."

"Cause a scene?" I scoffed. "Did you even remember I’m allergic to mangoes?"

Daniel froze.

He Knew! How Could He Not?

He used to commit every nuance of my preferences to memory, once even defying his own family for my sake.

Before our wedding, when his parents voiced their disapproval, he’d clasped my hand and declared, “If you won’t accept Luna Martinez as part of this family, I won’t set foot here again.”

His resolve had been unshakable then, but now… he simply didn’t care.

I brushed past him and made for the door.

"What about our son? If we divorce, you’ll never get custody. Are you really willing to give him up?"

See? He knew my weakness.

After all those years, Daniel still knew exactly what mattered most to me.

And yet, he’d still taken our son to Emily.

I stopped.

"I’ll respect his choice—whoever he wants to be with."

Just then, our son, who’d been peeking from outside, burst in.

"I want to stay with Dad! Dad, get divorced so you can marry Ms. Miller! I want her to be my mom—she gives me gifts and takes me for ice cream!"