My Professional Partner and My Husband Are Kissing

Chapter 8

Sophie's baby didn't survive. After reviewing the mall's surveillance footage, I decided to press charges against Jason for marriage fraud and coercion in our divorce. Sure, I'd signed the prenup ten years ago, but Jason had slyly left the final clause blank to fill in later. At the time, I was so blinded by love that I didn't notice this crucial detail. Luckily, the surveillance footage was crystal clear, showing that no such clause existed. With that evidence in hand, I was able to secure a much longer sentence for Jason.

As for Sophie, she found herself financially cut off by my father and completely severed from any ties to the family. She was left to fend for herself.

The next time I ran into Jake, I was shopping at the mall with my nephew.

"Mom, is that really you?" Jake's eyes lit up, and I could see the surprise in his face. He was no longer seeing the worn-down woman I once was. Regular spa visits and hitting the gym had transformed me. My skin was glowing, and my figure was toned. Financial independence and newfound inner peace had given me an undeniable air of confidence and grace.

In contrast, Jake had changed too. He was overweight, his eyes were heavy with dark circles, and his hair looked greasy and unkempt. He hardly resembled the vibrant teen I once knew.

"Mom, it's really you!" he exclaimed, excitement in his voice.

"Mom, I was wrong. Please, take me with you! Aunt Sophie hits me every day, and Dad's never around. Please, take me away!" His voice wavered with desperation.

"Dad lied to me! His marriage to Sophie didn't save the business, and now he's in jail for fraud!" Jake was practically pleading with me. "I'm sorry, Mom. Please take me back. I promise I won't make you mad anymore."

Suddenly, he dropped to his knees, tears flooding his face. "They ignore me. I'm buried in the debts Dad left behind, and everyone's after me for money. I can't take it anymore! I'm breaking down, Mom. Please, take me away. I realize my mistakes!"

"I'll quit gaming, focus on school, go to whatever tutorial you want, I'll do anything!" His desperation was palpable. "I won't complain about you meddling anymore, I swear!"

Before I could respond, Sophie appeared and slapped Jake across the face, her voice venomous. "You're just like your father, choosing wealth over family!"

Jake recoiled, clearly used to her abuse. Seeing it hurt, but I couldn't ignore the fact that he had sided with Jason against me, against my unborn child. Our mother-son bond had been broken the moment he made that choice.

I believe in letting people walk their own path, even if it's one I wouldn't choose for them. Jake looked up at me, tears streaming down his face. "Mom, can you pay her a million to take me away? I can't stand living with her anymore."

I knelt down to straighten his crumpled shirt and shook my head. "It's illegal to buy and sell children. You chose to stay with your father, and I have to respect that."

With that, I walked away, taking my nephew with me, leaving Jake behind. He kept seeking me out, each time showing up with a new injury. I helped him, but only enough to address his wounds, and kept our conversations short.

Sophie visited Jason in prison almost every day, desperate to get a divorce, but Jason refused. "You made me who I am. I'll never let you go, not even in death," he would tell her.

As these three tangled themselves deeper in their web of selfishness, I stood back, unaffected and unbothered. My parents and brother, burdened by guilt, pampered me, making up for their past neglect.

I embraced my new life as a wealthy woman, shopping for whatever I wanted and traveling the world. At twenty-eight, vibrant and flourishing, I was just beginning to enjoy life in a way I never had before.

(The End)