Chapter 3

I put an arm around Zoe's shoulder and smiled:

"Don't worry, I'll definitely be there."

Over a month later, on a Friday.

Kevin and I unexpectedly ran into each other on the school track field.

Briar stood beside Kevin.

She clung to his arm and greeted me first.

"Elara, long time no see. Alex didn't say you'd be here."

Alex was the president of the school's track and field club, and he definitely had a race today.

But I wasn't here for him.

Seeing me ignore Briar and walk straight to the spectator stands, Kevin belatedly pulled Briar's hand away and followed, his voice dripping with sarcasm:

"Elara, didn't you say you were cutting ties with our son? What are you doing here, embarrassing yourself?"

I couldn't be bothered to waste words on Kevin. I just said:

"Please don't stand next to me. I don't want people to get the wrong idea."

"Wrong idea about what?"

"That we're still married."

Kevin paused, then his face gradually turned ashen:

"Elara, I'm warning you, don't push it."

I didn't understand what he meant.

At that moment, I was focused on excitedly waving at Zoe on the track.

Noah was standing five meters away from Zoe, and I knew he saw me.

The boy clearly thought I was waving at him; otherwise, the disgust and contempt on his face wouldn't have been so obvious.

The starting gun fired, and both male and female groups began to run simultaneously.

Zoe was surprisingly fast.

And Noah, usually a top athlete, stumbled and fell halfway through the race – no one knew why.

As soon as the race ended, Kevin and I both rushed towards the track.

Kevin was a few steps ahead of me, immediately reaching Noah's side and sternly asking the school medic about his injury.

The medic was about to speak, but Kevin gestured for him to wait.

Kevin turned, his face displeased, to look at me, standing not far away, texting on my phone.

"Elara, what are you dawdling for? Can't you see our son is hurt?"

Kevin's reprimand drew glances from the surrounding teachers and students.

I put down my phone and stared blankly at Noah, whose lips were ashen.

The boy's knees were scraped and swollen, covered in blood.

His left ankle was twisted at an unnatural angle.

Noah instinctively reached out to me in pain, his eyes looking helpless.

I found it a little funny.

What did that have to do with me?

As Noah had written in an essay last year, he was a grown man now.

He no longer needed a mother like me, who only cooked and cleaned, so mediocre and useless she couldn't even play a full piano piece, to do anything for him.

Under everyone's gaze, I walked straight past Noah, my face beaming, and embraced Zoe at the girls' track.

"Zoe, you were absolutely amazing! Congratulations on your silver medal.

Come on, sweetie, your mom's car is at the school gate. She said she's taking us for the seafood feast you've been craving!"

I walked out of the school gate, feeling light and happy. As soon as I got in the car, Kevin's call came through.

I didn't intend to answer.

But then he sent a text message:

[Discussing divorce matters]

So, when we arrived at the restaurant, I told Chloe to take her daughter inside, and I'd be there a little later.

Two months later, I made the first move to call Kevin.

The phone rang for only half a second before his agitated voice came through:

"Elara, where are you right now?"

"Wherever I am, you can tell me: when exactly do you have time to finalize the divorce?"

Kevin fell silent for a moment, then deliberately softened his tone:

"Come to the hospital first. Noah is seriously injured. He might not be able to compete again. The doctors need to talk to us about it."