You Had Your Chance

I gave Damian a light pat on the shoulder, and he snuggled closer to me.

"Mommy, when are we going to Grandma's?" he asked. "I don't want to be here anymore."

"Soon. We'll head over once we get you out of kindergarten," I said. "Damian, I just need to ask you one more time—are you okay with me getting a divorce from your dad?"

"Yeah. Daddy doesn't like me, so I don't want to like him either."

I felt a lump in my throat. I held him close, comforting him until he finally drifted off. Just as I was about to doze off, my phone rang.

I checked the screen and there were several messages from an unknown number. But the photos and videos attached to the mocking messages made it clear who it was—Olivia.

In the video, Walter was telling Aaron a story, his voice calm and gentle. Olivia's voice popped in every now and then. They looked like the perfect little family.

Walter had never done anything like that for Damian.

Since Damian was born, Walter had never played with him or read him a bedtime story. All Damian had ever gotten from him were harsh rules and a cold shoulder.

I always thought that was just the way Walter was.

But half a year ago, Olivia had come back into his life. That was when I realized Walter had always had a soft spot for her. And he wasn't emotionally distant by nature.

He could be patient and kind and even lose control of his emotions. He just didn't love me—or our child.

…

The next day, Damian and I silently agreed not to bring up Walter.

After breakfast, I pulled out the matching parent-child outfits I had prepared. There was a family event at the kindergarten today.

In the past, Walter had always made excuses about work to avoid attending it. He had never shown up. Now, with him gone again, Damian hardly seemed to care.

I ran my fingers over his head and said softly, "I'll talk to the principal about pulling you out today. Then, we'll head to Grandma's."

Damian nodded, his face lighting up. "Can I get a dog at Grandma's? Just a small one."

Walter hated dogs, but Damian loved them.

I nodded. "Of course, you can. Anything you want."

Damian's grin widened.

The kindergarten was packed that day. One of the kids spotted Damian and asked, "Your dad didn't come again, Damian? Don't you have a dad?"

My heart sank.

"Nope. My dad's already gone. I just have my mom," Damian answered coolly.

"Damian!" A sharp voice called out from behind us.

I turned to see Walter standing there, looking angry and glaring at Damian like he was to blame. He was holding a little boy in his arms, with Olivia standing beside him.

It was the first time I'd met Olivia. She raised her chin, looking smug, her eyes full of self-satisfaction.

In a sweet, almost mocking tone, she said, "Walt, Damian's just a kid—he doesn't get what he's saying. He wouldn't say something like that unless someone taught him, so don't be hard on him."

It was clear what she meant—Damian said that because I taught him to.

I had never slacked off when it came to raising Damian. Most of the time, he was polite and well-behaved.

This was the first time I had ever heard him speak like that. I could tell just how much he must've hated Walter now.

But of course, Walter bought into what Olivia said. His gaze turned cold, filled with disapproval.

"If you can't teach Damian properly, Bella, send him back to Scott Manor. There are people there who know how to raise him right. Aaron's the same age and never talks to anyone like that. Damian, you've got no manners."

When Damian had just been two months old, Walter had sent him to Scott Manor to be raised by his parents. He had said the baby was too fussy and was keeping him from focusing on work.

I had fought him hard, insisting I could handle it, and had finally gotten Damian back home. Walter had been pissed and had started taking more and more business trips.

Back then, I had been so caught up taking care of Damian that I hadn't paid much attention to where Walter was.

I hadn't found out until later that the city he had been traveling to for work was where Olivia lived. He had used "work" as an excuse just to see her and her kid.

He couldn't care less about his own wife and son, but when it came to someone else's family, he had all the time and energy in the world.

I let out a dry laugh, my voice turning icy. "He's my kid. I'll raise him however I see fit. Walter, I don't think Damian said anything wrong. Have you ever really been there for him, as a father?"

Walter's expression shifted, and Olivia quickly pulled him away. Aaron was in Walter's arms, making a rude, mocking face at us.