After eight years as a stand-in, I let go first

"You!" Harry and Joseph exclaimed, their eyes widening fast.

It was obvious that they didn't think Samantha would actually sign the divorce papers.

"How long does it take for the divorce to be processed?" Samantha asked the lawyer.

"A month." The lawyer pushed his glasses up his nose. "If you change your mind, you're allowed to withdraw the divorce application any time you want."

Harry and Joseph breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing his words. They exchanged glances with each other before the arrogant expressions returned to their faces.

"So you were just bluffing." Joseph crossed his arms, his young voice dripping with malice. "You'd better move out in a month's time, Mommy. Don't try to pathetically beg Daddy to cancel the application when the time comes. That would be so embarrassing!"

Samantha felt like her heart was being squeezed by an invisible hand. She had carried Joseph for ten months in her belly, but he was glaring at her as if she were an enemy.

"Don't worry." Her voice sounded calmer than she actually felt. "I'll leave immediately once the time is up and I get the divorce certificate. I won't stay for even a second longer."

Harry scoffed. "You're pretty good at acting."

He approached her, and she could smell the faint scent of cedar wafting from his body. She used to be obsessed with that scent.

"I'm interested in seeing if you're still going to be so stubborn once the 30 days are up," he said.

Samantha inhaled deeply. She was about to speak when she was interrupted by the clear sound of a ringing phone.

Harry's lips curled up into a smile when he looked at his phone screen. Lydia was calling him. "Lydia, what's up?"

Lydia's weak voice echoed from the other end of the line, "I don't feel so good, Harry."

"Are you ill? I'll come over right now!"

Joseph had already leapt to his feet. The coldness on his face from before had completely disappeared, replaced by a rising panic.

"You don't have to. You should do what you need to do…"

"We're coming right now." Harry had already grabbed his blazer. He didn't spare a glance at Samantha when he continued, "Wait for me."

The two of them rushed outside after he disconnected the call. Joseph paused at the door and looked back at Samantha, making a ghoulish face in her direction. "I'm going to see Ms. Yeager now. She's ten thousand times better than you!"

The door slammed shut behind them, leaving Samantha rooted to the spot. She felt as if all the blood flowing through her veins had slowly turned to ice.

She robotically stashed the divorce agreement away before heading upstairs to pack her belongings. Harry's shirts and suits hung in a neat row in the closet. She was the one who had meticulously chosen each garment.

The bookcase was filled with Joseph's literacy books and educational toys. She was also the one who had personally selected each item.

In her past life, she had lived only for them and forgot about herself. In this life, she was going to change.

…

The next day, Samantha visited the most expensive beauty parlor in the heart of the city. She looked at her reflection in the mirror when the hairdresser asked how she would like her hair to be styled, taking in her bare face and split ends.

"Cut everything off. I want to have a fresh start," she murmured.

Three hours later, she exited the parlor with a brand-new bob that just brushed her collarbones. The ends of her hair had also been dyed a gentle brown.

She then headed to the shopping mall and tried on all the clothes that she never dared to wear because they were "unsuitable" for a housewife. In the end, she bought a red dress and a pair of stilettos.

She almost couldn't recognize herself as she stood in front of the full-length mirror. The woman reflected in the mirror had a delicate expression, her red lips curling into a small smile. She looked nothing like a worn-out housewife.

When evening rolled around, Samantha strolled into a Mishelin restaurant. When the waitress led her deeper into the establishment, she suddenly froze on the spot.

Harry, Joseph, and Lydia were sitting at a table near the window, chatting and laughing among themselves.

"Don't they look like such a happy family?" the waitress asked with a smile as she followed Samantha's line of sight. "That man will bring his wife and son here every now and again. Both the husband and the son love the mother very much. It makes all the other patrons green with envy."

Samantha's heart throbbed painfully. She was about to ask the waitress to lead her to a table far away from theirs when Lydia spotted her with her eyes that were as sharp as a hawk.

Lydia stared at Samantha with wide eyes. It was obvious she never expected Samantha to dress up like this. Harry and Joseph were also stunned. It was the first time they had seen this side of Samantha. Her exquisite features matched well with her striking red dress, and she was oozing confidence.

"What are you doing here?" Joseph asked sternly after he got over his initial shock. "Didn't you want to divorce Daddy? Why are you following us?"

Samantha gripped her handbag tightly, her nails digging crescents into her palm. "Filing for divorce and having dinner aren't mutually exclusive. I'm not following you. This is pure coincidence."

She turned around, wanting to leave after saying her piece.

"Don't go." Lydia grabbed her wrist. "Since we ran into each other, we should have dinner together. Oh, but we ordered all of my favorite dishes."

She looked at Harry with a troubled expression. "Harry, can you order a few of Ms. Knott's favorites?"

Harry frowned as he flipped through the menu before he suddenly froze up. He raised his head to look at Samantha. "What do you like to eat?" he asked.

Samantha suddenly felt like bursting into laughter. In order to prepare nutritious meals for them, she learned how to cook from scratch. Joseph was a picky eater, so she created her own dishes by studying dozens of cookbooks. Harry had a weak stomach, so she would make herbal soup for him every day.

They had been married for five years, but Harry had no idea what she liked to eat.

"You don't have to care about her," Joseph interrupted. "Your steak is getting cold, Ms. Yeager."

"I'll order myself."

Samantha grabbed the menu and ordered foie gras and red wine-braised beef. She had always been a fan of those dishes but never ordered them because they were considered luxury foods.

Harry and Joseph looked at her in surprise. Unable to help himself, Joseph asked, "How do you have the money to afford those dishes, Mommy?"

"Don't forget. I'm the lady boss of Wright Corporation. Half of the Wright family's fortune rightfully belongs to me," Samantha explained calmly. "I used to focus all my attention and spend all my money on the two of you. This time around, I want to treat myself a little better."

The furrow between Harry's brows deepened. "What exactly are you trying to do?"

"I want to eat dinner," Samantha said as she stared into his eyes. "Once the divorce papers have been processed, I'll disappear from your lives completely."