"I want to give Ms. Sutton three more chances," Jonathan said. "If she really doesn't like us, then we'll leave her forever."

I closed my eyes and agreed to his request. "Alright."

Jonathan and I would give Zoey three chances. After that, we would no longer consider her family.

It was Friday, the day Zoey's first love returned from abroad.

They had been college sweethearts, engaged right after graduation. But a month before the wedding, Sean Henderson had fallen in love at first sight with a Frocian woman. He abandoned Zoey and left for Froca to pursue his so-called true love.

Just like that, they were separated.

Zoey sank into despair over him, and it was then that I started working as her assistant. One drunken night led to a child. I became her husband in secret, and she never acknowledged Jonathan.

After printing the divorce papers I drafted yesterday, I began preparing my resignation.

Unlike Jonathan, I had witnessed Zoey's cruelty too many times to foolishly hope she would ever change. Seven years had been enough to destroy every illusion I once had.

A colleague glanced at my screen and whispered, "Jasper, are you really going to resign?"

I smiled and delivered the excuse I'd already rehearsed. "Yes, my wife is working abroad. I'm taking my son to join her so we can be together as a family."

My colleague nodded. "That's good. It must be hard raising your son on your own here. Honestly, we all thought you were a single father."

I laughed bitterly when I heard that. I wasn't a single father, but compared to one, I had it worse.

Eyes stinging, I forced a smile before submitting my resignation.

That was when Zoey walked in with Sean.

He was walking in front, smiling tenderly. Zoey followed, unable to tear her eyes away from him.

A colleague nudged me, whispering, "Jasper, look at that. Even someone like Ms. Sutton can fall in love."

I managed another smile, though bitterness flooded my chest. Zoey could be gentle, I realized, just never with me.

As she walked past me, I couldn't resist calling after her. "Zoey—"

Her icy eyes froze me mid-word. "What is it, Jasper?"

The warning in her tone told me to swallow my words and remember my place. I lowered my head, hiding the redness at the corners of my eyes.

"It's nothing, Ms. Sutton. I'm sorry."

Zoey hummed and withdrew her gaze, fixing her attention on Sean, as though the rest of the world had faded away.

She was my wife and Jonathan's mother, yet here she was showing affection for another man. The irony was sobering, and the thought drew a self-mocking smile from me.

I had wanted to tell her about my resignation, but it seemed unnecessary. She had never cared about me, about Jonathan, or about this hollow marriage.

When I returned to my desk, I received a call from Jonathan's smartwatch.

"Daddy, there's an early dismissal today for a parent-teacher meeting. Ms. Chance has brought me to your office."

I froze for a moment, then instinctively rose and headed for the exit.

That was when I saw Zoey fixing Sean's hair.

Nearby, Jonathan stood by the elevator, watching his mother with another man. She was gentle and patient in a way we had never seen.

I wanted to take him away, but Zoey noticed him. Her body stiffened, and she withdrew her hand. But the next second, she stepped in front of Sean and walked past Jonathan as if he were a stranger.

My heart ached. I quickly led Jonathan back to my desk.

Before I could explain, his eyes welled up with tears, and he asked, "Daddy, is that the person Ms. Sutton likes?"

I lost the strength to speak and could only nod, my vision blurring. He didn't ask further, quietly working on his homework, though tears soaked the paper.

I pulled him into my arms and held him tightly. He was all that mattered to me.

Zoey had two chances left before she lost us for good.

We packed up and headed home.

On the way, Jonathan asked, "Daddy, can Ms. Sutton come to the parent-teacher meeting tonight?"

Zoey had never attended Jonathan's parent-teacher meetings.

Seeing the hopeful look in his eyes, I couldn't refuse. I quickly sent her a text message.

"Jonathan has a parent-teacher meeting tonight. Are you free?"

As always, there was no response.

Jonathan lowered his head, hugging his backpack. "She doesn't want to come, right?"

Then, pretending not to care, he smiled softly and added, "It's okay. She's busy. I understand."

His words crushed me, and I felt as if a massive stone had been placed on my chest.

Just as I was about to speak, my phone buzzed. Zoey had replied.

"I'm free. I'll come."

My heart leaped, and I showed Jonathan the message immediately. "Jon, look. Your mommy is coming."

He was stunned for a second before breaking into a bright, happy grin.

