Chapter 13
Since Samantha wasn’t around, no one was free to pick up Joseph from school. Harry was tied up with work, and all Lydia did was shop all day, so the task fell on the driver.
But lately, Joseph had gradually lost interest in going to school.
One day, he stood in front of the kindergarten entrance, his bag slung over his shoulders. His eyes were red, and he looked aggrieved yet stubborn.
Several students surrounded Joseph while pointing at him, laughing shrilly.
“Joseph doesn’t have a mother!”
A plump little boy made a face. “My mother told me Joseph’s mom doesn’t want him anymore!”
“You’re lying!” Joseph suddenly lunged for the plump boy and started beating him up. As their fight grew louder, a teacher finally rushed over and separated the two children.
It was the first time the teacher called Harry, who had taken the call in the middle of a meeting. Upon hearing that Joseph had been bullied at school, Harry could no longer hold back his temper.
To take revenge for Joseph, he immediately ordered his bodyguards to fire the plump boy’s parents. But in the end, the real problem still wasn’t solved. Samantha seemed to have no intention of coming home.
On the way home, Joseph curled up in the backseat of the car as his blazer became soaked with his tears.
Harry glanced at Joseph through the rearview mirror. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his
knuckles turning white.
Joseph looked up, sniffling. “Daddy… Let’s go and find Mommy, okay?”
For a long time, Harry did not respond.
The next day, as the sun set, the sycamore leaves fluttered to the ground outside the design school. Harry held Joseph in his arms, standing across the street. He watched intently as Samantha walked through the glass doors.
She wore a knit sweater and a long beige skirt. Her long hair swayed gently with every step she took.
Lionel was walking next to her, talking softly with a gentle expression. His words suddenly made her laugh, her eyes crinkling with delight.
It had been a long time since Harry had seen Samantha smile with so much joy.
“Mommy!” Joseph wrestled out of Harry’s arms and dashed across the road. He ran into Samantha, causing her to stumble. She looked down and saw Joseph’s tearful face.
Joseph held Samantha’s leg tightly. His tears and snot were all over her skirt.
“I was wrong, Mommy… I’ll never say I hate you again, Mommy… Please come home, okay?”
The students walking past couldn’t help but look at them.
Lionel was thoughtful enough to take a step back and not interfere. He watched Samantha slowly crouch down and gently wipe Joseph’s tears away with a handkerchief.
Finally, she said calmly, “Joe, I have my own life now, so I’ll never go back. You and Daddy need to take care of yourselves…”
As soon as she spoke, hurt was instantly written all over Joseph’s face.
No one knew when Harry appeared in front of them. He stared at the faint mark on Samantha’s bare ring
finger and suddenly grabbed her by the wrist. “Samantha, haven’t you had enough?
“Our son’s so young. How could you be so heartless? I’ll never agree to divorce. Come home with me now!
Seeing that made Lionel frown. He stepped smoothly in front of Harry and spoke gently, though his voice was unmistakably firm, “Sir, please respect Ms. Knott’s wishes.”
Harry began to see red, and the muscles beneath his blazer tensed up. “This is a family matter. You’re an
outsider, so stay out of this.”
Samantha gently pushed Joseph toward Harry, making sure he stood between Harry and Lionel.
She looked up at Harry and spoke softly, with words that shocked him to the core, “According to the law,
we’re no longer family.
“Mr. Wright, you do have a selective memory. Do you need me to remind you who signed the divorce
papers?”
Harry met Samantha’s calm gaze, which he suddenly found to be unfamiliar. The woman who only had
eyes for him was gone.
“Every kid needs a mother…” Harry said hoarsely, making one last attempt to convince Samantha.
Samantha bent down to straighten Joseph’s clothes before pushing him toward Harry. “If so, you should
find a new mother for the kid, Mr. Wright.”
…
In the wee hours of the morning, Wright Villa was cluttered with empty whiskey bottles.
Harry took off his tie as he stared at the divorce certificate on the coffee table. The alcohol was still burning in his throat.
Harry couldn’t help but recall the way Lionel stood protectively in front of Samantha and how she instinctively grabbed his sleeve. She only did that out of habit if she was too nervous.
It only took a month for another man to replace Harry, who once held a place in Samantha’s heart for
years
As the lightning flashed outside the window, it illuminated the crumpled photo of Harry and Samantha smiling in his hand.
Harry smashed the whiskey bottle hard against the wall. The amber liquid spilled out like a bleeding
wound.
