My son couldn’t understand what had happened the day.

He only cried silently in my arms.

In a small, trembling voice, he asked me if his father no longer wanted him—

if I was the only person left in the world who loved him.

I held him tightly.

“No,” I whispered. “My little hero is loved by many.”

“Your grandparents miss us very much. They’ve been waiting to meet you. Would you like to leave with Mommy and go see them?”

He hesitated.

His fingers tightened around the toy car Gabriel had given him last year for his birthday.

“But… I don’t want to leave Dad.”

I swallowed the tears burning in my throat and spoke gently,

“Your father and your grandmother don’t want us to stay here. Do you want to keep calling him ‘Dad’ when he wants you to call him ‘uncle’ for the rest of your life?”

He froze.

Slowly, he set the toy aside, tears spilling as he looked up at me and pleaded,

“…Then can I stay until this birthday is over? Just this one. I want one last memory with him.”

He refused to call Gabriel “uncle.”

I wiped my tears silently and kissed the top of his head.

“Of course,” I said. “Anything you want, my love.”

But two days later, on his birthday, Gabriel never showed up.

“He promised he’d come home today,” I said sharply into the phone.

“It’s our son’s birthday. Where are you?”

I could endure my own disappointment.

But I couldn’t bear to watch my child’s last hope shatter.

Gabriel didn’t answer.

The line went dead.

“He’s not coming back… is he?” my son asked quietly.

He stared at the cake in front of him, forcing a small smile as if comforting himself.

“It’s okay, Mommy. Uncle must be very busy. You can celebrate with me instead.”

It was the first time he called Gabriel uncle.

He seemed to accept it.

But the way his lips trembled as he tried to smile shattered my heart.

Anger surged through me as I reached for my phone again—

Then a message arrived from Gabriel, telling us to come home.

“Mom!” my son gasped. “Dad remembered my birthday!”

His eyes lit up with hope.

“Mom, he remembered! Let’s go! He must have prepared lots of gifts!”

After receiving confirmation that Gabriel was hosting a celebration, my son dragged me toward the Coven estate, practically bouncing with excitement.

But the moment I stepped inside and saw the room filled with night-blooming jasmine and formally dressed guests, my heart sank.

This didn’t feel like a birthday party.

It felt like—

Before I could finish the thought, my son ran toward Gabriel, who stood by the cake.

“Dad!” he shouted, throwing himself into Gabriel’s arms.

“Are you waiting for me to cut the cake?”

Gabriel stiffened.

When he saw us, shock flashed across his face.

“Why are you here?”

My unease deepened when I noticed Chloe at his side, dressed in ceremonial attire.

The guests began whispering.

“Isn’t today the day Vampire Lord Gabriel announces his Blood Queen?”

“Who’s that child?”

“He called him father… could he be an illegitimate child?”

Hearing the murmurs, Gabriel abruptly shoved my son away.

“What did you just call me?”

My child stumbled backward and fell to the floor, frozen in fear.

Enough.

I rushed to help him up, preparing to leave—

But Chloe blocked our path.

“Isabella,” she said coolly, a smirk playing on her lips,

“today is the day Gabriel and I complete our Blood Bond. Are you deliberately trying to cause trouble?”

Everything became clear.

The message inviting us here had likely been her doing.

Pure humiliation.

She wrapped her arm around Gabriel’s.

“I warned you,” she said sweetly.

“No matter how much you desire our Vampire Lord, you can’t drag some stray child here and claim he’s his.”

“That’s right, isn’t it, Gabriel?”

Gabriel avoided my gaze.

Then nodded.

I clutched my sobbing child and finally snapped.

“My son is not a stray. I gave birth to him.”

“And as for his father—he is a great vampire. Just not the Vampire Lord of this Coven.”

I lifted my son and turned to leave—

Pain exploded across my face.

Chloe slapped me hard.

“Still talking back?” she sneered.

“You really are trash from the outside. We took you in out of mercy, and this is how you repay us—by slandering our Vampire Lord and disgracing our House?”

“Beat her.”

Vampires rushed forward, forcing me to the ground.

Blows rained down.

Through blurred vision, I saw Gabriel standing there, Chloe gripping his arm, his face twisted with hesitation.

In that moment, I realized—

I owed him nothing.

Not for the life he once saved.Not for the love he once swore.

Each strike erased what little remained.

My son screamed.

He grabbed Gabriel’s leg and dropped to his knees with a thud.

“Uncle—no—Vampire Lord,” he sobbed.

“I’m sorry. Please. Don’t hit my mom anymore.”

Both Gabriel and I froze.

“Stop!” Gabriel shouted.

He stared at my son, voice tight.

“What did you just call me?”

“Vampire Lord Gabriel,” my son said quietly.

“If this place doesn’t welcome my mother and me, we’ll leave.”

In that instant, he seemed to grow up.

With red, swollen eyes, he helped me to my feet.

And under everyone’s gaze, he walked me out of the estate.

Later, Gabriel sent me a message, asking me not to be angry, telling me to return home—that he would come back tonight.

My son ignored it.

He looked up at me, holding back tears.

“Mom… you said Grandpa and Grandma miss us, right?”

“Then let’s leave now.”

I looked at him—so much more grown than before—and nodded.

That night, I burned everything that tied my son and me to this place.

And together, we left.