Countdown: 21 hours.

I took Nolan to the kindergarten to handle his withdrawal.

As I was about to knock on the principal's office door, I heard a familiar voice inside.

"Is Marcus doing okay? Are his eyes bothering him?"

Suzanne chuckled lightly. "Marcus has recovered so well, and his eyes are doing fine. Justin, we really can't thank you enough."

Justin smiled sincerely. "As long as you're happy, I'd do anything."

Suzanne flashed him a mischievous look and said, "What about Claire? If she knew Marcus was using Nolan's eye, would she get upset? Justin, I don't want to make things difficult for you."

Her familiar voice made me feel queasy.

Suzanne had always been like this. Despite reaping all the benefits, she acted as if she were pure and untouchable, making others eager to cater to her.

Suzanne wasn't even due the day Nolan was born five years ago, but she insisted the doctor induce labor just to get Justin's attention, leaving me alone while he spent the night with her in the hospital.

I cried, pleading with the nurse to bring Justin to see Nolan, but he was more concerned about Suzanne. He passed Nolan to the nurse and told me to stay calm.

Recalling those moments, my eyes brimmed with tears. Just as I turned to go, the late principal pushed the door open.

Seeing Nolan and me, Justin's eyes flickered with a hint of panic. "When did you get here? Why didn't you knock?"

Noticing my glare toward Suzanne, he quickly added, "Claire, don't misunderstand. I just found out that Suz already brought Marcus back from abroad. We happened to run into them and decided to register them at the kindergarten. You…"

"I understand," I interrupted, taking Nolan's hand and turning to leave.

However, Suzanne called after me brightly, "Claire, long time no see."

She pulled the young boy sitting nearby forward and introduced him to Nolan. "Nolan, this is Marcus. Say hi. You two seem to have a connection."

Marcus leaned closer, staring at Nolan's eyes with obvious disgust. "Mommy, his eye is fake. That's so gross."

Nolan's face instantly paled, and he hid behind me in shame.

I trembled with anger, but Justin stepped in just in time, standing awkwardly between us and Suzanne. "Claire, don't be upset. Marcus didn't mean it. He's just a child and doesn't understand. As adults, there's no need to get worked up over a child, right?"

Every word was a defense of Suzanne's son.

Nolan stared at him with disbelief. Just yesterday, Justin had lost his temper over someone else mocking Nolan. Now, he was openly protecting the one who had ridiculed him.

Seeing this, the light in Nolan's eyes dimmed. I lost patience and pulled him away, leaving Justin flustered as he watched our backs. Only after Suzanne called out several times did he regain his composure.

…

Countdown: 19 hours.

I spent that evening on the phone with the principal about Nolan's transfer as he sat on the couch watching cartoons.

Just as we were about to finish, the cartoon cut out. I stepped closer and saw a post from Suzanne. She was nestled in Justin's arms, screaming in delight on a rollercoaster, while Marcus looked at the camera with bright, wide eyes, flashing a playful peace sign.

I stared at the photo of Suzanne smiling sweetly. Before I could even register it, Nolan zoomed in on the image, staring at Marcus' bright eyes again and again. "Mommy, do you think my eyes are pretty?"

My chest tightened with pain. I quickly closed the tablet and coaxed him toward his room. "Be good, Nolan. I'll stay with you."

Nolan nodded, but he held my hand tightly.

After Nolan fell asleep, I sent the transfer application to the principal.

Countdown: 15 hours.

It was almost over.

I was halfway through packing when Justin returned home with Suzanne and Marcus, looking worn out from a long day.

The moment he came through the door, he saw my suitcase left open.

Justin froze for a second, then quickly released Marcus' hand and positioned himself in front of the suitcase. "Claire, why are you packing? Where are you going? Where's Nolan?"

He looked at me helplessly. The fear in his eyes didn't seem fake, but I didn't bother looking any deeper. I offered a casual excuse to brush him off. "Nolan's been upset, so I thought a little outing would cheer him up."

Justin visibly relaxed. "That's good. As long as it's not…"

He stopped mid-sentence and continued, "Suz didn't have a place to stay, and since we're friends, I thought it would be fine for them to stay here for a few days. Claire, you're okay with that, right?"

When I didn't respond, he hurriedly continued, "I already spoke to Marcus about this afternoon. He knows he made a mistake. Look…"

I gave a brief hum and continued packing. "Okay, they can stay."

Tomorrow, I would be leaving with Nolan anyway.

As soon as I agreed, Justin quickly ushered them upstairs, as if fearing I might change my mind.

Shortly after, a shrill cry echoed from above.

