My son has a high fever, so I call my husband. However, he thinks I'm using our child to get his attention.

Then, he takes his true love's son to the hospital when he's only scratched his finger.

I look at my son, whose face is pale. I ask, "Do you want another father?"

He nods. "Yeah. Dad doesn't like me, so I don't want to like him anymore."

Later, I find him another father. That's when my husband objects.

"Mom, I'm bringing Damian home to stay for a while. … Yeah, it'll just be us. Walter... won't be coming."

As soon as I hung up, Walter Scott returned. He looked exhausted with dark circles under his eyes.

Without a word, he went straight to the bathroom. The sound of running water filled the silence, and not long after, his phone started ringing nonstop.

I knew the password to his phone, so I unlocked it without asking.

Just like I thought, the messages were from Olivia Lowry. She'd sent a whole bunch of photos and videos of her son—reading, playing with blocks, and calling Walter "Daddy".

"Aaron really misses you, Walt. Are you coming over tonight? The boy loves you so much. He doesn't even care about me anymore."

My hands trembled as I held the phone. Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm the anger inside me. Even now, I couldn't bring myself to act as indifferent as I wanted.

They were just too shameless.

As soon as I set the phone down, Walter came out. He was drying his wet hair with a towel.

"Where's Damian?" he asked.

Last night, our son, Damian Scott, had been burning up with a high fever, and it had been pouring outside. I had called Walter over and over, begging him to come home and take Damian to the hospital.

I had been frantic and completely lost. But what had he said to me?

"Bella, you're using Damian as a pawn to get my attention, huh? You're unbelievable. Do you think I'll fall for it again after all these dramas? Stop being so jealous and competitive. You'll never measure up to Olivia, and Damian will never measure up to Aaron."

It had felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped on me, but somehow, I had managed to stay calm. I wiped away my tears, pulled myself together, and drove Damian to the hospital alone.

The heavy rain had made it hard to see, and the car had skidded out of control more than once. Gritting my teeth, I had pressed on, not even able to give Damian's crying a second thought.

Finally, we made it to the hospital. While I had been getting medication for Damian, I saw Walter rushing in, holding another woman's kid in his arms.

He had shouted for doctors and nurses while Olivia cried beside him, her eyes swollen and red. The little boy in Walter's arms had been wailing as if the world was ending.

After a thorough check-up, it had turned out that Aaron Liddell only had a tiny cut on his hand—a scratch that barely bled.

Still, Walter had spent the whole night freaking out over him.

I let out a bitter laugh and calmly said, "He's asleep."

Walter frowned, then let out a sigh of relief. He found another chance to tease me about my "jealous fits".

"Didn't you say Damian had a fever? Why aren't you flipping out about going to the hospital tonight? Look at you, Bella, getting jealous over every little thing. Good thing I didn't fall for your games."

I nodded as if I agreed. "Yeah, I get jealous over everything. But don't worry, I won't be jealous anymore. Does that make you happy?"

Walter's frown deepened, suspicion flashing in his eyes. After a moment, he scoffed. "You'd better mean it."

Just then, his phone rang. The caller ID read "Liv".

His expression softened as he stepped out onto the balcony, purposely closing the door behind him.

I watched him smile and lower his voice while talking to Olivia, and this empty feeling of helplessness washed over me.

I looked down and turned around, only to find Damian standing quietly behind me. I hadn't even realized he was there.

His cheeks were red, his hair all messy, and his eyes—tinged with sadness—were locked on the figure out on the balcony. Sensing my gaze, he turned to me and grinned.

"Can you tell me a story, Mommy?" he asked.

I smiled, nodding as I took his hand and led him to his room.

Damian didn't say a word about Walter. He lay quietly in bed, but his eyes were glued to the door. He probably didn't hear a thing of what I said.

Then, we heard a door slam, and all the hope vanished from Damian's eyes.

I gave Damian a light pat on the shoulder, and he snuggled closer to me.

"Mommy, when are we going to Grandma's?" he asked. "I don't want to be here anymore."

"Soon. We'll head over once we get you out of kindergarten," I said. "Damian, I just need to ask you one more time—are you okay with me getting a divorce from your dad?"

"Yeah. Daddy doesn't like me, so I don't want to like him either."

