Chapter 5

Fortunately, my reflexes were fast enough to prevent a major accident.

I got out of the car to inspect the damage. There were some nasty scratches, but nothing structural.

Still, by law, I had to wait for the police to file an accident report.

I checked my watch.

Time was ticking away, and anxiety began to claw at my chest.

The comments turned on me, mocking my failure.

[Lmao, she promised she'd go to the school event, and now she’s going to flake again, right?]

[Don't make promises you can't keep. You're just disappointing the kid.]

[Thank god Leo meets Chloe later in the story and finally gets the maternal love he deserves.]

[Chloe is never cold to Leo, which is why he gets so attached to her.]

My chest felt incredibly heavy.

If I could tolerate Ethan being taken away from me by some cosmic plot, there was absolutely no way I was going to let another woman take my son.

I grew more and more frantic.

By the time the police finished the report, I quickly called our estate manager to tow the car for repairs. Then, I hailed an Uber and rushed to the school.

When I finally slipped into the classroom, the conference had already been going on for an hour.

The teacher was answering questions from other parents.

I tried to sneak in through the back door and spotted Leo sitting in his seat.

His head was low, looking incredibly dejected. The chubby kid sitting next to him was poking his arm with a pen.

"Where’s your mom?"

"Why didn't she show up for you?"

"School started weeks ago, and no one has ever seen her... Leo, do you even have a mom?"

Leo clenched his little fists, his eyes welling up with tears.

Seeing this, I rushed over to him.

"Sweetie, I'm so sorry. Mommy got into—"

Before I could finish, Leo squirmed out of my embrace. His voice trembled with a tiny, heartbroken sob.

"You lied to me again, Mommy."

"I... I don't ever want to love you again."

That was the first time Leo had ever said he didn't love me.

In the past, no matter how many times I rejected him after work, he would always run up to me the next day with a huge smile, acting like my little shadow.

The chat screen exploded.

[Karma is a bitch. Love to see it.]

[She’s never getting Leo's affection back!]

[Don't cry, Leo! Your daddy is about to find you a much better mommy who will actually cherish you!]

...

I froze in place.

The conference ended shortly after. The teacher, noticing the tense atmosphere, walked over and asked to speak with me privately in the hallway.

Her tone carried a hint of disapproval.

"Leo is a very sweet, brilliant boy, Mrs. Henderson. You don't have to worry about his academics."

"But he has high emotional needs. You really need to show up for him more."

"Take today, for instance. You can't just show up when the meeting is basically over—"

She suddenly stopped.

Her eyes fell on my arm, and she gasped in horror.

"Oh my god, Mrs. Henderson, are you hurt?"

"Your sleeve is covered in blood! Let me call an ambulance!"