A year after my divorce from Harrison Vaughn, he messaged me in the group chat, demanding: "We've been apart long enough. Come home—let's fix this." My reply was instant: "Have you lost your mind?" The group erupted with pleas for reconciliation. Then Harrison asked the question burning in his mind: "What have you been doing all this time without me?" I glanced at the man gently soothing our newborn to sleep and typed my response with cold precision: "Oh, just raising a newborn." Silence. One hundred and eight frantic calls followed—all ignored. The woman who once loved him beyond reason? She no longer existed. [A Divorce That Changed Everything / No Second Chances / A Woman's Reckoning] Seven years of marriage. Five years of raising two kids. And yet, on our son's birthday, he blew out the candles and wished for a new mommy. Harrison laughed it off—"Just a childish phase!"—but I knew the truth. Children didn't lie. So I gave him exactly what he asked for. I walked away with our daughter, leaving both of them behind. Everyone expected me to come crawling back within a month. Joke was on them. A month later, I was too busy building my empire to care, and my daughter was already interviewing candidates for "World's Best Stepdad." Then one day, Harrison showed up at my door—our son in tow—begging for another chance. Too bad for him, the man currently pinning me against that very door had other plans. "Darling," he murmured, lips brushing my ear, "how much longer must I wait before you make me yours?"

Chapter 1Selene Thompson hurried into the hotel, her young daughter in tow. The birthday party for her son's fifth birthday had already begun.At the center of the private room, Harrison Vaughn sat beside their son, the soft glow of birthday candles illuminating the boy's delicate features.Dames pressed his hands together, closed his eyes, and made a wish: "I hope Ms. Felicity can be my new mom."Selene shivered. The rain outside was coming down in sheets; to keep her daughter and the birthday cake dry, she'd half-shielded them, leaving herself soaked through. Her clothes clung to her skin, cold as ice.Felicity Thompson let out a hearty laugh. "How many times do I have to tell you, don't call me Ms. Felicity! It's Flick! Your dad and I are best buddies—I can only be your second dad at best!"Her laughter echoed through the room. Most of the guests were Felicity's old friends, and they joined in the laughter, though only Felicity ever dared tease Harrison so openly.Dames blinked his bright eyes and gave Felicity a winning smile.Felicity ruffled his hair and asked, "So, Dames, why do you suddenly want a new mom?"Dames shot a quick look at Harrison. "Because Dad likes Flick!"Felicity grinned, scooping Dames onto her lap and throwing an arm around Harrison's shoulders.She raised her eyebrows at Harrison, showing off. "See? The kid sees right through you."Harrison's brows furrowed. He turned to the others and said, "Just a child's nonsense. Don't take it seriously."But children don't lie.Everyone knew Harrison and Felicity had grown up together. Felicity had always preferred the company of boys, roughhousing and joking around—a fact that hadn't endeared her to Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn.Selene, on the other hand, had been brought back to the Thompson family at eighteen, carrying all their hopes and love. She'd married Harrison, given him children, and tried her best to fit into his world.The room erupted with teasing:"So, who do you like more, your mom or Flick?""Are you kidding? Flick wins by a mile! Mom's still living in, like, the 1900s or something."A flicker of cold amusement flashed in Felicity's eyes, almost too quick to notice. She pulled Dames closer and kissed his forehead.Selene felt her blood run cold.Dames had never liked being touched, not by anyone. When Selene tried to hug him, he'd always wriggle away, distant and reserved, just like his father.But now, he was nestled in Felicity's arms, smiling at her with an easy affection.And the look Harrison gave Felicity—Selene had never seen such tenderness on his face before.They looked more like a family than she ever had with them."Mommy." Her daughter's voice broke through Selene's daze.Selene glanced down, her vision blurring with tears."What did you wish for, Daph?" Her voice trembled."All I want is you, Mommy!""What about Daddy and Dames?"Hot tears splashed onto Daph's small hand. The little girl panicked."Don't cry, Mommy! I'll go tell Dames not to always stick to Aunt Flick."Daph and Dames were twins. When Selene gave birth to them, she nearly died from blood loss. She'd called Harrison from the delivery room, but it was Felicity who answered