Chapter 1

At the filming location of a children's variety show, I told my husband, Hank Schrader, that I wanted a divorce.

Aside from money and property, I didn't want anything else.

He sneered, "You're not even going to fight for the child you worked so hard to raise?"

I replied, "Get as far away as possible."

Because I already knew that my son had once begged the director, "Can we get a new mom? I want to be on the show with Ms. White. I don't want that old hag as my mom!"

I smirked coldly. I wouldn't just divorce him. I'd step over him to climb even higher!

"I don't want that old hag as my mom! Dad, what do you even see in her? Ms. White is so much prettier than my mom!"

I clutched my phone so tightly that my fingertips turned white, but I didn't even notice.

Beneath the video, there was a voice message from Suzanne White.

She spoke with mockery and arrogance. "So what if you had kids with Hank? They still prefer being with me.

"You want to be on the show with him? I'd advise you to stop being a clingy, disgusting pest. Hank will only despise you even more!"

I stood frozen for a moment, then cruelly played the video again.

In it, my son, Alex Schrader, spoke those words, and Hank merely chuckled softly. "Alright."

Then he looked up with eyes full of warmth and tenderness, gazing directly into the camera. "Then let's have Suzanne be your mom."

I paused. It took me a moment to realize that he wasn't looking at Alex but at Suzanne, who was filming the video.

That tender gaze... I couldn't even remember when he last looked at me like that.

When he did look at me, it was always with disgust, cold indifference, and disdain.

When they returned home, I was clearing away dishes and cake from the table.

Today was Alex's birthday. I had started early, spending my whole morning cooking and decorating.

But it wasn't until I saw Suzanne's message that I realized they never intended to celebrate with me.

Alex bounded up to me, his tone filled with entitlement. "What are you sitting here for? Can't you see Dad's drinking? Go make him some coffee!"

The old me would have jumped up immediately, flustered and obediently attending to his every whim.

But today, I laughed. A bitter, scornful laugh.

"Go ask your mom to do it," I said.

Alex frowned in confusion. "What's wrong with you? You are my mom!"

"Can we get a new mom? I want Ms. White to be my mom," I mimicked sarcastically. "Didn't you say that yourself?"

Seeing his stunned expression, I swallowed my bitterness and forced a wry smile.

But Hank was angry.

"Adrienne, Alex is just a kid. He doesn't know any better. Why are you picking fights with him?"

With a disapproving expression, he scolded me, "Can you stop making trouble? Your shouting is giving me a headache."

Before I could respond, he continued, "There's a new kids' reality show coming up. I don't think you're in the right state for it, so let's leave you out."

Even though I had braced myself for these words, they still pierced me.

I blinked, ready to respond, but he cut me off again.

"Besides," he said with certainty, "Alex wasn't wrong. You can't do anything right these days. You're just an old hag. You'd only embarrass me if you went."