Chapter 1
There was a fire at home.
1/6
As a firefighter, my husband was the first to rescue our son and the kitten from his first love.
In a rush to calm his panicked first love, he hurried
out.
When the other firefighters asked if anyone else was still inside, our son glanced in my direction and shook his head.
“There’s no one else.”
Later, I was rescued, but in critical condition.
My son waited outside my hospital room, his face full of regret.
“Why didn’t you just die in there? If you’d died, Cece could be my mom.”
*****
When I heard those cruel words come from my son’s
innocent voice, I couldn’t help but shake with disbelief.
“Theo Latham, I’m your mother! How could you say. that to me?”
Theo, whose face looked almost exactly like my husband Victor’s, showed a flash of disgust.
“So what if you’re my mom? You’ve never been good to me! I wish you’d just die already so Dad could marry Cece.”
He snorted, pressing his hand hard on the wound in my abdomen.
Five years ago, I gave birth to him, and the pain nearly tore me apart, leaving a long scar on my belly.
Five years later, he pressed his hand onto the same spot.
Watching me twist in pain, he smiled, clearly satisfied.
“This is your punishment. Cece could’ve been Dad’s wife! I’m going to see Muffin now. You stay here, you
Chapter 1
wvil woman!”
With dut, Theo turned and left,
I was left alone in the sterile hospital room
Istared at the white ceiling, the pain still eating at me.
But the physical pain was nothing compared to the ache in my heart.
Joverheard nurse whispering as they passed by
Thera said how sorry they felt for me–alone in my hospital bad, with no family, not even a caregiver.
Teah, I was pitiful.
What did I really get out of the even years with Victor?
Neither he nor Theo–my own son, the one Id aruggled to bring into this world–cared more about Celeste Harper than me.
In their ayan, I didn’t even rank higher than Celana’s cat Mullin.
376
Chapter 1
During the fire, I protected Theo and ended up trapped under a collapsed bookshelf..
Vietor, the fire captain, ignored the warnings of his teammates and rushed in to save us.
But he didn’t even look at me as be carried Theo, unharmed, and the cat Celeste left at our house. They all left the scene without a second glans.
I thought he would come back for me. I waited for rescue, but then I overheard Theo talking with the other firefighters.
Theo, your dad took the cat to the hospital. Is there anyone else still inside?”
I was almost suffocating, smoke cloading my won
But for me reason, Theo’s cut through clearly.
There’s no one ales. You don’t need to go in.!!
Victor’s teammaten praised him for being as manare.
But as I lay there, a cold ware of dread washed over
Chapter!
How could there be no ana
Thee had just been pushed away by me, barely missing the bookshelf.
Why was he lying?
The pressure in my chest intensified, and I screamed for halp with whatever strength. I had left.
Finally, someone notlood me and I was saved, rushed to the hospital.
But then I had loved so desply had just said he wished I were dead.
Tears walled up in my eye
Burwing that ordeal, I felt like everything choked into place.
What was meant to be wouldn’t be forced.
I didn’t need Victor, and I didn’t need Thea.
5/6
After my husband and an abandoned me
