chapter 4

However, I handed the robot to Annie and she beamed, "Thank you, Mommy."

Lucas lost it and started acting like some wild animal defending his turf.

He stormed over, yanked the robot right out of Annie's hands, and shoved her to the floor.

"She's my mom!" he shouted. "You're not allowed to call her that! Everything she has belongs to me—it's all mine!"

Everyone froze, completely stunned.

I was the first to react, and I slapped Lucas across the face. "Apologize to Annie!"

James immediately picked Annie up, trying to calm her down while she cried in fear. He was glaring at Lucas so fiercely.

Jasmine jumped in, rushing to Lucas's side. She checked the red mark on his cheek and shot me a look full of fake pity.

"Wow, never seen a mother this heartless. How can you beat your own kid just to protect someone else? My poor baby, this is just cruel."

When George heard that, he grabbed my wrist and barked, "Jess, what the hell is wrong with you? Apologize to Lucas! You're still the lady of the Finnegan family. If you don't, don't even think about setting foot in my house again!"

I stared at him, genuinely baffled.

They were the ones who did not want me, but now they were acting like I was the one who walked out.

I yanked my arm out of his grip, my voice ice-cold.

"George, since Jasmine came back five years ago, you've asked me for a divorce 36 times, and I never agreed.

"I held on, no matter how much I had to swallow, because I loved you and I loved your son.

"But I can't do this anymore. I'm done, and I agree to the divorce.

"And now you suddenly care that I'm your wife? That I'm his mom? That I'm the lady of the house? Seriously?"

George looked shocked. His mouth opened, but no words came out.

I did not stick around to watch him scramble. So, James and I got ready to take Annie to the hospital.

Just as we were about to leave, George jumped in front of me, his voice low and shaky.

"Anything but a divorce. Name any other condition—I'll agree to it."

I did not even look at him when I told him, "If you don't show up at the courthouse tomorrow, I'll file on my own. And if you don't care about your company's stock price, then by all means, ignore the court summons."

Behind me, his voice cracked with desperation.

"Lucas is the child you nearly died giving birth to, and you can't have more kids. Are you really going to leave him? Let him grow up without a mom?"

I did not stop or answer him.

Because Lucas was never motherless.

If George wanted, he could give him a dozen new moms. It does not have to be Jasmine. Anyone would do.

Once we got in the car, I wrapped my arms around Annie and looked over at James, guilt creeping in.

"I'm sorry for dragging you and Annie into this mess ... "

He gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, then gave me a small, reassuring smile.

"For me and Annie, anything that has to do with you is never a burden."

He paused for a moment, then added, "I actually came back to find you, but no one knew where you'd gone. So I just stayed at the old neighborhood, hoping one day you'd show up ... "

I did not know what to say. His feelings were clear.

However, after everything I had been through with George, I just did not have the strength to start over.

Maybe James sensed my hesitation, because he gently asked, "Is the divorce because of that woman?"

I thought about it. The answer was yes, but also no.

Twelve years ago, George's first love, Jasmine, left him and vanished overseas.

He was heartbroken. One night, drunk and miserable, he mistook me for her and forced himself on me.

When he came to the next morning, he accused me of setting him up and said I climbed into his bed on purpose just to trap him.

To shut me up, he threw a wad of cash at me and told me to disappear.