Chapter 3

But he didn’t deny it.

“Yeah, I sent Lauren money. So what?”

My gaze went completely cold.

Sean sat down on the couch as if he had every right in the world.

“Lauren raised her son alone. We’ve known each other since we were kids. Of course I should help her when I can.”

“You helped her with my money?”

“We’re married. Do we really need to draw lines like that?”

I stared at him without speaking.

Sean only grew more confident.

“Besides, Mason is starting college too. He needs a laptop, a phone, spending money. None of that is free.”

“The kids are close. We can’t let one of them have everything while the other has nothing.”

I laughed.

Actually laughed.

“Our daughter started college, and you expected me to pay for everything before dumping me on the side of the road.”

“But someone else’s son starts college, and you send him fifty grand in advance.”

“Sean, you’re incredible.”

His face darkened.

“Stop making it sound so ugly. At the end of the day, you’re still bitter about what happened during move-in.”

He tugged irritably at his collar.

“Lauren would never act like this. She has Mason to worry about, but she still stayed with Chloe the entire time.”

“You couldn’t even handle losing a stupid game with your own daughter. How could you ever compare to Lauren?”

His phone rang.

Sean glanced down and answered immediately, his voice softening.

“Hey, Lauren?”

I stood there silently.

I couldn’t hear what she said, but Sean frowned.

“More money? Didn’t we just buy all the orientation stuff?”

After a pause, his voice lowered.

“Chloe wants to buy coffee for everyone on her floor? Fine. Cover it for now. I’ll send you the money later.”

He hung up looking even more irritated than before.

Then he turned on me.

“All the other girls in the dorm bought coffee for everyone. You’re the only mother who wouldn’t give her daughter money, so Lauren had to cover it.”

I looked at him.

“I already told you. You’re her father, and Lauren is the mother she chose.”

“Of course you should pay for her. The only reason you don’t want to is because both of you got too comfortable spending my money.”

Sean finally exploded.

“What’s the point of saying this now? Chloe just started college. Everything costs money!”

“You’re her mother, and you don’t care about her at all.”

I gave him a faint smile.

“I cared about her for years.”

“I don’t want to anymore.”

Sean stared at me as if he were seeing me for the first time.

After several seconds, he gritted out, “Fine. Let me tell you something.”

“Chloe has Lauren as her bonus mom at school now. Even if you regret this, it’s too late.”

My fingers paused.

Sean stared at me, his voice full of mockery.

“You know what Chloe said?”

“She said Lauren is a better mother than you.”

He finished speaking and waited, clearly expecting me to be hurt.

Instead, I only felt disgusted.

Whatever feelings I still had left vanished.

“Let’s get divorced.”

The living room went silent.

Sean stared at me for a long moment as if he thought he had misheard.

“What did you say?”

“Erin, who exactly are you trying to threaten over something this stupid?”

His expression darkened.

“Think carefully. What are you going to do after a divorce? You’re not young anymore. Stop making trouble.”

I didn’t even look up.

“This isn’t about today.”

“It’s about years.”

“Pick a day and sign the papers. If you refuse, I’ll have my attorney handle it.”

Sean stared at me, then suddenly sneered.

“Fine. Divorce me.”

“Just don’t come crawling back when you regret it.”

“You abandoned Chloe today. Someday, she won’t even acknowledge you as her mother.”

“That’s her choice.”

Sean’s face darkened even further.

I stood and was about to walk around him when the doorbell rang.