Chapter 2
My mom could hear my inner thoughts, but she couldn't see me.
And she did not come back from the future, either.
While my dad was in the shower, my mom and I seized the moment to quietly discuss our plan.
We both had the same theory about why the photos looked different. Chloe probably got her hands on that legendary system, the Nexus.
She used the Nexus to doctor the photos and mess with what was in them.
As for Chloe's true identity, I really had no idea.
In my previous life, I only lasted seven months in my mom's belly.
Plus, Chloe never actually crossed paths with my mom, so I had no way of knowing who she really was.
The only reason I even knew about Chloe and how things would end was that a mysterious voice revealed the general plot to me.
My mom and I were on the same page: aside from making sure my dad and my mom didn't split up, the most urgent thing was to uncover Chloe's true identity.
Ten minutes later, my dad stepped out of the bathroom in his pajamas.
He gave my mom a blank stare, then quickly looked away and headed for the guest room.
It wasn't just my mom. I could even see how much my dad minded her bringing up divorce earlier.
If I were in his shoes, I'd be upset, too.
After all, this was his roughest patch.
But my mom didn't bring up divorce because of his company troubles, so she was wrongly blamed for it.
My mom stared at the closed door for a moment, then went back to the bedroom, changed her clothes, and hurried out.
'Mom, please don't just walk out on us.
'As long as you and Dad aren't divorced, you're still the real Mrs. Carter. We can't lose our edge before the battle even begins.'
My mom smiled and reassured me, "Don't worry, sweetie. I'm not that silly. I'm just going out to buy a pregnancy test."
'Oh, yeah, that's definitely necessary.
'Dad's really devoted. In my previous life, after he found out you'd been lured to Northland, he did everything he could to rescue you, but you were already gone by then.'
"Sweetie, don't say that. It really breaks my heart," my mom sighed.
'Okay.'
*****
My mom stopped by the pharmacy outside the complex and picked up three pregnancy tests.
After treating herself to a meal, she leisurely made her way back home.
When she opened the door, she found my dad sitting on the couch, looking grim and smoking. The atmosphere in the room was heavy.
My mom paused, staring at my dad for a moment, but didn't say a word and headed straight for the bathroom.
None of the three pregnancy tests showed a positive result.
Both my mom and I were disappointed.
Maybe it was just too soon. We had to wait a few more days before we could play our trump card.
My mom came out of the bathroom looking defeated, and my dad was still sitting on the couch.
She was about to try to smooth things over, but my dad cut her off.
He said, "We'll go get the petition done first thing tomorrow. Right now, the most I can give you is sixty grand in cash. The house is yours, and you get one of the cars."
If I actually had a heart, it would've skipped a beat.
My dad had truly given up on my mom.
My dad started from nothing, and his business only began to pick up in the last couple of years, so there wasn't much wealth to go around.
With all the trouble his company's been facing lately, he really was handing over everything he possibly could to my mom.
My mom didn't hesitate. "I'm not divorcing you."
My dad let out another helpless sigh.
He said, "Whatever. My offer still stands. If you want a divorce, just say the word, and I'll go along with it."
Then he got up and made for the door.
My mom got anxious. "Where are you going?"
My dad said, sounding indifferent, "Something urgent came up at work. I need to go put in some overtime."
"Fine," my mom muttered.
She stayed quiet, but just as my dad was about to head out, she couldn't hold back and called after him, "Make sure you come home after work."
My dad turned to look at her, his voice flat. "Alright."