the phone."Harrison went to get popcorn. He's watching fireworks at Disney with me. Don't worry about us—just focus on the baby, okay?"Even now, the sound of fireworks seemed to echo in Selene's ears.From that day forward, her heart had been shattered.She squeezed Daph's hand and pushed open the door to the private room.The room fell silent."What's Mrs. Vaughn doing here?"Though the birthday celebration was for her own children, Selene's presence hung awkwardly in the air—an uninvited guest at a party she was supposed to host.Felicity kept Dames tucked securely in her lap, silently staking her claim.Selene set the cake box on the table, raindrops still streaking her cheeks.Dames glanced up. Felicity's makeup was flawless, her dark hair loose and soft. He looked at Selene and pouted in annoyance.Selene opened the cake box. On top of the cake she'd baked and decorated herself, two hand-drawn cartoon figures smiled up at them—Dames and Daph, together.As Selene sliced the cake in half, her hands trembled uncontrollably.She slid one half of the cake across the table toward Dames. "Dames, I'm here to grant your birthday wish. From today on, I'm no longer your mom.""What is this nonsense?" Harrison's voice cut through the room, cold and impatient.Selene looked at him, her gaze emptied of any lingering affection. "We're getting a divorce. Daph will come with me. Dames is yours.""Mom, are you just being dramatic?" Dames' gaze held all of Harrison's clinical coldness, unnervingly precise for a boy who still needed a stepstool to reach the cookie jar."Can you stop acting up? I never liked celebrating my birthday with you, because you always nag me about what I eat."He glanced at the cartoon-covered cake in front of him with open disdain. "And I'm sick of your cakes. Today, I want the cake Flick brought me instead!"Daph cried out, "Dames! You can't just eat any cake from outside. You'll have an allergic reaction!""There's hardly any milk in it!" Felicity snapped, her tone edged with reproach. "He's a boy. Don't coddle him so much! The only reason Dames is still allergic to dairy is because you've been too careful, Selene, never letting him have any."Felicity bent down to look Dames in the eye. "Dames, do you trust me? You need to eat more cake with dairy in it. That's how you'll build up a tolerance, and soon, you won't be allergic anymore!"Dames nodded emphatically. "I trust Flick. Mom's just a country bumpkin. She doesn't know anything!"Selene's smile cracked, and the taste of blood filled her mouth; she could practically smell rust in the back of her throat.Seven years married to Harrison, and his heart had never once warmed to her.She'd raised Dames for five years—her own flesh and blood—only to have him turn those same ties into weapons against her."If you don't like my cake, just throw it away." It felt like razor blades were slicing her throat; her words tasted of iron."Dames, I've always done everything I could to give you what you wanted. If you want a new mom, I'll step aside for Felicity."She looked at her son. "This is the last time I'll ever wish you a happy birthday."Selene took Daph's hand gently. "Let's go."She was done—with her son, her husband, all of it."Selene." Harrison called out, his handsome features frosted over with an icy arrogance. "You're really taking what a child says seriously?""I am," she answered quietly. "Tomorrow at three, Willowbrook City Hall. Don't be late."She looked at Harrison—the man she'd loved for seven years—and all that was left in her eyes was resolve.As she turned to leave, she caught sight of a tall, striking man standing in the doorway.The light cast sharp shadows across his angular face, and he watched her with a cool, almost amused intensity, as if taking in the climax of a well-played drama.Selene recognized him immediately: Adrian Shaw, the golden boy of The Capital Circle. On the surface, Harrison and Adrian were friendly, but beneath it, they were rivals through and through.Harrison had thrown this birthday party for Dames and Daph, inviting the city's elite, but even he must've been surprised Adrian showed up.Felicity snapped Dames' seatbelt with practiced ease, then flung both hands skyward in mock astonishment. "Hey! Adrian, you actually came when I called!""I didn't come for you," Adrian replied coolly, not even glancing her way.His gaze swept the room, but Selene was already gone.Adrian let a sly smile curl his lips, a charming dimple flashing at the corner of his mouth.He turned to Harrison. "So, your wife's divorcing you. Guess I'll have to start calling her something else, huh?""She won't divorce me," Harrison said, his voice certain and unyielding.Felicity twisted