Half an hour later, Hudson froze all my bank accounts and even changed his phone number—just to gloat.

[So, struggling without money? Come back now, and I'll forgive you! The house is a mess with no one to clean it!]

Pathetic. That house wasn't my home anymore. I wasn't going back.

With what little cash I had left, I got a new number and rented a tiny shared apartment way outside the city. The commute was brutal—four hours a day—but I threw myself into my tutoring job, relearning the skills I'd abandoned years ago.

Two days later, just as I reached my student's neighborhood, Hudson and Talia ambushed me at the entrance.

"I heard you're working as a tutor here," Hudson said, frowning. "Do you have any idea how embarrassing that is for me? Quit and come home. Taking care of me and Talia is your real purpose in life."

Unbelievable.

My voice stayed flat. "Did you sign the divorce papers?"

"Divorce?" He scoffed. "Are you still not done with this tantrum? You abandoned your own child to tutor someone else's? Talia's schoolwork has been neglected for a week—she's already falling behind!"

"Exactly!" Talia glared at me. "Some kid named Micah Johnston took first place, and I dropped to thirty-sixth! I've never been out of the top three before! Everyone at school is laughing at me! This is all your fault! I'll never forgive you!"

I let out a short laugh. Like I needed her forgiveness. Could it pay my bills?

And this wasn't even my fault.

Micah Johnston... My student.

So, my work was already paying off. A slow smile spread across my face.

When I wouldn't budge, Hudson suddenly switched tactics. He popped the trunk and pulled out two designer handbags and a jewelry set.

"Look at these. Do you like them? Come on, don't be mad. Let's go home."

I didn't say a word.

After a beat of silence, he sighed. "Gabriel's condition has gotten worse. Bianca cries herself to sleep every night—it's heartbreaking. Luna, you're a mother too. How can you just stand by and let her lose her child? Just help her. It's only a kidney."

And there it was. The sudden kindness was never for me.

Bianca left Hudson years ago when he had nothing. I was the one who stuck around, drained my savings, and spent a decade building a life with him. I actually believed he loved me back. But his heart had never been mine.

The second she returned, he forgave everything. And I lost before I even got to fight.

A wave of disgust twisted in my gut. Without another glance at him or Talia, I turned and walked away.

Two days later, Micah's parents got sick and asked me to pick him up from school and take him to the hospital.

At the school gate, I ran into Talia—along with Bianca, who had come to pick her up.

One of Talia's classmates spotted me and snickered. "Talia, your maid is here to pick you up again!"

Maid? So that's what she told people.

The kids turned to Bianca, eyes lighting up. "Wow, your mom is so pretty!"

Talia lifted her chin, smug. "Of course. My mom's the best."

Bianca smirked, then mouthed at me: 'You're a failure. Even your daughter looks down on you. She doesn't see you as her mother at all.'