Part 5: The Truth His Mother Buried

Margaret Chen stepped farther into the room clutching her designer purse like she owned the hospital.

“I came because your assistant said there was an emergency,” she said sharply. “Why is she here?”

She.

Not Chloe.
Not your ex-wife.

Just she.

Even after everything.

I looked away before my rage could spill over.

Lucas stirred softly against my chest.

Ethan moved between his mother and my bed instantly.

“He’s my son,” he said.

The room went dead silent.

Margaret blinked.

Then laughed.

Actually laughed.

“That’s impossible.”

“No,” Ethan said coldly. “What’s impossible is how much damage you caused.”

Her expression hardened.

“Excuse me?”

I had never heard Ethan use that tone with her.

Not once in eight years.

Even during our divorce, he had remained painfully obedient.

Until now.

“You told me Chloe left because she didn’t want children anymore,” he said.

I stared at him.

“What?”

Margaret’s face paled almost imperceptibly.

Ethan turned toward me slowly.

“The day you disappeared…” He swallowed hard. “My mother told me you said the marriage was suffocating you. That you were relieved it was over.”

I felt physically sick.

“She told me you agreed the divorce was best.”