around and pulled a silly face at Harrison. "Selene's misunderstood us again. I'll go talk to her and clear things up!""Save your breath. That woman looks for reasons to be hurt," Harrison replied, his voice cool and indifferent. His gaze drifted to the half-eaten birthday cake Selene had left behind, a faint furrow appearing between his brows.With Harrison putting his foot down, everyone else visibly relaxed.So Selene stormed out in a huff—big deal.The others quickly chimed in, eager to smooth things over. "She's just upset, Harrison. Just talk to her when you get home, she'll come around.""Yeah, there's no way she'd actually divorce you. Everyone knows Selene nearly lost her life just trying to give you a child.""She'll probably regret it the moment she steps out the door!""Come on, let's have some cake! I bet by the time you get back, Harrison, she'll be waiting for you at the door, just like always."The tension eased from Harrison's brow. He could already picture Selene, timid and hesitant, standing at the door, trying to win back his favor with that anxious look of hers.Dames, meanwhile, was happily digging into the cake Felicity had brought for him. The creamy frosting filled his mouth, making his tongue tingle, but he didn't care.It felt great not having his mother hovering over him for once.*When the birthday party finally ended, Harrison sat in the car, eyes closed, letting the shifting sunlight flicker across his face."Dad, I'm itchy!" Dames whimpered, his voice barely above a whisper, like a kitten's mewl.Harrison opened his eyes and switched on the overhead light. Dames' face was flushed, and he was scratching frantically at his arms and neck, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps.Harrison gently pried Dames' hands away and saw angry red welts blooming all over the boy's neck.An allergic reaction.Harrison's expression didn't change, but he immediately pulled out his phone and dialed Selene's number.The call connected, but before he could say anything, an automated message played: "The number you have dialed is currently unavailable."A cold edge flashed in Harrison's eyes. His son was having an allergic reaction, and Selene had simply switched her phone off?He turned to the driver. "Step on it. Take us back to Vaughn Manor. Now."Cradling Dames, Harrison hurried inside as soon as they arrived.His eyes instinctively flicked to the entryway. It was empty—Selene wasn't waiting at the door like she usually did.Nadine rushed over, noticing Dames' low whimpering. "What happened to the little one?""He's having an allergic reaction," Harrison answered curtly as he slipped off his shoes."But how did this happen? Mrs. Vaughn is always so careful about what he eats.""Where's Selene?" Harrison didn't stop moving, carrying Dames straight into the living room."Mrs. Vaughn and Miss Daph are staying at her parents' house tonight," Nadine replied.A chill settled over Harrison's features. Of all nights, Selene chose now to throw a tantrum?Did she honestly think the Vaughn family would come crawling just because she left?"Where are the allergy meds?" Harrison's voice was dangerously calm, but Nadine felt the weight of his displeasure."I—I don't know," she stammered, shrinking under his icy stare. "Mrs. Vaughn always keeps the medicine cabinet locked."She remembered the time she'd forgotten to put away the bottles, and Dames and Daph had mistaken the pills for candy. Thankfully, they'd only swallowed some vitamins, but Selene had been furious. Nadine had tried complaining to Gemma, but Selene ended up getting a lecture from her mother-in-law, and from then on, Selene never let Nadine touch the medicine cabinet again.An hour later, the family doctor arrived and gave Dames a shot. The rash quickly faded.Dames lay weak and exhausted on his little bed, his eyes brimming with tears he was trying hard not to shed.Harrison stood beside him, arms crossed, tall and unyielding as a statue. Harrison's presence wasn't just cold—it was a winter storm contained in human form. Dames' fingers twisted the blanket into knots, his breath shallow under the weight of that silent judgment.Chapter 2Selene Thompson hurried into the hotel, her young daughter in tow. The birthday party for her son's fifth birthday had already begun.At the center of the private room, Harrison Vaughn sat beside their son, the soft glow of birthday candles illuminating the boy's delicate features.Dames pressed his hands together, closed his eyes, and made a wish: "I hope Ms. Felicity can be my new mom."Selene shivered. The rain outside was coming down in sheets; to keep her daughter and the birthday cake dry, she'd half-shielded them, leaving herself soaked