When Lakelyn pretended to be sick once more and called Cade away, our daughter Ava clung to him.

"Daddy, the teacher needs a parent's signature."

In his haste, he signed a stack of papers without glancing through them. He didn't realize that among them was the divorce agreement.

From that moment on, I stopped caring where Cade went or what he did for Lakelyn. I even found myself taking a strange liking to the candid wedding photos of them circulating online.

For the first time, I cut Cade off during one of his explanations, calmly wiping away the lipstick mark on his collar. Cade paused, a hint of irritation in his voice as he asked, "You're not upset?"

Why would I be upset?

Once the thirty-day waiting period was up, I would finally be a free woman.

As Cade was slipping on his shoes, he reminded me, "Honey, I'm heading out for a while. Don't wait up for me—"

"Alright, go ahead," I interrupted indifferently, getting up to clear the dishes into the kitchen.

Cade hesitated in his actions. "Are you upset?"

"No, it's going to rain tonight. Take an umbrella with you."

My thoughtful suggestion seemed to irk Cade even more. "Do you find this amusing?"

"Lakelyn's asthma isn't new. You know that. If I don't stay until she falls asleep, what if she wakes up and can't find her medication?"

"You're right. So go." I looked down, twisting a warm towel, avoiding his gaze.

"She's a patient, Noelle. Can't you be more understanding?"

Cade's voice trailed off as he noticed the towel in my hands.

"She's a patient, and what about Ava? Isn't she a patient too? Her fever just broke, and I've been with her around the clock. But where were you to acknowledge that she was ill?"

Talking about our daughter, I couldn't help but snap at Cade. Maybe he felt guilty because his lips moved, but he had no words to defend himself.

I walked past him and headed for Ava's room. "Please be quiet on your way out. Don't wake Ava."

Cade stayed silent, standing in the doorway as he watched me tend to Ava. After a long pause, he finally muttered, "You and Ava both love spiced honey cakes from Charlie's Bakery, right? I'll come home early to bring some for you."

I didn't respond. Cade lingered silently outside the door, and it felt like he stood there for ages. Long enough for me to almost believe he might stay with Ava and me tonight.

Then his phone rang, along with the faint sound of a soft cry. Cade sighed, and eventually, he left.

Charlie's Bakery was on the south side of town, a long way from home. During our dating days, he would often line up before dawn to buy spiced honey cakes and deliver them to my dorm before class.

Now, even when Ava begged, he'd just rub his forehead and say, "Daddy's really tired today. I'll get them for you next time, okay?"

My mind wandered as I gazed silently out the window. It had been so long since I'd had those spiced honey cakes. I should have been thrilled. But this time, neither the cakes from the south side nor Cade held any allure for me.

In seven days, I'd finally be a free woman.

The day Cade first attended a parent-teacher conference with Ava was also the day Lakelyn's wedding date was set. In the bustling schoolyard, she called him in tears:

"Cade, I'm so anxious... Should I even be getting married? I feel so terrible... I can barely breathe. Can you come over and stay with me?"

Cade stopped abruptly, still holding Ava's hand, and spoke gently into the phone, trying to calm Lakelyn down, then gave Ava an apologetic look as he let go of her hand.

"Sorry, Ava. Something important came up for Dad. How about we let Mom handle the conference for you?"

Ava stayed quiet, as polite as ever, but the sparkle in her eyes dimmed. Cade gave her a gentle pat on the head before turning to leave, but she tugged on his sleeve.

"Dad, can you sign these for me?"

Ava pulled a tidy stack of test papers from her backpack and handed Cade a pen. Each paper had perfect scores. Cade was taken aback, showering her with praise.

"Our Ava is brilliant, a little whiz kid!"

He added, trying to persuade her, "Sweetie, isn't Mom here? She can sign for you, alright?"

Ava lowered her gaze, her long eyelashes fluttering, and her voice was flat.

"My classmates said it doesn't matter how high I score. I'm just a kid without a dad. I just want you to—"

Meanwhile, Lakelyn's sobs continued over the phone. Cade suddenly crouched down, wrapping Ava in a tight hug. Within thirty seconds, he had quickly signed all ten papers, not even noticing the divorce papers mixed in with them.

After signing, Cade kissed Ava on the forehead. "Next time, Dad will definitely come to your conference. Let's see who dares to bully our Ava then!"

Ava forced a smile for him, just like the first time she heard such a promise. As I watched his retreating figure, I murmured softly to myself.

Cade, you've run out of chances. You'll never get another opportunity.