Chapter 2
Cayson hurriedly yanked Corey aside. "Don't bump into her," he said.
The way he cherished her stung Adrienne's eyes.
Just yesterday, when her hand was almost burned, Cayson had rushed to shield her, speaking gently. "Honey, I've told you, you don't need to cook here.
"If you get hurt, it pains me. Let me handle it."
'Can someone really split their love between two people?' Adrienne wondered.
She stood there, frozen in place, barely able to breathe. A coldness started at her feet and slowly seeped into her heart.
Adrienne remembered their wedding day, when Cayson had promised he'd love her forever, and said he only hired Sophia as his secretary as a special favor to her.
Now, her mind was a tangled mess.
She watched, almost torturing herself, as the three of them looked so close, like a picture-perfect family.
Seeing a smile on Cayson's face that he'd never shown her, Adrienne felt like the biggest joke in the world. Her heart hurt so bad it shook.
She had no idea when she made it home. Her clothes were drenched from the rain, and she was trembling, lost and bewildered.
The entryway door swung open. Cayson and Corey were back.
Cayson hurried over, lifted Adrienne up in his arms, and carried her to the couch.
"What happened? Did you go out without an umbrella?" Cayson asked, concern in his voice.
Corey threw himself into Cayson's arms, his little body radiating warmth that reached Adrienne.
"Mommy, you're so careless. Let me warm you up," Corey chirped.
Cayson whipped up some hot milk like it was second nature, then personally held the cup to her lips.
He asked, "Where did you go? Why didn't you have the driver take you?"
His eyes shimmered with tenderness as he pressed a gentle kiss to her hair.
He said gently, "Here, drink this. If you catch a cold, it'll break my heart."
As Adrienne leaned in, she spotted a lipstick stain on Cayson's neck.
Corey looked where she was looking.
He was just a kid, so he quickly said, "Mosquitoes are crazy lately. Dad, you should really put on some bug spray."
Cayson stiffened, then quietly tugged up his shirt collar to cover it. "I was out in the suburbs for work today. Must've gotten bitten by a mosquito. Didn't even notice."
Right now, Adrienne's heart was frozen, colder than her body.
That night, Adrienne picked up the clothes Cayson had changed out of, about to toss them in the washing machine.
Something slipped out of his jacket pocket. It landed right on Adrienne's heart.
It was a box of condoms, barely used. The condoms were strawberry flavored.
Adrienne hated that flavor the most.
Back in the bedroom, Cayson's eyes darkened as he placed his hand on her shoulder.
He said, "Honey, Corey's asleep, and your period's done, isn't it? You still owe me from last week, remember?"
Adrienne remembered that box of condoms, and nausea twisted in her gut. She shoved Cayson away. "I'm not feeling well."
Cayson sprang up, flustered. "What's wrong? Should I call the doctor?
"Where are you feeling unwell? How long has this been going on? Why didn't you say anything, honey?"
Cayson carefully straightened Adrienne's clothes, then got up to call the doctor over.
Adrienne stopped him, forcing a smile. "It's nothing. I'll be fine after some sleep," she said.
Cayson was at a loss, so he just held her close, softly humming a lullaby to coax her to sleep.
Half an hour later, after making sure Adrienne was asleep, Cayson picked up his phone and headed out to the balcony.
From the balcony came Cayson's suppressed, ragged breaths, each one stabbing into Adrienne's heart like a blade.
"Baby, pull your shirt up a bit higher," Cayson murmured.
"Yeah, relax, she's out cold," came the reply.
Meanwhile, Adrienne's eyelids twitched, but she didn't open her eyes.
Tears slid from the corners of her eyes, leaving a damp patch on the pillow.
Early the next morning, Cayson was already gone.
Adrienne printed out the divorce papers and tucked them away in a drawer.
On their wedding day, she'd said she wouldn't tolerate any betrayal.
Cayson had answered with a gentle smile, "Alright, if I ever break that promise, let me spend my whole life searching for you and never find you."
As Adrienne drove Corey to kindergarten, her gaze was full of mixed emotions as she looked at him.
She could make a rational decision about Cayson, but Corey was her own flesh and blood, the child she'd carried for nine months and brought into this world.
"Corey, if Mommy and Daddy ever split up, who would you want to live with?" Adrienne asked.
Corey was too busy playing with his toy car to really pay attention.
"Of course I'd go with Dad," he replied without looking up.
Adrienne clenched her jaw and pressed her hand over the toy car. "Mommy's being serious here."
But Corey, for once, swatted her hand away.
Corey struck her with surprising force, leaving Adrienne's hand red and sore.
"Mommy Sophia gave this to me. Don't touch it," Corey yelled.
The car went dead silent. Adrienne stood there, frozen, her eyes stinging with unshed tears.
When Corey saw the pain on Adrienne's face, he clenched his fists, flustered and blurted out an apology, "I'm sorry, Mommy, I didn't mean it."
But Adrienne just kept staring at him, refusing to look away. "Mommy Sophia?"
Corey quickly covered his mouth, realizing he'd said something wrong, and nervously scrambled to open the car door.
"Mommy, you must've misheard. I'm off to school," Corey said, trying to act casual.
Adrienne's face drained of all color, as if her blood had frozen solid.
Adrienne remembered Corey from last year. He was a little kid curled up in her arms, making a birthday wish with all the innocence in the world, hoping he could stay with her forever.
No one could have imagined that the son she'd treasured all her life would deliver the hardest blow at a moment like this.
On the drive back, Adrienne was lost in thought, barely paying attention to the road.
Right after she crossed the traffic light, a bold red sports car deliberately swerved straight toward her.
There was a deafening crash. The world spun as the car twisted and turned.
Adrienne's head smashed against the window with a sickening thud. Dizzy and half-conscious, she finally saw who was in the other car.
Sophia, blood all over her forehead, heels clicking on the pavement, walked toward Adrienne.
"Adrienne, you knew all along, didn't you?" Sophia flashed a mocking smile.
"Let's bet. Let's see who Cayson picks," Sophia taunted, her red lips curled, fierce and certain. "Whoever loses, just get lost."
Sophia dialed Cayson's number, her voice suddenly turning frail and vulnerable. "Cayson, I was in a car accident.
"That crazy woman in the other car hit me on purpose."
At that moment, Adrienne could hear her own heart pounding like a drum.
Less than five minutes later, Cayson arrived.