through. Her clothes clung to her skin, cold as ice.Felicity Thompson let out a hearty laugh. "How many times do I have to tell you, don't call me Ms. Felicity! It's Flick! Your dad and I are best buddies—I can only be your second dad at best!"Her laughter echoed through the room. Most of the guests were Felicity's old friends, and they joined in the laughter, though only Felicity ever dared tease Harrison so openly.Dames blinked his bright eyes and gave Felicity a winning smile.Felicity ruffled his hair and asked, "So, Dames, why do you suddenly want a new mom?"Dames shot a quick look at Harrison. "Because Dad likes Flick!"Felicity grinned, scooping Dames onto her lap and throwing an arm around Harrison's shoulders.She raised her eyebrows at Harrison, showing off. "See? The kid sees right through you."Harrison's brows furrowed. He turned to the others and said, "Just a child's nonsense. Don't take it seriously."But children don't lie.Everyone knew Harrison and Felicity had grown up together. Felicity had always preferred the company of boys, roughhousing and joking around—a fact that hadn't endeared her to Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn.Selene, on the other hand, had been brought back to the Thompson family at eighteen, carrying all their hopes and love. She'd married Harrison, given him children, and tried her best to fit into his world.The room erupted with teasing:"So, who do you like more, your mom or Flick?""Are you kidding? Flick wins by a mile! Mom's still living in, like, the 1900s or something."A flicker of cold amusement flashed in Felicity's eyes, almost too quick to notice. She pulled Dames closer and kissed his forehead.Selene felt her blood run cold.Dames had never liked being touched, not by anyone. When Selene tried to hug him, he'd always wriggle away, distant and reserved, just like his father.But now, he was nestled in Felicity's arms, smiling at her with an easy affection.And the look Harrison gave Felicity—Selene had never seen such tenderness on his face before.They looked more like a family than she ever had with them."Mommy." Her daughter's voice broke through Selene's daze.Selene glanced down, her vision blurring with tears."What did you wish for, Daph?" Her voice trembled."All I want is you, Mommy!""What about Daddy and Dames?"Hot tears splashed onto Daph's small hand. The little girl panicked."Don't cry, Mommy! I'll go tell Dames not to always stick to Aunt Flick."Daph and Dames were twins. When Selene gave birth to them, she nearly died from blood loss. She'd called Harrison from the delivery room, but it was Felicity who answered the phone."Harrison went to get popcorn. He's watching fireworks at Disney with me. Don't worry about us—just focus on the baby, okay?"Even now, the sound of fireworks seemed to echo in Selene's ears.From that day forward, her heart had been shattered.She squeezed Daph's hand and pushed open the door to the private room.The room fell silent."What's Mrs. Vaughn doing here?"Though the birthday celebration was for her own children, Selene's presence hung awkwardly in the air—an uninvited guest at a party she was supposed to host.Felicity kept Dames tucked securely in her lap, silently staking her claim.Selene set the cake box on the table, raindrops still streaking her cheeks.Dames glanced up. Felicity's makeup was flawless, her dark hair loose and soft. He looked at Selene and pouted in annoyance.Selene opened the cake box. On top of the cake she'd baked and decorated herself, two hand-drawn cartoon figures smiled up at them—Dames and Daph, together.As Selene sliced the cake in half, her hands trembled uncontrollably.She slid one half of the cake across the table toward Dames. "Dames, I'm here to grant your birthday wish. From today on, I'm no longer your mom.""What is this nonsense?" Harrison's voice cut through the room, cold and impatient.Selene looked at him, her gaze emptied of any lingering affection. "We're getting a divorce. Daph will come with me. Dames is yours.""Mom, are you just being dramatic?" Dames' gaze held all of Harrison's clinical coldness, unnervingly precise for a boy who still needed a stepstool to reach the cookie jar."Can you stop acting up? I never liked celebrating my birthday with you, because you always nag me about what I eat."He glanced at the cartoon-covered cake in front of him with open disdain. "And I'm sick of your cakes. Today, I want the cake Flick brought me instead!"Daph cried out, "Dames! You can't just eat any cake from outside. You'll have an allergic reaction!""There's hardly any milk in it!" Felicity snapped, her tone edged with reproach. "He's a boy. Don't coddle him so much! The only reason