Even though Beatrice's face was out of view, I couldn't miss the glint of her wedding ring in the top right corner. It was the same ring she and I had carefully chosen when we got married.

Nonetheless, she had always worn it on the pinky of her left hand. That placement, of course, suggested she was still single.

The irony hit me like a punch to the gut. A ring that was meant to symbolize our marriage had become a mark of Beatrice's so-called single status. On Parker's sixth birthday, she was enjoying a candlelit dinner with her lover at an upscale restaurant.

In that moment, all the bitterness I'd carried evaporated, and a sense of calm took over.

I gave the post a quick like and set my phone aside.

With that, I turned around and helped Parker put on his birthday hat. "Happy birthday, Parker," I said.

Under the glow of the candlelight, Parker closed his eyes and clasped his hands together. "My birthday wish is to be with Dad forever," he whispered.

I picked up my phone, capturing the moment. In that instant, the thought of leaving only grew stronger in my mind. "I promise I'll always be there for you," I reassured him.

That night, neither of us spoke of Beatrice again. It felt as though this home had always belonged to just the two of us.

After Parker fell asleep, I pulled out the divorce papers I had prepared in advance. All the hesitation that had lingered in my heart vanished completely.

At 2:00 am, Beatrice finally came home. When she saw the cake on the table, a flicker of regret crossed her eyes. "Sorry, I completely forgot about Parker's birthday."

Her words were almost laughable. Wasn't every notification on her phone a reminder?

Could she really not see them? Or was her affair so consuming that everything else slipped her mind?

I took out the divorce papers and flipped to the final page. Struggling to keep my composure, I handed them to her. "If you could sign here–"

Before I could finish, Beatrice's phone rang. Maxwell's panicked voice crackled through. "Ms. Thorne, the power's out at my place. Can you come over?"

Beatrice shot up from her seat, worry flashing in her eyes. "Hold on, I'm coming right away."

After the call ended, she signed the papers without sparing them a second glance.

I stepped aside, quietly watching her walk out.

"Beatrice, remember this for the rest of your life. You were the one who chose to leave your family behind."

…

The following day, I returned to the office to complete the handover process.

Beatrice approached me, holding out a neatly wrapped gift box. "This is Parker's birthday present. I forgot to give it to him yesterday."

Caught off guard, I took the gift and opened it. Inside was a toy puppy.

Parker had always been terrified of dogs.

When he was five, Beatrice had taken him to an amusement park. Along the way, she ran into a friend and let go of his hand. Before she knew it, Parker had gotten lost in the crowd.

By the time they found him, he was crouched on the side of the road, shaking with fear at the sight of a stray dog.

Since then, dogs had become Parker's greatest fear.

I couldn't believe that the very person who had caused his fear would have the audacity to give him a toy dog as a gift. I wasn't sure if I felt more anger or disappointment.

Setting the box aside, I said calmly, "Thanks."

Beatrice looked at me with a puzzled expression. A moment later, she seemed to remember something and said, "The power's out at Maxwell's place, so I'm having him stay at our house.

"You don't have to come to work today. Go pack your things and take Parker out for a couple of days."

Her words landed like a punch to the gut. I stared at her in disbelief. "Are you seriously kicking Parker and me out for Maxwell?"

Beatrice frowned. "Don't put it like that. It's just a temporary stay. Since we agreed to keep our marriage a secret, we need to avoid any misunderstandings in front of our colleagues."

I forced a smile, the irony of it all sinking in.

Was it really just to prevent gossip with the people at work?

Or did Beatrice believe that Parker and I were in the way of her secret affair?

Not wanting to engage with her any longer, I turned and walked back to my desk. "Got it. I'll pack up my things and take Parker away. We won't bother you," I said.

Since we were going to leave eventually, the timing made no difference.

Beatrice was momentarily taken aback by how easily I agreed. "I'll make it up to you both," she said, her tone unexpectedly gentle.

I kept my head down, not saying a word. The damage was already done and no words or actions could ever fix it.

Back home, I packed my things and prepared to leave with Parker. As I opened the door, I ran into Beatrice. A figure lingered behind her.

As our eyes met, I caught a flash of panic in her gaze.

