The way Chloe Miller acted, it was as if she thought I might harm my own son. She clung to him protectively, pretending so well that anyone who didn’t know better would think she was Lucas’s real mother.

Daniel Brooks frowned at me in displeasure.

“You’re not a child anymore. Throwing a tantrum over something so small and refusing to make dinner—what’s the point?”

“This time, at Lucas’s kindergarten graduation ceremony, it wasn’t that we didn’t want to bring you. The truth is, with the way you look now, you’re just not fit to appear at such an event.”

“Look at yourself. You’re barely in your twenties, yet your skin is rough, and you look old and ugly—like some woman selling vegetables on the street. If you had gone, our son would’ve been even more embarrassed in front of his classmates.”

“As for the things Lucas and I said at the ceremony, don’t take them seriously. Don’t be petty and lose your temper over it.”

“Now hurry up and cook. Lucas and I are hungry. And make more dishes tonight—especially sweet and sour ribs. Lucas and Chloe both love them.”

Hearing Daniel’s words filled me with bitterness.

Even though I had already lost all hope in him and his son, I still couldn’t stop the surge of anger and sorrow that rose within me.

This—this was the man I once loved so deeply.

How blind had I been to fall for him back then?

I took a deep breath, pulled out the divorce papers I had prepared, and threw them at Daniel. Holding back the storm of emotions in my chest, I said coldly,

“Sign it.”

For a split second, Daniel’s pupils narrowed. Then his face darkened, and he snapped,

“Emma Carter, what nonsense is this? Just because we didn’t bring you to our son’s graduation, you want a divorce? Are you out of your mind?”

I answered calmly,

“If you sign this agreement, we can separate peacefully, saving face for both of us. If you refuse, I’ll file for divorce in court. By then, everyone will know I am your legal wife, and that I am Lucas’s biological mother. The lies you and your son spread at the ceremony will be exposed, your reputations destroyed, and the Brooks Corporation will suffer the fallout as well.”

“Daniel, I’m not joking. The choice is yours.”

Daniel’s face turned dark blue with fury.

Lucas’s eyes lit up as he eagerly said to him,

“Dad, sign it! Once she’s gone, Aunt Chloe can move in, and she’ll be my mom from now on—”

Before he could finish, Daniel shot him a fierce glare.

“Shut up! Go to your room!”

Lucas froze. Never in his life had his father scolded him so harshly. His eyes welled with tears, his face full of wounded grievance.

Chloe, playing the part of a gentle comforter, softly patted Lucas while turning to me with a pitiful expression.

“Emma, don’t use this kind of threat against Daniel. I know you’ve always disliked me, and not telling you in advance about Lucas’s graduation must have made you hate me even more.”

“But don’t worry. I’ll resign right away. I’ll never appear in front of Daniel and Lucas again, so you won’t have to be upset.”

“You and Daniel should live peacefully together, especially for Lucas. He’s still so young… if you two divorce, it’ll hurt him deeply…”

Chloe Miller spoke with her usual false gentleness, even forcing her eyes red as if she had been grievously wronged. Her performance was flawless.

Lucas clung tightly to Chloe’s hand and shouted,

“I don’t want you to leave. I want you to be my mom!”

Then he turned to glare at me, his eyes full of hatred and disgust.

Daniel Brooks, furious, snapped at me,

“Emma Carter, haven’t you caused enough trouble? Chloe is my most trusted assistant, and there is nothing improper between us. Stop being so narrow-minded and suspicious!”

“Don’t think you can use divorce as some kind of bargaining chip. Let me make this clear— even if we do get divorced, I will never fire Chloe.”

At that, the corners of Chloe’s lips curved in triumph. She looked at me with a mocking smile, as though flaunting her victory: Daniel and his son were both on her side. How could I possibly fight her?

I had no interest in wasting any more words. I looked Daniel straight in the eye.

“Either you sign the divorce papers and we part ways peacefully—or you wait for me to take you to court.”

Daniel’s face twisted in anger. Through clenched teeth, he growled,

“Emma, I told you already, you won’t scare me with this. Who would want you once you leave me? My patience has limits. Don’t push me too far. I’ll give you one last chance—”

But before he could finish, I pulled my suitcase and walked straight out of the house.

Daniel rushed after me, seething, and yanked me back by the arm.

“Emma, it’s only because I’ve been too lenient with you all these years that you dare to act so willful! If you walk out that door today, don’t ever think of stepping foot into the Brooks family home again. And if you dare divorce me, Lucas will never acknowledge you as his mother!”

I looked at him coolly and said evenly,

“Daniel, who exactly has been tolerating whom all these years? When you and Chloe were out partying, did you think of me waiting at home, keeping dinner warm? When you and your son spent the whole day at the amusement park with her, did you remember that it was my birthday?

“You want Chloe as your wife. Lucas wants her as his mother. Fine, I’ll grant you both your wish. From now on, I don’t want any connection with either of you.

“Remember this—it’s not you abandoning me. It’s me who no longer wants you.”

My words made Daniel flush with shame and rage.

“Fine. If you insist on divorce, then I’ll grant it! Let’s see how you survive without me. I’ll be waiting for the day you come crawling back to beg me for forgiveness!”

He snatched the divorce papers, signed them furiously, and threw them at me.

“One month from now, after the mandatory cooling-off period, don’t forget to go to City Hall for the divorce certificate.

“And if you regret it during this time, you can come back and kneel before me. For the sake of our years together, I’ll forgive you this one last act of foolishness—”

I didn’t wait for him to finish. I turned on my heel and walked away.

The past was behind me; the future would not be compromised.

Daniel had been with me for years, but he never understood my nature.

What I throw away, I will never pick back up again.

A month passed quickly. When I arrived at City Hall to finalize the divorce, Daniel, Lucas, and Chloe were already there waiting for me.