Dames is still allergic to dairy is because you've been too careful, Selene, never letting him have any."Felicity bent down to look Dames in the eye. "Dames, do you trust me? You need to eat more cake with dairy in it. That's how you'll build up a tolerance, and soon, you won't be allergic anymore!"Dames nodded emphatically. "I trust Flick. Mom's just a country bumpkin. She doesn't know anything!"Selene's smile cracked, and the taste of blood filled her mouth; she could practically smell rust in the back of her throat.Seven years married to Harrison, and his heart had never once warmed to her.She'd raised Dames for five years—her own flesh and blood—only to have him turn those same ties into weapons against her."If you don't like my cake, just throw it away." It felt like razor blades were slicing her throat; her words tasted of iron."Dames, I've always done everything I could to give you what you wanted. If you want a new mom, I'll step aside for Felicity."She looked at her son. "This is the last time I'll ever wish you a happy birthday."Selene took Daph's hand gently. "Let's go."She was done—with her son, her husband, all of it."Selene." Harrison called out, his handsome features frosted over with an icy arrogance. "You're really taking what a child says seriously?""I am," she answered quietly. "Tomorrow at three, Willowbrook City Hall. Don't be late."She looked at Harrison—the man she'd loved for seven years—and all that was left in her eyes was resolve.As she turned to leave, she caught sight of a tall, striking man standing in the doorway.The light cast sharp shadows across his angular face, and he watched her with a cool, almost amused intensity, as if taking in the climax of a well-played drama.Selene recognized him immediately: Adrian Shaw, the golden boy of The Capital Circle. On the surface, Harrison and Adrian were friendly, but beneath it, they were rivals through and through.Harrison had thrown this birthday party for Dames and Daph, inviting the city's elite, but even he must've been surprised Adrian showed up.Felicity snapped Dames' seatbelt with practiced ease, then flung both hands skyward in mock astonishment. "Hey! Adrian, you actually came when I called!""I didn't come for you," Adrian replied coolly, not even glancing her way.His gaze swept the room, but Selene was already gone.Adrian let a sly smile curl his lips, a charming dimple flashing at the corner of his mouth.He turned to Harrison. "So, your wife's divorcing you. Guess I'll have to start calling her something else, huh?""She won't divorce me," Harrison said, his voice certain and unyielding.Felicity twisted around and pulled a silly face at Harrison. "Selene's misunderstood us again. I'll go talk to her and clear things up!""Save your breath. That woman looks for reasons to be hurt," Harrison replied, his voice cool and indifferent. His gaze drifted to the half-eaten birthday cake Selene had left behind, a faint furrow appearing between his brows.With Harrison putting his foot down, everyone else visibly relaxed.So Selene stormed out in a huff—big deal.The others quickly chimed in, eager to smooth things over. "She's just upset, Harrison. Just talk to her when you get home, she'll come around.""Yeah, there's no way she'd actually divorce you. Everyone knows Selene nearly lost her life just trying to give you a child.""She'll probably regret it the moment she steps out the door!""Come on, let's have some cake! I bet by the time you get back, Harrison, she'll be waiting for you at the door, just like always."The tension eased from Harrison's brow. He could already picture Selene, timid and hesitant, standing at the door, trying to win back his favor with that anxious look of hers.Dames, meanwhile, was happily digging into the cake Felicity had brought for him. The creamy frosting filled his mouth, making his tongue tingle, but he didn't care.It felt great not having his mother hovering over him for once.*When the birthday party finally ended, Harrison sat in the car, eyes closed, letting the shifting sunlight flicker across his face."Dad, I'm itchy!" Dames whimpered, his voice barely above a whisper, like a kitten's mewl.Harrison opened his eyes and switched on the overhead light. Dames' face was flushed, and he was scratching frantically at his arms and neck, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps.Harrison gently pried Dames' hands away and saw angry red welts blooming all over the boy's neck.An allergic reaction.Harrison's expression didn't change, but he immediately pulled out his phone and dialed Selene's number.The call connected, but before he could say anything, an automated message played: "The number you have dialed is