Maxwell let out a startled gasp. "Mr. Bainbridge, what are you doing in Ms. Thorne's home?"

As his words sank in, I instinctively stepped in front of Parker, blocking his view. "I—"

"They're my relatives. They're just staying here temporarily," Beatrice interrupted, her grip on Maxwell's suitcase tightening with every word.

It wasn't the first time she'd said something like this, but each time, it felt like a knife to my heart.

Just as I was about to respond, Parker spoke up. "Hello, Aunt Beatrice."

I turned around in shock, my gaze landing on Parker's slightly reddened eyes. "Dad, let's go," he whispered.

All the words I wanted to say caught in my throat. I forced a smile and responded softly, "Okay."

As we walked past, Beatrice grabbed my arm. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she blurted out, "W-what did Parker just call me?"

I gave a wry smile, a wave of irony washing over me. "Isn't this exactly what you've always wanted, Ms. Thorne?"

For six long years, Beatrice had hidden our marriage from everyone and refused to let Parker call her "Mom".

The only difference now was Parker's newfound awareness. In the past, Beatrice had insisted Parker address her as "Aunt Beatrice". Now, it was Parker himself who chose to set the boundary between them.

Beatrice looked at me, her eyes betraying a storm of emotions. "Give me a few days," she said. "I'll explain everything to Parker."

"Maxwell's waiting for you. Let go," I reminded her.

At my words, Beatrice snapped back to reality and reluctantly released her grip.

I let out a bitter scoff and took Parker's hand. Just as we were about to leave, Beatrice suddenly called out, "Wait."

She quickly ran back to the car and returned with a box of cake. Handing it to me, she said, "Happy birthday, Parker."

Right on cue, Maxwell chimed in, "Ms. Thorne originally bought this cake for me, but seeing as it's Parker's birthday, it only feels right to share it with him. Mr. Bainbridge, I trust you don't mind."

The cake in my hands suddenly felt unbearably heavy. Just as I was about to hand it back, I saw the excitement in Parker's eyes.

My heart softened, and I pulled my hand back.

Unaware of the tension hanging in the air, Parker looked up at Beatrice, his gaze shining with hope. "Would you eat it with me?" he asked.

Beatrice hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement.

With a cheer, Parker dashed into the living room, urging me to open the box.

I patted his head and quickly began cutting the slices. But the moment the cake touched my tongue, my smile faltered. "Spit it out! You can't eat this!"

In a panic, I grabbed the cake from Parker's hands.

Beatrice's expression darkened instantly. "Cedric, have you lost your mind?"

I lifted my gaze, the corners of my eyes slightly red. "Parker is allergic to mango. Don't you know this?"

The moment the words left my mouth, Beatrice's expression tightened with panic. "I'm so sorry… I had no idea."

Once again, all she could offer was another apology. From the day Parker came into our lives, her remorseful words had become almost routine.

Understanding the situation, Parker looked at Beatrice in a daze. His eyes no longer held that spark of anticipation.

"It's alright. It makes sense that they weren't aware." After saying that, he buried his face in my chest, refusing to look at Beatrice.

Without a second thought, I lifted Parker into my arms and made my way toward the door.

Even as we stepped outside the villa, I could feel Beatrice's flustered gaze lingering on us.

This time, neither Parker nor I would cling to any expectations.

…

After leaving the house, I went straight to the office to pack up my belongings.

I had originally wanted to say a proper goodbye, but now it felt unnecessary.

I placed the signed divorce agreement on my desk and let out a long breath.

With our bags in hand, I headed to the airport with Parker. Just before we got on the plane, I asked, "Are you upset that I'm taking you with me?"

Parker shook his head and pressed his cheek against mine. "You're the only one I need."

At that moment, my tears finally broke free. All the pain I had carried for so long melted into relief.

I pulled out my phone and blocked Beatrice on every platform. "Beatrice, I suppose this is goodbye forever," I muttered under my breath.

…

The next day, Beatrice arrived at the office on time. After what happened yesterday, a sense of unease had kept her on edge.

When she checked her email, a message marked "Approved" caught her eye.

"A resignation letter?"