Chapter 1
On Juneteenth, the most viral TikTok was about me.
The caption read: “Tycoon Rhys Harmon Takes Son to Celebrate His True Love’s Birthday–Is He Finally Divorcing Viv?”
I quietly hit repost. And then started taking down the balloons I’d prepared for our wedding anniversary.
Within minutes, my phone was buzzing non–stop.
“Honey,” my husband’s voice was panicked, “I saw your post – let me explain. Our son kept begging to go to the Freedom Festival, so I…”
In the background, our son’s voice rang out cheerfully: “Daddy, Auntie Mel says I can sleep over at her house tonight!”
I surveyed the wreckage around me.
The balloons had deflated from waiting all day, the anniversary cake’s frosting dried and cracked from sitting untouched.
“Don’t bother explaining,” I heard myself say, “I understand everything.”
But Rhys, this time-
I’m done with both of you.
I was curled up on the couch watching TV when Rhys walked through the door with our son.
In the past, I would have rushed over immediately to take his coat, then kissed my son’s little cheeks.
But today, I didn’t move a muscle.
“Mommy, why aren’t you coming to kiss me today?” my son whined.
“Viv, why aren’t you taking my coat?” Rhys added, his tone casual but pointed.
I just turned up the volume on the TV. “Too busy.”
Hearing this, Rhys composed himself as he hung up his coat and removed the Mickey Mouse hat from our son’s head, placing it on the rack.
Then he turned to me with a sigh: “Viv, you can’t seriously still be sulking about that minor thing, can you?”
14:02
Screw You, Ex! My New Life’s Hotter Than Your Money!
48.0
“Our son suffer wanted get the
dam Festival and couldn’t exactly ruin his excitement, could I? Since 1 crutin handle hum aime lasei Weirdy trzane aling. Bone mary mÆÐ Times do I need to explain this?”
Our son, samting reachy, huffed angrily. “Namng, you’re being werdrà again? Auntie Mel never makes grumpy faces like mu inTM
Bitys patted our shea being mrning his get back to IND.
“See that?” Brem our som cant sand your actitude. The why can’t you understand? When I try to appease you. I’m dining aru a far we going to throw antrums, could won at least shone some restraint?”
Inatangy gibed my vice unexing state. “I understand everything.”
In fact, I cruiin undersamt more deade
Like last year, when I was hesting our after my car accident, and he impatiently told me over the phone, “Tee got something ung handle. I came later ist call an ambulance yourself!”
Mismvinile our sun was shining in the background: “Daddy, come quick? We found Auntie Mel’s kitten! Hurry up and came comin her so she singsing
St. I had when a po of my van hind, dialing 911 myself.
In the ambulance, the ENT asked if there was any family they could contact, and I replied with a trembling voice. “I
haver family
While I was in Irss. Rhys’s eyes scammed my face repeatedly before he finally exhaled wearily.
“Kin do you really have to be like this?”
Imer his gaze seadly. Like an
Slence cysalized in the air between us.
Suddenly he pulled a velvet box from his briefcase and tossed it carelessly onto the couch.
“Here Bappy anniversary.”
I glanced at the nedidace inside the box, noticing the pendant engraved with the letters “ML“-Melody’s initials.
I couldn’t help but smirk buterly.
Even my anniversary gift was someone else’s leftovers.
Yet en Melody’s birthday, he’d spent an entire afternoon with our son at the bakery, making her cake from scratch, though he’d never cooked before.
“Thanks,” I said, my voice emotionless
Summer Bonda w Wow is ster Than Your Maneyi