I felt a lump in my throat. I held him close, comforting him until he finally drifted off. Just as I was about to doze off, my phone rang.

I checked the screen and there were several messages from an unknown number. But the photos and videos attached to the mocking messages made it clear who it was—Olivia.

In the video, Walter was telling Aaron a story, his voice calm and gentle. Olivia's voice popped in every now and then. They looked like the perfect little family.

Walter had never done anything like that for Damian.

Since Damian was born, Walter had never played with him or read him a bedtime story. All Damian had ever gotten from him were harsh rules and a cold shoulder.

I always thought that was just the way Walter was.

But half a year ago, Olivia had come back into his life. That was when I realized Walter had always had a soft spot for her. And he wasn't emotionally distant by nature.

He could be patient and kind and even lose control of his emotions. He just didn't love me—or our child.

…

The next day, Damian and I silently agreed not to bring up Walter.

After breakfast, I pulled out the matching parent-child outfits I had prepared. There was a family event at the kindergarten today.

In the past, Walter had always made excuses about work to avoid attending it. He had never shown up. Now, with him gone again, Damian hardly seemed to care.

I ran my fingers over his head and said softly, "I'll talk to the principal about pulling you out today. Then, we'll head to Grandma's."

Damian nodded, his face lighting up. "Can I get a dog at Grandma's? Just a small one."

Walter hated dogs, but Damian loved them.

I nodded. "Of course, you can. Anything you want."

Damian's grin widened.

The kindergarten was packed that day. One of the kids spotted Damian and asked, "Your dad didn't come again, Damian? Don't you have a dad?"

My heart sank.

"Nope. My dad's already gone. I just have my mom," Damian answered coolly.

"Damian!" A sharp voice called out from behind us.

I turned to see Walter standing there, looking angry and glaring at Damian like he was to blame. He was holding a little boy in his arms, with Olivia standing beside him.

It was the first time I'd met Olivia. She raised her chin, looking smug, her eyes full of self-satisfaction.

In a sweet, almost mocking tone, she said, "Walt, Damian's just a kid—he doesn't get what he's saying. He wouldn't say something like that unless someone taught him, so don't be hard on him."

It was clear what she meant—Damian said that because I taught him to.

I had never slacked off when it came to raising Damian. Most of the time, he was polite and well-behaved.

This was the first time I had ever heard him speak like that. I could tell just how much he must've hated Walter now.

But of course, Walter bought into what Olivia said. His gaze turned cold, filled with disapproval.

"If you can't teach Damian properly, Bella, send him back to Scott Manor. There are people there who know how to raise him right. Aaron's the same age and never talks to anyone like that. Damian, you've got no manners."

When Damian had just been two months old, Walter had sent him to Scott Manor to be raised by his parents. He had said the baby was too fussy and was keeping him from focusing on work.

I had fought him hard, insisting I could handle it, and had finally gotten Damian back home. Walter had been pissed and had started taking more and more business trips.

Back then, I had been so caught up taking care of Damian that I hadn't paid much attention to where Walter was.

I hadn't found out until later that the city he had been traveling to for work was where Olivia lived. He had used "work" as an excuse just to see her and her kid.

He couldn't care less about his own wife and son, but when it came to someone else's family, he had all the time and energy in the world.

I let out a dry laugh, my voice turning icy. "He's my kid. I'll raise him however I see fit. Walter, I don't think Damian said anything wrong. Have you ever really been there for him, as a father?"

Walter's expression shifted, and Olivia quickly pulled him away. Aaron was in Walter's arms, making a rude, mocking face at us.

I looked down to find Damian's reddened eyes. He bit his lip hard, but he still wouldn't let himself cry.

I gave him a small smile and asked, "You really don't want your dad anymore?"

He shook his head without saying a word.

Walter went all in during the family event to make sure Aaron won. Olivia and the two of them actually looked like a family, enjoying the day together.

Meanwhile, I won a plush toy for Damian.

Suddenly, Aaron rushed over and pointed at the toy Damian was holding. "Daddy, I want that toy!"

Walter ruffled his hair and gave him a smile, agreeing. Then, he walked over to Damian and held out his hand.

"Aaron wants the toy, Damian. Give it to him," he said like it was no big deal.

