My name was Natalia Granger. My husband, Andrew Lane, was a CEO, but he didn't love me or our son, Carl Lane.

In order to spend time with his first love, Jennifer Zink, and her child, Jordan, Andrew would give one piece of candy to Carl before leaving. He promised he would return once Carl collected 100 candy wrappers.

…

Yet, when Carl finally gathered 100 candy wrappers, Andrew dumped him by the side of a highway instead. It was all because of another child's birthday party.

Panicking, I searched everywhere for Carl. By the time I found him, he had become mute due to the trauma.

However, Andrew only commented flippantly, "Jenny and Jordan didn't mean it. Can't you two be more magnanimous?"

Eventually, Carl no longer became sad when Andrew left, nor did he hold out hope for Andrew's return.

Instead, he simply wanted to return the candy wrappers to Andrew while also leaving a note that read, "Daddy, I don't want you to come back anymore, but could you return my voice to me?"

"Mommy, I've already gathered 100 candy wrappers. Why isn't Daddy coming home?"

In a hospital room, I, Natalia Granger, stared at my son, Carl Lane, as he fumbled to use his newly learned sign language to communicate with me. My tears, which had been pooling in my eyes, finally spilled down my cheeks.

I didn't even know how to tell him that his father, Andrew Lane, wasn't coming home because he was spending time with another child. Andrew had long since forgotten about the promise that he had made.

Taking in the lost yet hopeful look in Carl's eyes, I forced myself to smile and hug him. "Once you've recovered, we'll find him together, okay?"

Carl nodded obediently, having understood my meaning. He voluntarily took his medicine. Then, he lay down to sleep while hugging his teddy bear.

I stayed with him until he was asleep, after which I stepped out of the room. Then, I helplessly sighed.

…

Eight days ago, Carl finally managed to collect 100 candy wrappers and instantly got ready to seek out Andrew. He wanted to ask Andrew whether the latter could come home and celebrate his seventh birthday with him.

Andrew had initially agreed, so Carl happily clambered into the car before they made their way back.

Midway through the journey, Jennifer Zink's son, Jordan Sallow, had called. He insisted that Andrew celebrate his birthday with him.

Just like that, Andrew abandoned Carl, who was only seven years old, at the highway.

By the time I found poor Carl, the trauma and low temperature had caused him to become mute.

Even so, Andrew, despite being Carl's father, never once came to visit him.

Unable to contain my raging emotions anymore, I dialed Andrew's number once again. Much like my previous attempts, he didn't pick up. However, I heard his ringtone sounding out from the other end of the corridor.

Jogging in the direction of the sound, I spotted Andrew, Jennifer, and Jordan together, looking like a harmonious family of three.

Upon seeing me, Andrew instantly became alert and shifted to stand protectively in front of Jennifer and Jordan. He looked like he was defending the most precious treasure in the world.

"What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you I didn't have time to meet you?"

The cold and distant tone of his voice shattered my heart. Pursing my lips, I turned to look at Jennifer and Jordan.

"You don't have the time for me and Carl, yet you are spending time with them."

At my accusatory and demanding words, Jordan burst into loud wails.

Jennifer quickly hugged him, her eyes reddening as she said, "Nat, please don't misunderstand us. Jordan accidentally cut his finger while doing arts and crafts today. Drew got worried, which is why he brought us to the hospital."

After saying that, she noticed the medical record I was holding. "Why are you here? Is Carl sick?"

Before I could reply, Andrew hurriedly comforted her. "What could possibly be wrong with Carl? If you ask me, she's just kicking up a fuss over nothing! She must have taught Carl to fake his illness, which is setting a bad example for him!"

Hearing that, I subconsciously squeezed the medical record tighter as a bitter feeling welled in me.

Yeah, what could possibly be wrong? It was just that Carl, a kid who had been taking singing lessons since young, contracted mutism and could no longer speak and sing ever again.

How could this possibly compare in severity and importance to the tiniest cut on Jordan's finger?

Just as the atmosphere between us grew increasingly tense, a doctor from the consultation room next door stepped out.