currently unavailable."A cold edge flashed in Harrison's eyes. His son was having an allergic reaction, and Selene had simply switched her phone off?He turned to the driver. "Step on it. Take us back to Vaughn Manor. Now."Cradling Dames, Harrison hurried inside as soon as they arrived.His eyes instinctively flicked to the entryway. It was empty—Selene wasn't waiting at the door like she usually did.Nadine rushed over, noticing Dames' low whimpering. "What happened to the little one?""He's having an allergic reaction," Harrison answered curtly as he slipped off his shoes."But how did this happen? Mrs. Vaughn is always so careful about what he eats.""Where's Selene?" Harrison didn't stop moving, carrying Dames straight into the living room."Mrs. Vaughn and Miss Daph are staying at her parents' house tonight," Nadine replied.A chill settled over Harrison's features. Of all nights, Selene chose now to throw a tantrum?Did she honestly think the Vaughn family would come crawling just because she left?"Where are the allergy meds?" Harrison's voice was dangerously calm, but Nadine felt the weight of his displeasure."I—I don't know," she stammered, shrinking under his icy stare. "Mrs. Vaughn always keeps the medicine cabinet locked."She remembered the time she'd forgotten to put away the bottles, and Dames and Daph had mistaken the pills for candy. Thankfully, they'd only swallowed some vitamins, but Selene had been furious. Nadine had tried complaining to Gemma, but Selene ended up getting a lecture from her mother-in-law, and from then on, Selene never let Nadine touch the medicine cabinet again.An hour later, the family doctor arrived and gave Dames a shot. The rash quickly faded.Dames lay weak and exhausted on his little bed, his eyes brimming with tears he was trying hard not to shed.Harrison stood beside him, arms crossed, tall and unyielding as a statue. Harrison's presence wasn't just cold—it was a winter storm contained in human form. Dames' fingers twisted the blanket into knots, his breath shallow under the weight of that silent judgment.Chapter 3Selene Thompson hurried into the hotel, her young daughter in tow. The birthday party for her son's fifth birthday had already begun.At the center of the private room, Harrison Vaughn sat beside their son, the soft glow of birthday candles illuminating the boy's delicate features.Dames pressed his hands together, closed his eyes, and made a wish: "I hope Ms. Felicity can be my new mom."Selene shivered. The rain outside was coming down in sheets; to keep her daughter and the birthday cake dry, she'd half-shielded them, leaving herself soaked through. Her clothes clung to her skin, cold as ice.Felicity Thompson let out a hearty laugh. "How many times do I have to tell you, don't call me Ms. Felicity! It's Flick! Your dad and I are best buddies—I can only be your second dad at best!"Her laughter echoed through the room. Most of the guests were Felicity's old friends, and they joined in the laughter, though only Felicity ever dared tease Harrison so openly.Dames blinked his bright eyes and gave Felicity a winning smile.Felicity ruffled his hair and asked, "So, Dames, why do you suddenly want a new mom?"Dames shot a quick look at Harrison. "Because Dad likes Flick!"Felicity grinned, scooping Dames onto her lap and throwing an arm around Harrison's shoulders.She raised her eyebrows at Harrison, showing off. "See? The kid sees right through you."Harrison's brows furrowed. He turned to the others and said, "Just a child's nonsense. Don't take it seriously."But children don't lie.Everyone knew Harrison and Felicity had grown up together. Felicity had always preferred the company of boys, roughhousing and joking around—a fact that hadn't endeared her to Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn.Selene, on the other hand, had been brought back to the Thompson family at eighteen, carrying all their hopes and love. She'd married Harrison, given him children, and tried her best to fit into his world.The room erupted with teasing:"So, who do you like more, your mom or Flick?""Are you kidding? Flick wins by a mile! Mom's still living in, like, the 1900s or something."A flicker of cold amusement flashed in Felicity's eyes, almost too quick to notice. She pulled Dames closer and kissed his forehead.Selene felt her blood run cold.Dames had never liked being touched, not by anyone. When Selene tried to hug him, he'd always wriggle away, distant and reserved, just like his father.But now, he was nestled in Felicity's arms, smiling at her with an easy affection.And the look Harrison gave Felicity—Selene had never seen such tenderness on his face before.They looked more like a family