Chapter 2

When I dropped Connor off at his enrichment class, he bragged to his friends:

"My dad, mom and I are going diving at Mint Island soon!"

A classmate glanced at me.

"Your mom doesn't look like someone who can dive."

Connor let go of my hand.

"Not this mom." He explained anxiously. "Another mom who's prettier and younger. If you don't believe me, wait after class. My other mom is picking me up to go shopping for clothes."

So after class, Connor pointed at the Rolls-Royce with Iris inside, her hair in big waves, and shouted:

"She's my other mom."

Connor ran to Iris's side under his classmates' envious gazes.

"Mom."

Iris smiled and responded.

"How could someone as young as you have such a big kid?" Nathan said with his hand on the steering wheel, smiling.

"What? Don't want to be my child's father? I'll find someone else then." Iris raised her eyebrow, and Nathan pulled her into his arms and pinched her waist.

"You dare!"

She immediately acted coy. "I wouldn't dare."

Their laughter reached my ears.

Watching the two most important people in my life gather around Iris, I turned away with self-mockery.

I thought as long as I didn't leave, as long as Nathan loved me most, I could give Connor a complete family.

But now it seemed I was the extra one.

On my way home, the sky opened up with heavy rain. I ducked under a nearby bus shelter.

I remembered the last time I took the bus—it was with Nathan, carrying our luggage, graduating from college.

There were no empty seats in the bus, so Nathan had me sit on our suitcase while he gripped the handrail tightly, sheltering me in front of him.

Back then our destination was a rental apartment. Now we had our own home, but we no longer shared the same destination.

Thinking of this, I stepped onto the bus in front of me, but my rain-wet hands couldn't unlock my phone. As the driver frowned impatiently, Nathan's calls kept coming through.

My vibrating phone fell from my hands. I scrambled into the rain in embarrassment. The driver cursed, "Wasting time."

As the bus drove off, water splashed onto my pants, leaving dark mud spots.

On the phone, Nathan's voice carried blame.

"What are you doing? Why aren't you answering?"

"It's raining outside, I..."

"Whatever."

Clearly Nathan didn't actually want to know my situation. "I just wanted to tell you Connor won't be home for dinner. Iris is taking the little brat out for pizza."

"You tell her yourself."

Connor's childish voice came through. "I'm going to eat pizza with Mom Iris. Don't make me any of that chicken soup—it tastes awful."

Then came laughter, and Iris sounded rather smug. "See, I told you no kid likes chicken soup, but you didn't believe me!"

"Fine, you win." Nathan's tone was indulgent.

I could almost picture Iris's triumphant smile—worlds apart from my current pathetic state.

I said flatly, "Got it."

I laughed at myself. If I couldn't board the bus, I wouldn't take it.

Instead of going home, I went to a law firm.