As he looked at Jennifer and Jordan, he criticized, "Parents nowadays are ridiculous. The child's skin wasn't even broken by the cut, yet you brought him to the hospital and even insisted on having him hospitalized for observation."

My lips twitched into a smirk as I took in Andrew's and Jennifer's awkward expressions.

I slipped a hand into my pocket and gripped the bottle Carl had given me. It was filled with all the candy wrappers he had collected.

Carl and I had given Andrew 100 chances altogether. This time, we would never forgive him.

I no longer wished to tell Andrew what I had originally planned to say.

Seeing that I was turning to leave, Andrew suddenly stopped me in my tracks. As if to warn me, he said, "Jordan is injured, so he really needs me for the next few days. Don't bother me again, got it?"

I nodded. "Okay."

Andrew continued, "Hurry up and head home if you and Carl are okay. Stop faking his illness. It's embarrassing."

My face paled as I bit down on my bottom lip tightly. Still, I nodded again. "Okay."

Maybe it was because I was too calm, for Andrew seemed somewhat surprised.

He frowned right away. "Nothing happened to Carl when you found him, right? Once I have more time, I'll come home to spend time with him."

Only now did he show some concern toward Carl when the latter was about to get discharged from the hospital.

Exasperated, I just hummed in response, pretending not to see the jealousy burning in Jennifer's gaze.

As I brushed past them, Jordan smugly lifted his wrist to flash his watch at me, as though he was showing it off.

I immediately recognized it as the smart watch Carl had been begging Andrew to buy for him for the past three years. The model, color, and style were exactly the same.

The day Carl went to seek out Andrew, he had noticed that this watch was in the car. He had been thrilled, thinking that Andrew had prepared it for him.

When he first woke up, he had even specifically asked me where the watch Andrew had gifted him was.

I clenched my hands into tight fists and forced my tears back. As it turned out, someone else had easily obtained everything that Carl and I had begged so desperately for.

…

I didn't bother informing Andrew about Carl's hospital discharge. Instead, I just took him home by myself.

Although Carl couldn't speak, his mood gradually improved with my company. I bought him the same smart watch and told him it was a reward to encourage him to battle his condition.

Overjoyed, he asked me several times whether it was the same one Andrew had gifted him. When I refused to answer, he stopped asking.

Looking over my shoulder at Carl, who was quietly playing with Lego bricks, I sniffled slightly and got ready to whip up his favourite food for dinner.

However, just as I stepped into the kitchen, the front door of the villa was abruptly opened. Carl and I were stunned to see Andrew stepping into the villa.

Nonetheless, Carl was delighted to see his father and rushed over to hug Andrew's legs. Yet, Andrew acted as though he hadn't noticed and deftly avoided the little boy.

He tossed several sets of dirty clothes at me before saying, "The doctor said that Jordan's injury isn't serious, but I don't feel at ease leaving the two of them alone at home. That's why I've come back to grab some daily necessities. I'm planning on spending a few more days with them."

Humming in acknowledgement of his words, I pulled Carl into an embrace. He wasn't able to utter a word, but his sadness was evident from his red-rimmed eyes.

I was just about to comfort Carl when Andrew suddenly spotted the smart watch box that had been left on the couch. Carl hadn't yet opened it.

"You bought a smart watch? This is perfect. Jordan's watch happened to break down earlier, so I'm taking this. You two can just buy another one."

In my arms, Carl's shoulders trembled violently as large beads of tears rolled down his cheeks. Unable to make a sound, he could only weep silently.

For a moment, I was shocked and could only stare at Andrew, who was reaching out for the box.

Then, I stopped him while crying out, "This is my gift to Carl! Can't you just buy another one for that boy? Why do you have to snatch ours?"

Andrew shoved me aside before retorting in an annoyed tone, "Natalia, how could you say that? What do you mean by 'snatch'? Jordan has been crying non-stop because his smart watch broke. He's still young, so can't you just let him have his way?"