than she ever had with them."Mommy." Her daughter's voice broke through Selene's daze.Selene glanced down, her vision blurring with tears."What did you wish for, Daph?" Her voice trembled."All I want is you, Mommy!""What about Daddy and Dames?"Hot tears splashed onto Daph's small hand. The little girl panicked."Don't cry, Mommy! I'll go tell Dames not to always stick to Aunt Flick."Daph and Dames were twins. When Selene gave birth to them, she nearly died from blood loss. She'd called Harrison from the delivery room, but it was Felicity who answered the phone."Harrison went to get popcorn. He's watching fireworks at Disney with me. Don't worry about us—just focus on the baby, okay?"Even now, the sound of fireworks seemed to echo in Selene's ears.From that day forward, her heart had been shattered.She squeezed Daph's hand and pushed open the door to the private room.The room fell silent."What's Mrs. Vaughn doing here?"Though the birthday celebration was for her own children, Selene's presence hung awkwardly in the air—an uninvited guest at a party she was supposed to host.Felicity kept Dames tucked securely in her lap, silently staking her claim.Selene set the cake box on the table, raindrops still streaking her cheeks.Dames glanced up. Felicity's makeup was flawless, her dark hair loose and soft. He looked at Selene and pouted in annoyance.Selene opened the cake box. On top of the cake she'd baked and decorated herself, two hand-drawn cartoon figures smiled up at them—Dames and Daph, together.As Selene sliced the cake in half, her hands trembled uncontrollably.She slid one half of the cake across the table toward Dames. "Dames, I'm here to grant your birthday wish. From today on, I'm no longer your mom.""What is this nonsense?" Harrison's voice cut through the room, cold and impatient.Selene looked at him, her gaze emptied of any lingering affection. "We're getting a divorce. Daph will come with me. Dames is yours.""Mom, are you just being dramatic?" Dames' gaze held all of Harrison's clinical coldness, unnervingly precise for a boy who still needed a stepstool to reach the cookie jar."Can you stop acting up? I never liked celebrating my birthday with you, because you always nag me about what I eat."He glanced at the cartoon-covered cake in front of him with open disdain. "And I'm sick of your cakes. Today, I want the cake Flick brought me instead!"Daph cried out, "Dames! You can't just eat any cake from outside. You'll have an allergic reaction!""There's hardly any milk in it!" Felicity snapped, her tone edged with reproach. "He's a boy. Don't coddle him so much! The only reason Dames is still allergic to dairy is because you've been too careful, Selene, never letting him have any."Felicity bent down to look Dames in the eye. "Dames, do you trust me? You need to eat more cake with dairy in it. That's how you'll build up a tolerance, and soon, you won't be allergic anymore!"Dames nodded emphatically. "I trust Flick. Mom's just a country bumpkin. She doesn't know anything!"Selene's smile cracked, and the taste of blood filled her mouth; she could practically smell rust in the back of her throat.Seven years married to Harrison, and his heart had never once warmed to her.She'd raised Dames for five years—her own flesh and blood—only to have him turn those same ties into weapons against her."If you don't like my cake, just throw it away." It felt like razor blades were slicing her throat; her words tasted of iron."Dames, I've always done everything I could to give you what you wanted. If you want a new mom, I'll step aside for Felicity."She looked at her son. "This is the last time I'll ever wish you a happy birthday."Selene took Daph's hand gently. "Let's go."She was done—with her son, her husband, all of it."Selene." Harrison called out, his handsome features frosted over with an icy arrogance. "You're really taking what a child says seriously?""I am," she answered quietly. "Tomorrow at three, Willowbrook City Hall. Don't be late."She looked at Harrison—the man she'd loved for seven years—and all that was left in her eyes was resolve.As she turned to leave, she caught sight of a tall, striking man standing in the doorway.The light cast sharp shadows across his angular face, and he watched her with a cool, almost amused intensity, as if taking in the climax of a well-played drama.Selene recognized him immediately: Adrian Shaw, the golden boy of The Capital Circle. On the surface, Harrison and Adrian were friendly, but beneath it, they were rivals through and through.Harrison had thrown this birthday party for Dames and Daph, inviting the city's elite, but even he must've been surprised Adrian showed up.Felicity snapped