6
Howard chased me to the top of the stairs and yell-
ed to our sons, “Adrian! Jack! Stop your mother! She
wants to divorce me!”
Adrian and Jack were in the living room, frantically
making calls, pulling strings, trying to find Sienna.
Hearing their father, Adrian moved to block my path,
his voice accusatory. “Mom, I’m dealing with a crisis
here. What are you doing?”
I slapped his hand away. “Don’t you ever call me
Mom again. You’re no son of mine!”
My younger son, Jack, stepped in, a strange look in
his eyes. “Mom, Sienna is missing. Adrian and I are
busy trying to find her. Can you please not cause tro-
uble right now? Isn’t Dad good enough to you? Why
are you suddenly demanding a divorce, disowning Adrian? Surely you’re not disowning me, too?”
I was furious, my heart overflowing with grief and betrayal. Tears streamed down my face. “Yes! I’m dis- owning you, too!” I screamed. “My husband, my sons, I don’t want any of you! Since you care so much
about Sienna, go ask Serena to be your mother! I’m
leaving! I’m letting your perfect family of five finally
Chapter 2
08:53 C
leaving! I’m letting your perfect family of five finally
be together! Are you still not satisfied?!”
I thought revealing their secret would at least make
them feel a flicker of guilt.
I was wrong.
My younger son, Jack, was silent for only a moment
before offering a placid smile. “Mom, is that what this
is about? We didn’t tell you who Sienna’s mother
was because we knew you’d overthink it. Dad and
Aunt Serena haven’t been in contact for a very long
time. And we barely kept in touch with Sienna. If she
hadn’t called a few weeks ago, saying her mother
had passed away and she was all alone and wanted
to come home, I would have forgotten what she
even looked like. Why are you making such a big deal
out of this? What will people think?”
His words were smooth, practiced.
My heart went cold. I had to laugh. “So now it’s my
fault?”
No wonder they wanted me to adopt her. Her real
mother was dead. They were looking for a new blood
bank to supply her with maternal love.
The thought of spending the next twenty years doti-
ng on Serena Crest’s daughter made me tremble with
rage.
I had to get out.
Let someone else be the sacrificial mother.
done.
