"What?" Yvonne gasped. "Divorce?"

The kids stared, mouths agape. Jared, feigning concern, chimed in, "Oh dear, Mr. Joplin, this isn't the place to discuss this! You'll traumatize them. Let me take them out for the night."

I blocked his path. "This is a family matter. They're my kids. Go if you want."

I'd raised them. Yvonne, consumed by the Langley Group, barely saw them. Unlike my brother, I worked from home, financially independent. I wouldn't let Jared take them.

Yvonne pulled me aside. "The kids! This isn't the time, or the day!"

"What's inappropriate?" I snapped. "Shouldn't you be happy to reunite with your first love?"

She stared, a stranger. Her silence didn't change my mind. I was done with misery.

Jared jumped in. "Mr. Joplin, how could you? You don't respect your wife!"

The image of their kiss flashed in my mind. His lecture was rich, coming from him.

"You're one to talk," I scoffed. "If you knew about respect, you wouldn't have interfered, let alone sent me that video!"

Jared's face darkened. Xavier stepped forward. "Daddy, why are you being mean? Jared's nice! You can't treat him like that!"

The words hit me like a cold shower. My once-clingy son, now defending an outsider. The tiny boy in my arms was gone. My bitter laugh echoed the emptiness.