Dames' seatbelt with practiced ease, then flung both hands skyward in mock astonishment. "Hey! Adrian, you actually came when I called!""I didn't come for you," Adrian replied coolly, not even glancing her way.His gaze swept the room, but Selene was already gone.Adrian let a sly smile curl his lips, a charming dimple flashing at the corner of his mouth.He turned to Harrison. "So, your wife's divorcing you. Guess I'll have to start calling her something else, huh?""She won't divorce me," Harrison said, his voice certain and unyielding.Felicity twisted around and pulled a silly face at Harrison. "Selene's misunderstood us again. I'll go talk to her and clear things up!""Save your breath. That woman looks for reasons to be hurt," Harrison replied, his voice cool and indifferent. His gaze drifted to the half-eaten birthday cake Selene had left behind, a faint furrow appearing between his brows.With Harrison putting his foot down, everyone else visibly relaxed.So Selene stormed out in a huff—big deal.The others quickly chimed in, eager to smooth things over. "She's just upset, Harrison. Just talk to her when you get home, she'll come around.""Yeah, there's no way she'd actually divorce you. Everyone knows Selene nearly lost her life just trying to give you a child.""She'll probably regret it the moment she steps out the door!""Come on, let's have some cake! I bet by the time you get back, Harrison, she'll be waiting for you at the door, just like always."The tension eased from Harrison's brow. He could already picture Selene, timid and hesitant, standing at the door, trying to win back his favor with that anxious look of hers.Dames, meanwhile, was happily digging into the cake Felicity had brought for him. The creamy frosting filled his mouth, making his tongue tingle, but he didn't care.It felt great not having his mother hovering over him for once.*When the birthday party finally ended, Harrison sat in the car, eyes closed, letting the shifting sunlight flicker across his face."Dad, I'm itchy!" Dames whimpered, his voice barely above a whisper, like a kitten's mewl.Harrison opened his eyes and switched on the overhead light. Dames' face was flushed, and he was scratching frantically at his arms and neck, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps.Harrison gently pried Dames' hands away and saw angry red welts blooming all over the boy's neck.An allergic reaction.Harrison's expression didn't change, but he immediately pulled out his phone and dialed Selene's number.The call connected, but before he could say anything, an automated message played: "The number you have dialed is currently unavailable."A cold edge flashed in Harrison's eyes. His son was having an allergic reaction, and Selene had simply switched her phone off?He turned to the driver. "Step on it. Take us back to Vaughn Manor. Now."Cradling Dames, Harrison hurried inside as soon as they arrived.His eyes instinctively flicked to the entryway. It was empty—Selene wasn't waiting at the door like she usually did.Nadine rushed over, noticing Dames' low whimpering. "What happened to the little one?""He's having an allergic reaction," Harrison answered curtly as he slipped off his shoes."But how did this happen? Mrs. Vaughn is always so careful about what he eats.""Where's Selene?" Harrison didn't stop moving, carrying Dames straight into the living room."Mrs. Vaughn and Miss Daph are staying at her parents' house tonight," Nadine replied.A chill settled over Harrison's features. Of all nights, Selene chose now to throw a tantrum?Did she honestly think the Vaughn family would come crawling just because she left?"Where are the allergy meds?" Harrison's voice was dangerously calm, but Nadine felt the weight of his displeasure."I—I don't know," she stammered, shrinking under his icy stare. "Mrs. Vaughn always keeps the medicine cabinet locked."She remembered the time she'd forgotten to put away the bottles, and Dames and Daph had mistaken the pills for candy. Thankfully, they'd only swallowed some vitamins, but Selene had been furious. Nadine had tried complaining to Gemma, but Selene ended up getting a lecture from her mother-in-law, and from then on, Selene never let Nadine touch the medicine cabinet again.An hour later, the family doctor arrived and gave Dames a shot. The rash quickly faded.Dames lay weak and exhausted on his little bed, his eyes brimming with tears he was trying hard not to shed.Harrison stood beside him, arms crossed, tall and unyielding as a statue. Harrison's presence wasn't just cold—it was a winter storm contained in human form. Dames' fingers twisted the blanket into knots, his breath shallow under the weight of that silent judgment.