Hannah’s home was nearby. Since Ethan had eaten a hearty dinner, she decided to take him for a walk to help him digest. She also hoped to expose him to the university culture early and start shaping his perspective on education. “Mommy, look at all those people over there!” Ethan, always full of energy, bounced and skipped along the way, unable to stop. Now that he saw some excitement, he sprinted over with his little legs. Hannah worried and quickly caught up with him. “That looks like the big star, Rebecca!” “Is that her boyfriend?” “They make such a good match!” Hannah’s heart sank. She grabbed Ethan’s little hand and looked toward the center of the crowd. In the crowd, Rebecca was holding a bouquet of pink roses, and standing across from her was her still-married husband. The crowd’s teasing grew louder. Christian slowly walked over and gently wrapped his arm around the woman’s slender waist. Another round of gasps came from the crowd. Rebecca, leaning into Christian’s embrace, smiled shyly. “Chris, thank you for saving me. I’ll have my agent handle the public relations,” she said. Christian was about to say “It’s nothing,” but suddenly felt a gaze fall on his back. His back stiffened. But the next moment, his arm around Rebecca tightened, pulling her body even closer to his chest. “Chris!” Rebecca was thrilled. She had waited so long for him to make a move, and now that it finally happened, her shoulders trembled with excitement. But Christian’s expression remained indifferent, his eyes void of any affection. It was as though he wasn’t holding his lover at all! And at this moment, his mind was elsewhere, silently counting. By the time he reached “five,” he was still pondering whether or not he should forgive Hannah. By the time he reached “eight,” he felt irritated. If she just apologized and came back, everything would be fine. After all, she was Chester’s biological mom, and he couldn’t make the child sad. At “nine,” the gaze that had sent a chill through his body disappeared from his back. He didn’t have the courage to keep counting. He pushed Rebecca away and quickly turned around. The crowd was full, but there was no familiar figure. Rebecca, still basking in the happiness of her imagined future with Christian, was shocked when he pushed her away. She almost lost her balance and nearly fell! “Chris, what’s wrong?” She glanced at the roses in her hands and quickly handed them to a passerby. “Here, take them. I hope you find the right partner.” The crowd gasped again. Rebecca quickly looped her arm around Christian. “Chris, I gave the roses to someone. Are you feeling better?” Christian was slow to realize. That difficulty breathing, the feeling of something blocking his chest. He really was allergic to pollen. “I’m fine,” he said coldly. “I’ll take you home.” Rebecca’s smile faltered. “Chris, Chester’s been so clingy. How about I go to your place to see him?” The subtle suggestion between adults didn’t need to be spelled out. Christian, hands in his pockets, walked ahead with a low voice. “It’s too late. Another time.” Rebecca seethed with anger. Hannah has cleared out, but why can’t I move in? She had pressured the kindergarten to make Hannah leave Kingston, but never expected Ethan to be accepted! Now Hannah was even less likely to leave! No way! If Hannah keeps showing up in front of Christian, there might still be a chance for things to change! I have to think of another plan to make Hannah leave, and fast! … “Mommy, you still haven’t told me. Is there a circus performance?” Ethan had seen street performers in the countryside before. They would form a circle and perform acrobatics, and if the audience was entertained, they would reward them with money. That was why he had been so excited earlier, bouncing around, eager to watch a show. Hannah thought of the two people embracing under the streetlight, a dull ache settling in her chest. She had always seen Christian through the lens of a savior, and later, she had given him her heart. For years, she had done everything she could to be the perfect wife. Yet, she had never once received such open, unabashed affection. Even when they attended social events together, they would always keep their distance, acting as if they had nothing to do with each other. She had assumed that marriage was about maintaining that respectful space, supporting each other in silence. But tonight, she finally understood. If love couldn’t be felt, then it wasn’t love at all. She took a deep breath, pressing a hand lightly against her chest. She had expected it to hurt. But now, her heartbeat was steady, her expression calm. Maybe, she had truly let go. “Yes, there is a performance.” She forced a smile. “But it wasn’t monkeys riding bikes. It was dogs biting each other.” Ethan blinked in surprise. “No wonder people say barking dogs don’t bite. I didn’t hear any barking at all.” Hannah remained silent. … When they got home, Hannah tucked Ethan into bed, but sleep evaded her. So, she got up and continued working on her design sketches. Early the next morning, she dropped Ethan off at school and left, completely unaware that Chester had been brought by an elderly woman instead. As she approached the subway station on her way to work, that very woman grabbed her by the arm. “It really is you!” The voice was familiar. Hannah frowned and turned around. The woman in front of her was wearing a long dress, her once silver hair now dyed black. The wrinkles on her face had softened, and with a priceless pearl necklace draped around her neck, she exuded a newfound air of wealth. It was none other than Christian’s mom, her former mother-in-law, Alice Zimmerman. Years ago, Alice had worked as a housekeeper for the Ford family, using that position to get involved with Christian’s dad. Not long after, she became pregnant. Christian’s dad’s first wife had been so enraged that she fell down the stairs and died from her injuries. Yet, even then, Alice hadn’t secured her place. It wasn’t until she gave birth to Christian that she was finally allowed back into the Ford family. But because they never obtained a marriage certificate, Alice and Christian had always remained in an awkward position within the family. When Hannah first started dating Christian, all she had ever heard was Alice’s version of the story about how she and her son had been abandoned, how Christian’s dad had begged for them to return, and how she had finally relented. But in reality, Christian’s dad, bound by family obligations, had refused to marry her. Back then, Hannah had been young and full of righteous indignation. She had leveraged her own family connections to publicly declare her relationship with Christian. Under pressure, Alice and Christian’s dad had finally gotten married. Hannah had believed she was helping to reunite a broken family. She hadn’t realized that, once married, Alice would make her life a living hell. Despite the Ford family’s immense wealth, there wasn’t a single housekeeper assigned to take care of them, because Alice had forbidden it. Two years ago, when Hannah finally learned the truth, she had severed all ties with Alice. From then on, she only saw her out of obligation, during holidays, for Christian’s sake. But every single meeting had been exhausting. Alice would always stir up trouble, and Christian would brush it off, telling her to be patient because “Mom has had it rough.” Now that they were getting divorced, there was no reason for her to entertain this troublesome ex-mother-in-law. “What do you want?” Hannah’s tone was cold, her disdain obvious. Alice’s face immediately twisted in rage. “Where the hell have you been all this time? You actually made me take care of that kid! Do you want me to tell my son to divorce you?”