Chapter 2

Eloise looked like she was scared I'd actually hurt Robin. She rushed to apologize. "I'm sorry, Julia. Kids just blurt things out. Robin's still little. He doesn't even know what those words mean.

"I apologize for him. Please, don't take it to heart."

She kept bowing, acting all meek and submissive.

It was like I was the crazy mom who was always picking on her own kid.

Eloise used to be the proud socialite of the capital, but now, for the child, she deliberately humbled herself.

It was difficult not to be moved by her motherly love.

Nelson couldn't take it anymore. His anger shifted into genuine concern for Eloise.

He cleared his throat, turned to me with a frown, and tried to persuade me. "Julia, can you be more generous? It's a special day. Why make things difficult for Eloise?"

I almost snorted in disbelief.

Somehow, I was the bad guy, and I hadn't even said a thing.

Funny how people only see what fit their story when their hearts were set.

Just as I was about to speak up in my own defense, a loud, commanding female voice cut me off. "Eloise, who told you to apologize to her? Let's see who dares to make the Myers family's eldest grandson apologize."

Nelson's mother, Leanne strode over, carrying a 600 thousand dollars Hermès bag, looking every bit the wealthy lady.

She swept Robin up into her arms, shielding him protectively. Both gave me the evil eye.

I couldn't help but smile bitterly.

The Myers family was obsessed with children, but they let me remain as Nelson's wife for nine years.

Now I understood. They'd been holding all the cards from the start.

What a joke.

When I gave birth, I had a massive hemorrhage and lost my ability to have children.

Leanne knew the truth, but she still used it as a weapon, constantly shaming me in front of the whole family.

She'd say I couldn't give them a grandchild, that I wasn't even a real woman, and that I was never good enough for Nelson.

Every time Nelson heard her say that, he'd simply frown and walk away, never once standing up for me.

Afterwards, Nelson would hold me close and try to comfort me, saying, "Mom just really wants a grandson. She doesn't mean half the things she says. Don't let it get to you.

"Honestly, as long as I have you, it's enough for me. I couldn't care less whether we have kids or not. Your happiness is all that matters to me."

Back then, I was genuinely touched by Nelson's words, and I gradually stopped worrying so much about having a kid.

And then, after seven years, out of nowhere, they told me my kid was still alive.

But Robin wasn't a baby anymore.

No matter what I did, he wouldn't have anything to do with me.

Seriously, what was I supposed to do?

I shut my eyes for a moment, refusing to give them another glance.

Just as I was about to walk away, Nelson called out to stop me. "Julia. Head home and wait for us. This won't take long."

I didn't stop. I kept walking straight out the door.

Behind me, I could hear Leanne muttering under her breath, clearly annoyed. "Why make her wait? Tonight's a family reunion for the Myers family. She's an outsider now. Her being there will only make things awkward.

"Besides, Robin doesn't want to see her. It's his birthday. He should enjoy himself for once."

My steps quickened, almost breaking into a run.

In the end, I rushed out of the hall like I couldn't get away fast enough.

The sun was warm and bright outside the city hall.

It was the perfect day for a trip.

I let out a long, heavy breath, finally feeling like I could breathe again.

It was just a divorce. No big deal.

I didn't tell anyone I was leaving except for my best friend, Nicola Simmons.

These days, even the my family, the Gibsons was wary of the Myers family.

If word got out I was leaving, there'd be plenty of people trying to talk me out of it.

Nicola was with me at the airport, pushing the three suitcases I'd packed ahead of time and helping with all the last-minute stuff.

She said, "Julia, take care of yourself, okay? Don't let those two backstabbing jerks make you miserable. I swear I won't tell a soul where you're going."

Nicola cursed Nelson out for ages, practically grinding her teeth. Finally, she looked at me and laid down the law. "You hear me? You better go live your best life, or else!"

With that, she turned and dashed off.

She was scared I'd see her tears if she lingered even a second longer.

But I couldn't hold it in anymore. The moment she turned away, my tears just came pouring out.

No matter what I did, I just couldn't stop crying.

Happiness was a luxury.

I knew that only Nicola, my one true friend who'd stuck with me through everything, could see past the flawless facade of my marriage and tell that I was miserable.

When I was seventeen and met Nelson for the first time, I thought I'd finally found happiness.

When I was eighteen, bumping into him again while studying in the Kremlon region, I thought that was happiness all over again.

At twenty-two, when he proposed, even knowing there was someone else in his heart, I still threw myself into marrying him.

I was so young back then, convinced that with a whole lifetime ahead, I'd have all the time I needed to win his heart over.

At twenty-three, after all the hardships and struggles I went through to have Nelson's baby, all I could feel was happiness.

I even thought maybe God was spoiling me, making my life feel almost too perfect to be real.

But in the end, when I look back on these nine years of marriage, it was nothing but a giant, pathetic dream.

All that happiness? It was just my own make-belief.

Eloise would always come first in Nelson's heart.

It didn't matter if she was married to someone else, didn't matter if he had a wife.

All Eloise had to do was say she wasn't happy, and Nelson would give up his kid to her, just like that, no hesitation at all.

God, I was such a pathetic fool.

I lost track of how long I'd been crying.

I didn't start to calm down until they called for boarding.

Suddenly, my phone lit up with a string of WhatsApp alerts.