Sienna’s POV
I looked at Liam, into the eyes that once held so much love–now filled with nothing but hatred. I wanted to ask why. But what was the point? Even if I screamed, no one wanted to hear my side anymore.
Liam reached for the car door and opened it for Emily, treating her the way he used to treat me. Emily slipped <b>inside </b>quickly, not
daring to meet my gaze.
Liam stayed standing beside the car for a moment, looking at me onest time. His eyes were sharp, as if to remind me I no longer <b>had </b>a ce in their world.
“You should stop showing up just to stir up drama,” he said, then got in the car and shut the door with a cold, final thud.
1 remained where I was, frozen like a statue.
The car slowly pulled away, leaving me alone in the now quiet parking lot. I watched it grow smaller in the distance, until it disappeared beyond the school gate.
My chest felt empty. But also unbearably full. I hugged myself tightly. The morning air, once crisp, now felt like icy <b>des </b>against my skin. Everyone had made their choice. And they hadn’t chosen <b>me</b>.
I wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn’te. Just silence… and a suffocating weight that clung to my chest.
My hand had just reached for the car door handle when a small, familiar voice called out from behind me.
“Daddy!”
<b>I </b>turned instantly. My heart dropped at the sight of that little figure standing alone at the school entrance. Noah
“Noah?” I rushed toward him. “Why are you outside, sweetie? Where’s your teacher-?”
“I was looking for Daddy,” he cut in, his eyes darting around, searching for the figure who had just left.
<b>I </b>swallowed hard, crouching down to his level and trying to smile. “Daddy and Aunt Emily already left, sweetheart.”
His little face fell. His eyes dropped, shoulders slumping with disappointment.
“Noah…” I reached out gently to touch his arm. “Is there something you want? Maybe we can stop for ice cream or-”
Before I could finish, he brushed my hand away.
“I don’t want to be with Mommy!” he snapped. His face was scrunched in a frown, eyes ssy with tears.
I froze.
“I only want Ant
Emily!” he cried, louder this time, his voice piercing like tiny, sharp knives straight to my ears.
I stood still, paralyzed.
That voice… <b>those </b>words… came from my own son.
The arms I had stretched out to hug him now hung awkwardly in the air, directionless, without purpose. My smile faded. And for
a moment, the world wentpletely silent. No sound existed except the echo of my son’s rejection.
Noah turned away, wiping his tears with the back of his little hand. Without another word, he walked away from me, back into the school building–searching for someone, I didn’t know who.
I remained where I was.
Nothing could’ve prepared me for this. I knew things <b>au </b><b>changeu</b><b>, </b><b>i </b>running pans us
say that he only wanted Emily… that pain was different. It was like being stabbed from the inside–slowly, deliberately- shattering <b>what </b>little strength I <b>had </b>left.
My hand trembled as I reached for the bag that had fallen to the ground. I picked it up gently, as though each motion had to be careful… <b>so </b>I wouldn’t hurt myself <b>even </b>more.
The sound of little footsteps filled the air around me, but none of it truly registered. My vision blurred with tears I tried so hard to hold back. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, even as my chest felt tight and unbearable.
I walked out of the school gate like a ghost–my steps empty, aimless. My car was parked across <b>the </b>street<b>, </b>but it felt like I needed the strength of the entire world just to get there.
Aunt Emily.
Those words echoed in my mind, crashing again and again like merciless waves. As if everything I’d done–every sacrifice, <b>every </b>wound I silently endured–no longer mattered.
Inside the car, I sat still, staring at the steering wheel without really seeing it. Atst, the tears fell. Silently soaking my cheeks<b>, </b>impossible to hold back. I didn’t even try to anymore. There was no point pretending to be strong.
Noah <b>chose </b>Emily.
I didn’t know when everything had changed so fast. I knew I wasn’t a perfect mother, I knew I’d missed so many moments for reasons I couldn’t bring myself to exin. But I was the one who gave birth to him. I was the one who stayed by his side through feverish nights, who carried him when he cried, who taught myself to make pancakes just <b>to </b>get him to eat breakfast.
Did all of that disappear just because someone else had stepped into the daily routines?
I wanted to me Emily. I wanted to be angry. But deep down, I knew it wasn’t entirely her fault. She simply filled a space I had gradually vacated. And Noah… he was just a child. He sought warmth wherever he could find it. Maybe I’d been gone too long. Maybe I hadn’te back soon enough.
But still…. It felt so unfair.
Night slowly descended, wrapping the house in a quiet that never truly feltforting. We had just finished dinner. As usual, I stood up first, gathering the empty tes and carrying them to the kitchen. My movements were automatic–my body knew this routine by heart.
The housekeeper followed behind, her arms stacked with a few dishes. “Let me do the dishes, Ma’am<b>,</b>” she said kindly, just like always.
I turned to her with a faint smile. “Thank you.”
La
It had been a long time since anyone had offered me sincere help like that. Even such a small gesture–washing the dishes–felt strangelyforting. Maybe becausetely, every moment felt like walking barefoot on hot coals.
<b>21 </b>