Olivia giggled, teasing Aaron for being a little troublemaker.

No one seemed to care that it was a toy a mother had won for her son.

Damian wouldn't budge, and Walter frowned. "Damian, haven't I said this before? Aaron should get what he wants."

Still, Damian stood his ground.

Walter's voice grew sharper. "Damian, give Aaron the toy."

With the support behind him, Aaron stepped up to snatch it. But he lost his balance in the tussle and fell to the floor, immediately bursting into tears.

Walter's face darkened and he shoved Damian. "What's the matter with you, Damian? It's just a toy. Why is it so hard to give it to Aaron?"

Damian bit his lip, eyes full of hurt. He held onto the plush toy as tight as he could. If I hadn't caught him in time, he might've hit the back of his head on the floor.

All eyes were on us.

Walter was livid and snapped, "Bella, how are you raising Damian? It's just a toy! Look at how hard Aaron's crying!"

Olivia's eyes reddened as she comforted Aaron, her face a picture of distress.

I locked eyes with Walter, my expression cold and my voice calm. "This is a prize I won for Damian. Why should he give it up? Walter, have you forgotten that Damian is your son?"

Walter's expression shifted slightly.

Aaron's cries only grew louder, and the noise was getting on my nerves. I took Damian and went to sort out his withdrawal from school.

…

On the way home, I asked Damian why he suddenly didn't like his dad anymore.

Damian used to be scared of Walter but still wanted to be close to him. He'd tried to live up to Walter's expectations, hoping to earn his approval. But now, it seemed like he was really disappointed in Walter.

Damian's face fell, his eyes filled with hurt.

After a long silence, he finally spoke quietly. "Daddy said that if it weren't for you, Ms. Lowry would've been my mom. He said you took her place. He told me I should always go along with Aaron and treat him like my real brother, and we'd all be one family.

"But I know he just thinks I'm Aaron's toy. Daddy's so nice to Aaron, Mommy. Is he Aaron's dad, too? But why does Aaron have the last name Liddell and not Scott?"

I patted Damian's shoulder, feeling like my heart was being ripped out. I couldn't believe Walter had actually said that to Damian.

No wonder that day, when Damian had seen Olivia come home, he had pushed me into the guest room and told me not to sleep with Walter anymore. He had said Walter was gross.

I thought the same. Walter was disgusting—inside and out.

That night, just as I finished packing our bags, Walter called. He said tomorrow was Damian's birthday and he'd set aside time to spend with him. He asked where Damian wanted to go.

I watched Damian's eyes light up as he listed off a bunch of places.

Walter remained cold, but he agreed to all of them.

Damian was too excited to sleep that night.

Early the next morning, he jumped out of bed. He grabbed my hand as we rushed downstairs, buzzing with excitement.

But Walter never showed up even until noon.

Instead, Olivia called. Her voice was smug, almost mocking. "Sorry, Bella, today's Aaron's birthday. Walt's spending it with him. As for Damian, it looks like it's on you to keep him entertained."

I could hear Aaron's excited shouts and Walter's voice in the background. They were getting ready to ride the pirate ship.

I looked at Damian, who was staring up at me with his lips pressed into a tight line.

I smiled and said, "You guys have fun. Tell him not to worry about Damian anymore."

I hung up, took Damian's hand, and grabbed our bags. We were heading for the airport. On the way, I called a lawyer to start drawing up a divorce agreement.

This time, I didn't ask Damian what he thought. I couldn't bring myself to forgive Walter, and I couldn't force myself to compromise for the sake of Damian.

During the trip, Damian stayed quiet. But as soon as we got off the plane and he spotted his grandparents, his face lit up. It was as if all his sadness melted away, replaced with pure happiness.

Mom glanced over my shoulder. "He didn't come?"

I shook my head. "I'm getting a divorce. Damian's staying with me."

Mom sighed but didn't say anything else. She prepared a huge spread and even ordered a two-tiered cake for Damian's birthday.

Damian was so excited. He took forever making his birthday wish.

I had just posted on Instagram when Walter called.

"Bella, where are you guys? Why aren't you back yet?" he asked. "Didn't we agree to celebrate Damian's birthday? I got a cake, so you don't need to buy one. Hurry back, let's finish celebrating before midnight."