Three Strikes to Goodbye

My husband, Caleb Price, and I, Sienna Hart, have been married for many years. Our relationship is going strong, and our son, Tobey, is thoughtful and kind. I've always believed we would spend our whole lives together.

What I don't expect is that Caleb would hurt me and Tobey three times because of the same woman.

The first time, we agree to celebrate Tobey's birthday, but Caleb forgets his promise because he has to pick up his first love, Lila Monroe, from the airport. When I return home from a business trip, all I find is my heartbroken son.

The second time, Caleb secretly takes our son and Lila to the amusement park. He doesn't know that Tobey is allergic to peanuts, and he ends up in the hospital.

The third time, Caleb repeatedly promises to pick Tobey up from school alone, but when Caleb hears that Lila is ill, he tells Tobey to go home by himself. On the way home, Tobey is kidnapped. After he's rescued, he spends three days in the hospital in critical condition before pulling through.

Each time, Caleb apologizes with utmost sincerity and swears that there won't be a next time. Maybe he's forgotten, but I once told him that I'd only forgive him three times.

So, when he finishes apologizing and thinks life will return to the happy days it was before… It doesn't.

Yes, I forgive him, but I'm also taking Tobey and leaving him—forever.

The husband I, Sienna Hart, had wanted to spend the rest of my life with, hurt both me and our son three times over the same woman.

I forgave Caleb Price again and again, only to be met with his growing audacity.

When he once again tried to make amends in his own way, assuming I would naturally forgive him, I had already bought plane tickets for my son, Tobey, and me to leave.

…

The hospital room was already filled with toys and snacks that Tobey loved, but my husband, Caleb, was still instructing people to bring in a gaming console.

"My sweet boy Tobey, I had someone buy all these toys and the gaming console for you. What do you think? Do you like them?"

Tobey glanced at me before giving Caleb a polite smile. "Thank you, Daddy, but Mommy said I need to rest now and can't play games yet."

I walked to the door, shutting out the envious gazes from the people outside. Then, I opened the windows before approaching Caleb.

"Have someone remove the stuff later. The doctor said too many electronics aren't good for his rest," I said.

Caleb froze for a moment, clearly reluctant. He reached for my hand and said, "Sienna, saying that makes me look bad in front of our son. But it's okay. As long as you can truly forgive me, I'll do whatever you say."

I subtly pulled my hand away. "I forgive you."

Surprise and delight flickered across his face before it quickly gave way to suspicion. "Really? You're not jealous of Lila anymore? You're not going to go behind my back and cause trouble for her again, right? We really are just friends. She doesn't have any family left, so I have to help her out when something comes up, especially when she's sick—"

"I believe you."

I couldn't stop myself from cutting him off. I had heard those same tired excuses one too many times.

When Lila Monroe first returned to the country, I had asked her out for coffee to warn her not to come between someone else's family. But she poured coffee on herself, and when Caleb showed up, he thought I'd been bullying her. He yelled at me, accusing me of not respecting his friend, and didn't come home for more than ten days. It wasn't until I'd brought Tobey to his office to see him that things finally thawed.

This time, I was just as understanding as before.

"It's not entirely your fault that Tobey was kidnapped. It was the kidnappers' greed. And besides, Tobey's fine now. As long as you make sure our son is never hurt again and promise that something like this will never happen again in the future, our family of three can go back to how things were," I said.

I was smiling as I said those words, but my fingers were pinching my thigh hard.

As expected, Caleb believed me. He wasn't too surprised either—after all, I'd already forgiven him twice.

He hugged me. "I knew you loved me, babe. Just give me a few more days. Once Lila is discharged on the 20th and has fully recovered, I'll take you and Tobey on that desert trip."

Going on a desert trip had always been Tobey's dream. He wanted to lie on the sand dunes and make wishes on shooting stars.

But… the 20th?

The day Tobey would be discharged also happened to be the day we'd be leaving.

As if remembering something, Caleb asked, "Oh, right. When's Tobey getting discharged?"

I smiled. "On the 20th as well. What a coincidence."

Caleb nodded, satisfied, and leaned down to kiss Tobey's forehead. "I'll come pick you up on that day, then."

Then he turned to me. "Sienna, things at work have been hectic lately, so I might not have time to visit Tobey. If you need anything, call me, and I'll get my assistant to handle it."

I smiled and nodded, then watched him walk out of the room.

"Mommy, I'm okay," Tobey's innocent voice sounded next to me.

I stroked his hair, feeling bad for him, then stepped out to buy him something to eat.

However, when I walked past the other patient rooms, I saw Caleb—the same man who had just claimed he was going back to the office. Lila was waiting for him at the door, dressed in a hospital gown and looking beautiful in a delicate, fragile way.

Caleb hurriedly removed his suit jacket and draped it around her shoulders, then wrapped an arm around her as he led her inside, looking very concerned for her.

I stood quietly watching from behind, when Lila suddenly turned around and shot me a taunting smile.

I didn't even know how I had made it back to Tobey's room. I only knew that by the time I was sitting on the couch, my nails had dug deep enough into my palms to draw blood.

My calm, understanding demeanor had been nothing but an act.

I hated Caleb Price.

He put our young son in danger time after time, and this time, Tobey had nearly lost his life. I wanted nothing more than to make Caleb suffer every ounce of pain Tobey had endured—and then some.

Caleb was so completely focused on Lila, his first love. He didn't deserve to be my husband, let alone Tobey's father.

Suddenly, a small pair of hands covered my clenched fists. At some point, Tobey had climbed out of bed and sat down beside me.

"Mommy, let's leave. We don't need Daddy anymore. He doesn't love me the most, and he doesn't love you the most either. So, let's stop loving him."

I was speechless. Previously, it had always been Tobey begging me to forgive Caleb. In fact, I had been worrying about how to tell Tobey that we were leaving, yet here he was bringing it up himself.

Seeing my stunned expression, he continued, "I'm already six years old. I understand things now, Mommy. From now on, I'll protect you."

Tears streamed down my face. He understood everything. He really had grown up.

I pulled him into my arms and said, "Okay. I'll take you away from here."

I would take him away… to a place where there was no Caleb Price.