Chapter 7
How could anyone have had a loyal wife and a pretty mistress at the same time? It had sounded too good to be true.
Before David could say anything, I hung up and turned off my phone.
Meanwhile, a video started going around online. It showed Kelly falling in the storage room and trying to frame me.
Thanks to Sophie’s efforts, the video quickly became popular. People kept reaching out to me, wanting to know the truth.
Owen was one of them.
Clutching the edge of David’s shirt, his eyes red like he’d been crying, he stood shyly at my door and whispered, “I’m sorry. I was wrong about you.
“I didn’t know Aunt Kelly was lying to me.”
I nodded, accepting his apology.
“Are you done?” I asked coldly. “If so, please leave.”
I reached for the door to close it, but David slammed his hand against it. His hand got pinched between the door and the frame.
Ignoring the pain shooting through his hand, he blurted out, “Wait!”
Owen kept his head down, pulling a camera memory card from his pocket. “Did you leave this for me?” he asked anxiously.
He paused, then mustered the courage to say, “Mom…”
Hearing him call me “Mom“-a word I’d been waiting to hear for so long-
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Chapter 7
didn’t bring the joy I’d imagined.
Pictures flashed through my mind.
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I’d looked forward to Owen’s growth, recording his birthday celebrations from age one to eighteen and preparing 18 handcrafted gifts.
David had once whispered in my ear, pretending to be jealous. “You’ve never made a gift for me. I’m upset.
I’d pushed his body away, laughing. “Why are you jealous of a child?”
He’d pouted indignantly. “You’ll definitely favor Owen more in the future. Of course I’m jealous.”
I asked, “How could that be?”
He said in a flat tone, “You’ve done so much for him. He’ll definitely be moved to tears and forget all about his old man.”
No one could have guessed that this playful comment would come true in
such a strange way.
Big tears rolled down Owen’s cheeks as he cried bitterly. “Mom, Kelly said you didn’t like me, so I hated you. I didn’t know you loved me so
much.”
He stepped forward, grabbed my hand, and choked out, “I know I was wrong. Mom, will you forgive me?”
I looked down at the pitiful child in front of me and silently pulled my hand away.
Owen froze, his face full of panic. “Mom!”
I cut him off. “Owen, not all mistakes can be forgiven.”
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Chapter 7
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As if realizing he could never win me back, he collapsed to the floor and started throwing a tantrum.
“No! You’re my real mom! How can you abandon me over such a small thing? Do you not love me at all?”
Maybe not.
When I found out about David and Kelly’s plan–and saw how the kid I’d cherished had been taught to act this way by Kelly–I didn’t want to love
anymore.
For many things, it would be a lie to say that you don’t care.
With a mix of feelings in my eyes, I looked at Owen and said softly for one last time, “The floor’s cold. Don’t sit there too long.”
After I said that, I turned to go back to my room.
Owen stared at my back with red eyes, like he was making one last try to save himself from drowning. “Mom, what about the gifts you prepared for
me?”
Maybe he wanted me to see the gifts and remember how nice it was to make them, or maybe he wanted to leave something behind. His red ear tips showed he wasn’t good at this kind of stuff.
I let out a soft sigh and looked at David.
He always knew how to soften my heart.
But it didn’t work this time.
I said coldly, “You already smashed the gifts.”
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