Chapter 4
But what Frederick posted online was that Caroline was so stingy, she wouldn't even buy Chloe a dress that cost just a few dollars.
Because of this, Caroline experienced her first time being cyberbullied.
Afterward, seeing Frederick grinning while flipping through all those nasty comments, Caroline brought up divorce for the first time.
But with Frederick's parents gone, Chloe was all he had left, so he was bound to fight for custody.
Caroline didn't want Chloe to be raised by a father who didn't get her at all, even if Chloe wasn't her biological daughter.
But for Chloe's sake, Caroline let go of the thought of divorce.
When Caroline got home, she was carrying a strawberry cake, something she usually wouldn't splurge on.
"Chloe, I got you a cake. Come out," she called out.
But in the cramped little house, only Caroline's voice echoed back.
Panic hit her in an instant. She searched every corner of the house, but Chloe was nowhere to be seen.
She rushed out the door, calling Chloe's name all over the neighborhood.
Meanwhile, Frederick had no clue what was going on.
He pulled the sticky note off the fridge and read Kirsten's message, a knowing smile tugging at his lips.
Her handwriting was just like her, catching his eye and making it impossible to look away.
It read: [Frederick, breakfast is on the table. Don't forget to eat, okay?]
His gaze drifted to the cold bread and milk sitting off to the side.
Even though he didn't really like it, he couldn't bear to disappoint Kirsten, so he made himself eat it, bite after bite.
The next moment, he was leaning over the sink, gagging nonstop.
He had chronic stomach problems and absolutely hated anything cold or raw.
Caroline always made sure his food was piping hot, no matter what.
Whether it was a midnight snack or breakfast before sunrise, it was always steaming.
He looked down at his rumpled shirt and scowled.
Without a second thought, he whipped out his phone and fired off texts.
He said: [My shirt's dirty. Bring over a clean one.]
[And make a meal for two and bring it over. I'm eating with Kirsten.]
To him, Caroline was nothing more than a personal maid, always at his beck and call.
All it took was a call or a text, and she'd show up rain or shine, with everything taken care of.
After sending the message, he leaned back on the couch, watching the clock.
She always showed up in ten minutes.
But when the ten minutes were up, the door stayed quiet.
Impatiently, he scrolled through his phone, finally spotting Caroline's name after swiping past endless calls with Kirsten.
The timestamp showed it'd been five years since they last spoke.
He pursed his lips, hesitating for a long moment, just about to hit call.
Suddenly, the ringtone made him jump. He picked up, his voice tight. "Baby, what's wrong?"
"Daddy, I miss you. Mommy's a big meanie!" Chloe wailed.
Chloe's sobs made Frederick frown. "Tell me where you are right now."
Frederick soothed her as he grabbed his coat from the couch, heading out the door.
Just as he was about to step out, he nearly crashed right into Kirsten, who was hurrying in from outside.
Their eyes met, and for a moment, both of them had that panicked look on their faces.
Frederick spoke up first, breaking the tension.
"I'm heading home," he said. "Don't wait for me at lunch. Just eat on your own."
With that, he turned to leave.
But before he could take another step, her arms locked around his waist, stopping him in his tracks.
Kirsten hugged him tightly from behind, her voice choked with emotion.
"I don't want you to go... Please, can't you stay with me a little longer?" she said.
He listened to Kirsten's quiet sobs, but Chloe's tear-streaked, wailing face kept popping up in his mind, making his heart twist with guilt.
In the end, he pulled Kirsten's arms away and stepped back.
He found himself blaming Caroline.
If only Caroline had looked after Chloe properly, he wouldn't have to walk out on Kirsten like this.
A few tears slipped from the corners of Kirsten's eyes as she kept stealing glances at Frederick, her gaze flickering over his face.
Usually, it wouldn't even take three seconds before Frederick would bow his head, admit he was wrong, and give in to her every request.
But today, he didn't respond right away, and she unconsciously tightened her grip around him.
She was certain Frederick was heading home because of Caroline.
That thought made her bite down hard on her tongue, and the pain made tears keep streaming down her face, quickly dampening Frederick's shirt.
"Frederick, it's just... I haven't seen you in so long, I can't bear to let you go," Kirsten said, her voice trembling.
"It's fine. Go be with Caroline and Chloe. I'm sure they need you more than I do," she added softly.
"I shouldn't have come between you and your family. I'll catch my flight back to Paris this afternoon," she whispered.
With that, she let go, her expression forlorn as she turned away.
The next moment, Frederick reached out and grabbed her wrist, guilt twisting in his chest. "Kirsten, that's not what I meant..."