I rushed up and into Nolan's room.

Marcus stood over something with an excited smirk, while Nolan pawed at the floor desperately. "My eye…"

When he heard me, Nolan lifted his head and cried, "Mommy, I can't find my eye. Help me find my eye…"

He sounded so helpless and fragile that my heart seemed to tighten into a painful knot.

I dashed to him and wrapped him tightly in my arms.

Startled by me, Marcus lost his footing, slipped to the floor, and began crying loudly.

Suzanne shot me a venomous glare. She looked like she wanted to hit me, but halfway through raising her hand, she seemed to remember something.

A twisted smile crept onto her face as she asked, "Claire, don't you think Marcus' eyes are beautiful? The doctor said Marcus might go blind, but Justin immediately scoured the country for a donor.

"The new eye turned out perfect. Marcus didn't just avoid rejection; he's even healthier than before. Tell me, whose eye do you think this is? I really should thank that person properly."

Nolan's crying faltered. He buried his face in my arms, yet his small body couldn't stop trembling.

Suzanne's amusement grew. She leaned toward Nolan and whispered, "There were actually a few matching donors back then, but your dad chose the eye of a five-year-old to lower the surgical risk. Claire, look how beautiful your son's eye look on Marcus' face."

That was the breaking point. I raised my hand and slapped her hard across the face.

Suzanne didn't manage to dodge it. She clutched her cheek and screamed, "Claire, you're insane! Let me tell you something. Justin lied about that scar on your waist. It wasn't from the car accident at all. You got it from donating a kidney."

"Not only your son's eye, but your kidney as well. Justin gifted them to me. You and your son are like a personal organ bank from Justin to us!"

Suzanne's face twisted with rage, and the wild gleam in her eyes almost made me lose my mind.

Nolan couldn't bear it. He pulled free from my arms and charged at Suzanne. "You wicked woman! You have no right to say that! You can't hurt Mommy!"

In a flash of rage, Suzanne yanked Nolan's ear and twisted it. "You little one-eyed fool!"

I lunged forward and shoved Suzanne as hard as I could.

Just as I brought my hand up to hit her, a sharp slap connected with my face.

Justin's face drained of color as he stared at his reddened hand from the slap.

"Claire, I didn't mean it…"

His eyes glistened with tears as he trembled, brushing my cheek gently. "Does it hurt? I really didn't…"

"Justin!" Suzanne cried, clutching his hand as tears poured down her face. "I'm so scared."

Marcus's eyes filled with tears as he clutched Justin's leg. "Mr. Ford, they're picking on Mommy and me."

The pain in Justin's eyes gradually faded, replaced by a heavy disappointment. "Claire, haven't I given you enough? Why do you keep going against Suzanne and the others? Calm down. I'll take Suzanne and Marcus somewhere else to stay."

As he walked away without a word, Nolan instinctively called out, "Daddy!"

Justin paused briefly but didn't look back. Once they were gone, Nolan gave up completely. He no longer cried or struggled. He simply pouted and blew softly at my face. "Mommy, does it hurt? Is it still sore?"

Nolan's worried gaze shattered every ounce of strength I had been holding onto.

"Nolan, it hurts so much. It really does."

Countdown: 5 hours.

I printed the divorce papers I had prepared and set them on the coffee table, so they would be the first thing Justin saw upon entering.

On the way, I received a photo from Suzanne.

She and Marcus were taking a selfie in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of a luxury suite, and in the reflection, Justin could be seen carefully making the bed in the background.

I didn't reply. I quietly saved the photo and forwarded it to my lawyer. "New evidence."

Countdown: 3 hours.

I helped Nolan get dressed and led him in tidying up the toys in the room.

Countdown: 1 hour.

I took Nolan and headed to the airport by cab. On the way, I finally received a text from Justin.

"Claire, I was in the wrong last night. I let my impulses get the better of me. I've already said sorry to Suzanne for you. You and Nolan should avoid them as much as possible from now on."

He sent two elegantly wrapped gift boxes along with the message. "I bought gifts for you and Nolan. I'll be home soon."

Nolan glanced at my phone and coldly said, "Mommy, let's go."

I nodded and turned off the phone.

Meanwhile, Justin came home, drained from staying up all night. "Claire, Nolan, I'm back."

He frowned at the empty house as a sense of dread began to rise.

He reached for his phone to call, but as he turned, he accidentally knocked the documents off the table. "Divorce papers?"

Justin's face went ashen, and he almost fainted.

The doctor's urgent call came through immediately. "Mr. Ford, it's serious. Mrs. Ford has discovered our secret. The hospital has already received the lawyer's notice."