Chapter 63

"Sorry, I've got to head home. My daughter's there alone, and she gets scared." I wasn't going to have a late-night bite with another guy just to get back at Jared for running off overseas with Tracy.

Nathan looked kind of let down, but after I said no, he looked at me with even more clarity in his eyes, like he respected my decision.

"Alright. Get home safe," he said gently.

I turned around and walked to my car. As I drove past him, he stood by his car, just watching me leave. I lied, but I still think I did the right thing.

Jared had no sense of morals. He disrespected our marriage. I had to prove I wasn’t like him. Although I didn’t mind Nathan setting up this little "coincidental" meet-up, I knew I wanted my next relationship to start when I was officially single.

I couldn’t start a relationship with him while I was still married on paper, especially when there was no future for us. That just wouldn’t be fair.

By the time I got home, it was already past ten. The nanny heard me come in and asked if I wanted anything to eat. I told her to go ahead and rest.

Upstairs, my phone rang. It was Jared calling from abroad. “You didn’t bring Yvonne home today?” he asked right away.

I stayed calm. “I called her, but she didn’t answer. Mom said I should leave it alone for a few days.”

“So just because Mom told you to stay out of it, you did?” Jared got mad, like I knew he would. “Don’t forget, you’re her mother. It’s fine to focus on work during the day, but once you’re off, your kid should come first.”

“I’ll pick her up from school tomorrow afternoon.” She’s my daughter. Of course, I had to take care of her.

“When you see her, don’t be so sharp with your words. Just try to be sweet. She’s still a little kid.” Jared could tell I’d been emotionally closed off. He wanted me to soften up.

“I hear you.” I didn’t want to listen to his lectures. A cheating jerk had no right to talk down to me.

There was a pause on his end. Then he asked, “So where were you tonight?”

“I had dinner with Melissa,” I told him honestly.

It sounded like he wanted to say something else, but then I heard a woman’s soft voice in the background. She was calling his name sweetly. Jared said something quickly and then hung up. The line went dead.

I tossed my phone aside and flopped onto the bed. My mood just tanked. The next day at 4 PM, I showed up at Yvonne’s private preschool right on time.

Maybe because I hadn’t come in a while, a few of the moms I used to chat with came up to say hi. They asked if I’d been traveling and said I kind of disappeared.

I made up some excuse, but I could see the judgment there, like they already knew what was going on with my marriage. They probably saw those pictures from the other day, Jared and Tracy baking a cake with my daughter.

Yvonne came out with her class. When she saw me, she turned and walked the other way. I quickly went after her. “Yvonne, you can’t just run off like that. What if someone took you?” I called out behind her.

She stopped, turned around, and glared at me. “Why didn’t Grandma come get me?”

I leaned against the wall and answered calmly, “I’m your mom. It’s my job to pick you up from school.”

“You hit me before. You were mean. I don’t want a mom like that.” Her face twisted in hurt.

I noticed her eyes starting to water. I looked down at the ground and thought for a second. “Didn’t your teacher talk about respecting your parents? I spoiled you because I love you. I need you to know something. I need love from you, too.”

Yvonne blinked hard. Then suddenly, she ran into my arms and hugged me. “Mommy, can you love me like you used to?”

I looked down at her tiny body in my arms. Lately, I had been cold, even harsh, carrying all this bitterness from my previous life. I disciplined her, but no matter what, she was still the daughter I had loved for so many years.

There was no way I could let her go. I just needed to figure out how to raise her the right way. “Yvonne, sweetheart, I want you to always remember. Mommy loves you no matter what."