It was the third year after the divorce and my third year back in the workforce.

The project I was in charge of brought in a huge profit. With my bonus, I signed up Lucas for the piano and painting classes he'd always wanted.

In this life, I prioritized both his material and emotional needs. I didn't want his incomplete family and unfulfilled material needs to leave him feeling so vulnerable that he would one day be easily swayed by superficial affection.

I never imagined I'd run into Serena again three years later, right outside Spark Academy.

She looked just as surprised to see us. Her eyes fell on Lucas' clothes, and she curled her lip in a sneer. "Caspian, look at you playing big spender and wasting all that money on his extracurriculars. Are you actually trying to turn trash into something successful?"

Lucas had just been about to call out "Mom", but he decided to swallow his words. He looked at her puzzledly, as if he couldn't understand why his biological mother harbored such malice toward him.

I frowned and warned her in a low, dangerous voice, "Lucas is your flesh and blood, Serena. Even if you don't love him, you don't have to be vile."

Over the last three years, I'd been preparing Lucas for this. I was terrified that, as a sensitive kid, he'd trap himself in the impossible quest of "making Mom love me" or turn into a people-pleaser just to earn her approval.

So, the first lesson I taught him was to accept that Serena didn't love him.

Coming to terms with a parent's lack of love was one of the hardest lessons that even adults couldn't master. But I wanted Lucas to know that he wasn't born to please anyone, nor did he need to respond to anyone's unprovoked cruelty.

Over the three years, he'd grown remarkably in every sense. Faced with Serena's venomous words, he showed a momentary flicker of hurt before straightening his back and firmly telling Serena, "I'm not trash. I'm my dad's son, Lucas Poole."

She let out a disdainful laugh and continued hurling insults, "Caspian, for the sake of our seven-year marriage, let me give you a piece of advice.

"Some kids are just born with bad genes and are beyond saving. No matter how much effort you put into cultivating him, you'll just raise an ungrateful brat.

"So, don't be surprised when you work yourself to the bone, only to raise an ungrateful brat with no self-respect who runs off with some street thug."

Suddenly, a child's voice interrupted us. "Dad?"

It was Talia, whom I hadn't seen for three years.

The moment she called out to me, Serena went on full alert mode and scooped her up into her arms. "I'm warning you, Caspian. The judge gave her to me, so don't even think about snatching my genius daughter away."

That was the reason Serena had blocked every visitation attempt for the past three years.

Talia looked exactly as I remembered, with an innocent face, wide, beautiful eyes, and a mouth that knew how to lie best.

A bad feeling crept in. Why was Serena here with Talia?

When I voiced that question, Serena smirked confidently. "We're here to learn, of course. What else do you do at Spark Academy?

"My daughter inherited the best of my genes, and she's way smarter than kids her age. I heard they just opened a programming class here, so I brought her here to check it out. We have to start these skills early since she's going to aim for the top universities in the future."

I was horrified. "Talia's only three years old! Have you lost your mind?"