Chapter 2

The moment I hung up, Leo puffed out his chest, completely full of himself.

"See? We still have to rely on Uncle Julian! If you were as capable as Mom says, none of this would be such a big fuss!"

Watching his arrogant, oblivious face, I almost wished I'd never had a son!

But then I saw his features, so similar to mine, and a wave of sadness washed over me.

When Leo was little, he used to be so sweet and obedient. Our family wasn't like this back then.

Everything changed three years ago, when Eleanor's first love, Julian Thorne, came back into her life. It was like Eleanor transformed into a completely different person.

She started leaving early and coming home late. Every conversation, no matter the topic, somehow circled back to Julian Thorne. And her disdain for me grew by the day.

"You've been working so hard for years, and you're still just a manager at your company. Look at Julian Thorne! He started his own business and now he's a huge CEO!"

"I hear he has connections in high places, too. He knows all the important people in the city, can get a word in with anyone. Who are you to compare? No talent, no connections!"

I remained silent, never telling Eleanor that it was *because* I chose to be with her, refusing an arranged marriage for a family alliance, that I was relegated to a department manager role.

I also never told her that her supposedly brilliant "first love" was mostly hot air, his biggest talent a silver tongue and a knack for exaggeration.

But even if I had, she would have just thought I was jealous.

Driven by her growing contempt for me, she started taking Leo along to spend more and more time with Julian.

Before long, Leo was calling Julian "Uncle Julian" every five minutes, his voice overflowing with a closeness he never showed me. Seeing him about to throw more firecrackers into the septic tank, I reached out, grabbed him, and held him tight.

Leo struggled, screaming.

"Let go of me! These are new clothes Uncle Julian bought me! If you get them dirty, can you even afford new ones?"

Watching him act like that, even the unlucky car owners couldn't help but shoot me sympathetic glances.

I wanted to tell them that Leo used to be a good kid.

When he was in second grade, I was working long hours. Every night, no matter how late I got home, I'd find him sitting on a small stool, waiting for me. He'd clutch a small snack from school, worried I'd be hungry.

But that picture of a loving father and son shattered with Julian Thorne's reappearance.

Parents are a child's first teachers. Under Eleanor's influence, Leo started looking down on me, his own father, and idolizing Julian Thorne instead.

Over time, I found myself losing control of him.

He loved sweets. I worried about cavities, so I limited his candy intake daily.

But he'd just turn around, proudly showing off the ice cream lollipops Julian Thorne bought him.

"You won't buy them for me, but plenty of other people will!"

Eventually, he did get cavities, crying in pain all the way to the emergency room.

I wanted to use it as a chance to teach him a lesson, but Eleanor beat me to it, immediately putting all the blame on me.

"How do you even take care of our son at home? If you'd just made sure he brushed his teeth more often, his cavities wouldn't be this bad!"

Leo, seeing his mother's reaction, had an excuse. He cried and whined that I, his dad, was always too strict with him.

He didn't know that spoiling a child only harms them in the long run. My strictness was for his own good.

Julian Thorne's endless indulgence and pampering were easy for him – Leo wasn't his biological son. Of course, he'd be willing to offer a few cheap favors to win affection.

As for the consequences of that indulgence? Julian, as the "uncle," wouldn't have to bear them.

Under Julian's deliberate spoiling, Leo's temper became increasingly willful. Whenever I tried to discipline him, he'd treat me like an enemy.