My jaw clenched as I exhaled slowly.
I already knew how this was going to play out.
William would come running.
He’d take one look at Luna sobbing on the ground, her hands covered in blood, and-
I glanced up.
William was standing there. Watching.
But he wasn’t looking at Luna.
He was looking at me.
And instead of rage, his eyes were full of concern.
Then, ignoring Luna completely, he strode toward me.
“Susic, are you okay?”
Luna’s shriek was deafening. “WILLIAM!”
William clicked his tongue, glancing down at her with thinly veiled disgust. “God, Luna. You’re unbelievable.”
Luna’s entire body shook with fury, but William didn’t give her a second glance.
He turned back to me, voice soft. “Susie, I’m sorry. I had no idea she would go this far. Please… give me another chance. I’ll protect you this time. I swear.”
I stared at him for a long moment,
Then, slowly, I smiled.
“If it weren’t fo
for you, I wouldn’t have had to deal with any of this.”
His face fell. His lips parted like he wanted to say something–anything–but nothing came out.
I met his gaze one last time and spoke the final words I would ever say to him.
“If you have even a shred of decency left, take your mistress and your son and get the hell out of my life.”
Then I got in my car, started the engine, and drove away.
I didn’t look back.
It was getting late–1 needed to pick up Amelia.
When I arrived at the kindergarten, I saw him again.
3/5
Caleb.
His expression was carefully blank, but his clenched fists betrayed him.
I almost laughed.
Like father, like son. Taking tums to come after me.
I ignored him completely and walked straight toward Amelia.
his face paled.
Caleb quickly ran after me, but the moment I shielded Amelia behind me, his
He understood.
He would never again be the child I instinctively protected.
“Mom! I was wrong, okay? Please come back! I promise I’ll be good! I’ll listen to you–I’ll be your good boy!”
By the end, his voice was thick with tears.
I crouched down, meeting his desperate gaze.
Then, slowly and clearly, I said, “Did you forget? Your last name is Larson. Mine is Winters.”
“We were never family.”
A flicker of something dark and satisfying curled in my chest.
Maybe it wasn’t right, but it felt good.
For a split second, Caleb hiccuped through his sobs and tried to lunge into my arms.
I snapped back to my senses, stepped aside, and watched as he stumbled.
Then I pulled out my phone and dialed the police.
A few minutes later, an officer arrived to escort him back to the Larson household.
As they carried him away, he screamed for me–his cries of Mom! Mom! echoing down the street.
But I had once called out for him too.
That night, trapped on the balcony in the storm, I had begged him to let me in.
And he had let the rain drown me instead.
Just as I now walked away without a second thought.
The bond between us–whatever was left of it–was severed. For good.