Jordan was "still young"? He was already eight, which made him a year older than Carl! Being a child was definitely not an excuse for him to snatch other people's things!

But judging by Andrew's logic, Jordan was allowed to snatch Carl's watch when his own broke since he was still a child. Since his parents were divorced, he was also allowed to snatch someone else's father.

What about Carl, then?

Infuriated, I stared at the utterly shameless Andrew, ready to get into a shouting match with him.

However, Carl suddenly tugged at the hem of my shirt while shaking his head.

I knew he was an understanding kid, and he always worried about Andrew harming me. That was why whenever Andrew and I argued, Carl would pull at the hem of my shirt.

Regardless, it was different this time. I could see the clear disappointment in Carl's gaze toward Andrew, which made me pause.

While I was distracted, Andrew quickly seized the watch box and said in half-hearted concern, "I'm leaving. Take care of yourselves."

With that, he turned and left, accidentally bumping into the Lego tower that Carl had painstakingly built.

The tower crumbled, the broken pieces scattering across the floor. They resembled both my and Carl's shattered hearts.

Andrew didn't care about this home or about either of us.

In that case, I refused to plead for him to stay anymore. Instead, I focused on wiping away the tears clinging to Carl's lashes carefully.

However, right before Andrew stepped out of the villa, Carl handed him the bottle containing the candy wrappers.

Immediately understanding his intention, I spoke up on Carl's behalf. "Carl has already collected 100 candy wrappers. You can count them yourself."

Andrew paused in his tracks before turning to shoot us an astonished look. "Has he already gathered that many?"

"Yes."

Upon hearing that, he set down the things he was holding, a conflicted expression crossing his face.

Neither Carl nor I spoke. We merely waited for his answer.

As we expected, Andrew simply hesitated briefly before uttering, "Jenny and Jordan need someone with them right now, so…"

A hint of guilt flickered in his eyes. Nonetheless, he still crouched down to pat Carl's head and say, "Carl, let's forget about the promise I made with you, okay?"

I gently patted Carl on the shoulder, watching as he lowered his gaze and nodded.

Andrew was stunned. For a split second, he found it hard to believe that Carl actually agreed to his request so easily.

Then, he swept Carl into a tight hug and exclaimed, "Carl, I knew you were the most understanding kid around! Don't worry. Once Jordan has settled down, I'll spend time with you."

Carl didn't respond, not even with a nod. He simply turned and walked back to the living room alone. Grabbing a piece of paper, he scribbled out, "Daddy, I don't want you to come back anymore, but could you return my voice to me?"

By the time he finished writing the note, Andrew was already gone.

After reading the words, I wrapped my arms around Carl, my tears already streaming down my cheeks. At the same time, I kept murmuring assurances to him.

"It's okay. You still have me. I'll always be by your side."

I felt his tiny hand wipe away my tears, even as he forced himself to smile in an effort to comfort me back.

At that moment, I recalled what the doctor had said about Carl's mutism. It was a form of self-punishment, as Carl thought that he had made a serious mistake.

When I heard this explanation at the time, I felt as though someone had cut my heart deeply with a blade.

My son simply wanted his father to come home. What did he do wrong? Why did he have to go through such punishment?

In any case, we wouldn't cry anymore. There was no need for us to feel sad about Andrew's departure, nor would we hold out hope for his return.

After that day, it was like Carl and I had an unspoken agreement. We never brought up Andrew again, as though he had never even existed in this home.

I also bought us tickets to leave the country in three days. Once that time came, we would leave this place behind.

Carl was incredibly cooperative with his treatments, so he was now able to produce at least some sounds, though not actual words yet.

…

I was in the middle of drafting a divorce agreement when Andrew came back once more.

As usual, Carl was playing with his Lego bricks in the living room. Despite the appearance of the father he hadn't seen in a long time, there was not a hint of joy in his eyes.

Instead, he continued to play by himself quietly.

I didn't know what Andrew was up to this time, but he approached Carl with a pastry box in hand.

"Carl, I bought you some cake. Would you like to try some?"