“Daddy, I’m so itchy!” Abigail cried, scratching at her arms. Her skin was covered in angry red welts; an alarming sight.
Naya froze.
Her mind flashed back to the jar of peanut butter that had mysteriously appeared on the breakfast table that morning.
Without another thought, she reached into her bag for the allergy meds she always carried, quickly preparing to give them to Abigail.
But just as she opened the bottle, Zora stopped her. “Wait.”
Zora’s eyes locked onto hers, a smug little smile tugging at her lips. Naya’s heart dropped.
Zora crouched beside Abigail, gently cupping her face. “Sweetie,” she coaxed softly, “can you tell us who made you eat something they knew would hurt you?”
Naya’s stomach twisted.
Everyone close to Abigail knew about her peanut allergy. Even the slightest contact could cause a full–body rash, or worse, a life–threatening reaction.
Abigail looked up with teary eyes, then turned to Naya. “No, don’t blame Mommy,” she whimpered. “I just wanted to eat it…”
A heavy silence fell over the room. All eyes turned toward Naya.
She instinctively took a step back, stunned, staring at the child–barely four–who had just delivered a flawless performance.
But more than that, she hadn’t expected Zora to risk Abigail’s health just to frame her.
Cesar’s eyes darkened as he looked at her. Suspicion turned into certainty, then hardened into fury.
Naya felt a sharp pang of sadness. He hadn’t even asked, just believed Zora without hesitation. “It wasn’t me,” she said, her voice cracking as her eyes brimmed with tears.
“If not you, then who?” Zora pressed, her tone deceptively soft. “Who else but you and Cesar would know Abigail’s allergy?”
She wasn’t just accusing, she was making her move.
This gathering was her stage, and she intended to use it to destroy Naya’s reputation and fight for custody. That way, she could finally step into Naya’s place and become the real Mrs. Harmon. The party hall buzzed with scandal.
“How heartless, she hurt her own child?”
“Must’ve snapped when she saw Zora come back.”
“A substitute is just that. True love always wins.”
Naya stood frozen, the voices slicing through her like glass. The bitterness crawled up her throat.
“I said it wasn’t me!” she cried, clutching the allergy meds tighter in her hand, eyes locked on
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3:45 am
Cesar. Her fingers dug into the plastic until it bit into her skin, drawing blood, but she didn’t notice.
“Enough! We’re going to the hospital,” Cesar snapped, his voice full of impatience anc disappointment.
He scooped Abigail into his arms. Without looking back, he walked out with Zora right beside him, leaving Naya behind in a storm of whispers and laughter.
As his figure disappeared, something inside Naya shattered.
She turned and walked out of the party, numb, the weight of a hundred stares following her.
After walking aimlessly for what felt like hours, her phone rang. “Naya, everything’s ready. You can leave now.”
The call felt like a lifeline, yanking her out of the abyss. She nodded, resolute. Back at home, Naya quickly dismissed the servants and headed straight to the study.
She placed the signed divorce papers and her wedding ring into an envelope labeled, [For Cesar – Personal].
Then she made a call to the property management and instructed them to throw out everything that belonged to their marriage; his and hers pajamas, matching slippers, mugs, wedding photos, even her own clothes and makeup from the day they wed. All of it.
Once everything was cleared, she opened the suitcase she had packed long ago.
From a drawer, she pulled out a stack of pregnancy test results. She wanted to take the daughter no one had ever cared about.
Before stepping out, Naya paused for one last glance at the villa she had called home for years.
She had loved this place once. But now, she turned away without hesitation, leaving behind her ring and every trace of Cesar.
3:46 am
9