For the first time, Zoey had agreed to attend a parent-teacher meeting.

Excited, Jonathan couldn't stop talking on the way home. He told me about his grades, his teachers' praises, his awards, and how he had been elected class monitor. The teacher had promised to announce it during tonight's meeting.

Suddenly, he asked me, "Daddy, Mommy will like me more if she knows I'm doing so well in school, right?"

I froze, then my heart ached even more. Silently, I prayed that Zoey wouldn't back out.

Before leaving, I wanted Jonathan to get what he wished for, even if it was only a comforting illusion.

The clock on the wall ticked on. The time for the parent-teacher meeting drew closer.

Zoey still hadn't shown up.

Meanwhile, Sean had uploaded a post on Instagram.

In the photo, Zoey sat next to a boy I didn't recognize, guiding his hands as he built Legos.

The caption read, "A future good mommy."

I turned toward the living room.

Jonathan sat quietly on the couch, playing with his Legos.

Same toys, same age, and the same need for attention. But Zoey had never been there for Jonathan.

Sensing my gaze, he seemed to realize something.

"Daddy, is Mommy busy again?" Jonathan asked.

I looked at him, my mind going blank. I didn't dare tell him that his mother wasn't busy at all. She was spending time with another child instead.

I couldn't bring myself to say a word. Like so many times before, I simply pulled him into my arms. "It's okay. You still have me. I'll always be with you."

Being a sensible kid, he didn't ask any more questions. However, his eyes slowly reddened.

On the way to school, neither of us mentioned Zoey again. It was as if she had never made that promise in the first place. After all, she had never truly been part of the family.

Zoey had one last chance.

After parking the car, I took Jonathan's hand and walked him into the school. The moment we stepped into the classroom, I stopped.

"Zoey?"

"Mommy?"

Zoey was sitting by the window. At the sound of our voices, she looked over instinctively, a flicker of shock passing through her eyes.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

The surprise in her voice made my steps falter. A bad feeling rose in my chest.

Although Jonathan had been in elementary school for half a year, Zoey didn't even know which classroom he belonged to.

Jonathan didn't hear the tension in her tone. He ran toward her happily and said, "Mommy, you—"

Zoey frowned. "What did you just call me?"

Jonathan stiffened. Then, out of habit, he corrected himself. "Ms. Sutton, you're sitting in the wrong seat. My seat is up front."

His eyes shone with excitement. This was the first time she had ever attended his parent-teacher meeting. It was also the first time she had kept her promise.

But his excitement didn't last long.

The next second, Zoey avoided his gaze and said, "I'm not sitting in the wrong seat. This is my seat."

Jonathan was stunned. He was about to speak when someone suddenly shoved him aside.

"Move! That's my future mommy!"

Instinct took over, and I immediately pulled Jonathan into my arms.

Zoey stood up as well, but when she saw the surprise on Jonathan's face, she hesitated.

She withdrew her hand and shielded the boy behind her. Her voice was stiff when she said, "Steve didn't mean it. I apologize on his behalf."

Both Jonathan and I were taken aback. Not once had she ever shown Jonathan that kind of protectiveness or care.

I straightened and asked calmly, "Who is he?"

Zoey paused. When her eyes met mine, a trace of guilt flashed across her face. "A friend's child."

"Is that so?" I nodded, but I already knew who that child was.

He was the child from Sean's photo; the child Zoey was spending time with.

Sure enough, the next moment, Sean walked in with a bottle of water. He looked surprised when he saw us. "Mr. Lane? Are you here for the parent-teacher meeting too? Where's the child's mother?"

Hearing that, I instinctively looked at Zoey, and she avoided my eyes.

I understood immediately. She was afraid that I'd expose her.

My mind went blank. I felt as if I had returned to the day Sean came back to the country.

That day, the woman who was always so cold drank herself senseless for the first time. It was also the first time she smiled when she heard Jonathan call her "Mommy".

Jonathan and I both thought we were finally going to be a happy family.

But the next second, she murmured Sean's name. That was when I realized she had mistaken me for someone else.

My grip on Jonathan's hand tightened. I was about to speak when Jonathan spoke first.

"My mommy is abroad. She's very busy, and I don't want to bother her."

Those words shocked both Zoey and me.

I lowered my head, hardly believing what I'd just heard. All I saw were Jonathan's reddened eyes. He looked at Zoey and forced a mature smile.