I'd been secretly married to my CEO husband for six years, and for six years, he’d refused to let our son call him "Dad." After he missed Leo’s birthday yet again, thanks to his personal assistant, Chloe, I finally pulled out the divorce papers. It was time for Leo and me to leave for good. The man who was always so composed lost control, storming into the office like a madman, demanding to know where I was going. But this time, Leo and I wouldn't look back. 1 "Mr. Henderson, I'm heading overseas for further studies next month. Here's my resignation." My manager's eyebrows shot up. "That's so sudden. Are you sure, Olivia?" I offered the excuse I'd carefully rehearsed. "Leo's father lives in Australia. I'm planning to take Leo there so our family can finally be together." Mr. Henderson nodded, understanding. "Well, that makes sense. It's been tough for you raising a child alone here; we all thought you were a single mom." I managed a faint smile. I wasn't before, but I was about to be. Stepping out of his office, I practically collided with Ethan Miller and Chloe Davis walking toward me. Ethan Miller was my boss, and the father of my son. Seven years ago, I was his personal assistant. One night, a drunken haze turned into a nightmare, and soon after, our son was on the way. This was our sixth year of secret marriage. And his sixth year of refusing to let Leo call him "Dad." Ethan’s pace was deliberately slow, as if to accommodate the woman by his side. Chloe held a report in one hand and clutched the hem of Ethan’s suit jacket with the other, a sickeningly sweet display. As we brushed past each other, my heart gave a painful little lurch. I couldn't help but speak. "Ethan…" He paused, his expression chilling. "Ms. Green." His formal, detached tone was a clear warning, a reminder: This is the office. We are merely colleagues. I understood the unspoken message and pulled my scattered emotions back into myself. "Mr. Miller." Ethan gave a noncommittal grunt and continued walking, as if I were a stranger on the street. A bitter laugh escaped me, and I swallowed the words about my resignation. It wouldn't matter to him anyway. My phone screen lit up. It was a text from Leo’s smartwatch. [Mommy, is Daddy coming home for my birthday?] I froze, instinctively turning my head. I saw Ethan leaning in to talk to Chloe, his head bent close to hers. Someone passed by, and he instinctively pulled Chloe protectively into his arms, his eyes filled with an undeniable tenderness. Swallowing the bitter ache in my chest, I still sent Ethan a message. [It's Leo’s birthday tonight. Are you free?] Across the hallway, I watched him pick up his phone. Less than three seconds later, he put it down, his expression unchanging. Staring at the chat screen, still devoid of a reply, I laughed, a sharp, self-deprecating sound. Olivia Green, haven't you learned your lesson yet? What do you expect from a heart that was always cold? I shoved my phone back into my pocket, took a deep breath, and walked away. Ethan Miller, you’d be free very soon. 2 After leaving the office, I went straight to Leo’s preschool. The moment he saw me, Leo’s first words were, "Mommy, it's my birthday today!" His second: "Mommy, will Daddy celebrate with me?" On the bustling street, my eyes instantly welled up. "Your daddy, he…" Before I could finish, my phone chimed. Ethan had finally replied. [Free. Coming home.] A surge of surprise and joy rushed through me. I practically shouted, "Don't worry, Leo, Daddy's coming home!" Leo clapped his hands, then threw himself into my arms, bouncing with excitement. In six years of marriage, this was the first time Ethan had ever agreed to celebrate Leo's birthday. That evening, I cooked a table full of Leo’s favorite dishes, and he finished his homework early, eyes wide with anticipation. One hour, two hours, three hours… I sent text after text, each more hopeful than the last. But, as usual, there was no reply. Leo seemed to understand. He looked at me, his small voice filled with caution. "Mommy, is Daddy too busy?" A pang of pain hit my chest. I wanted to explain, to defend, but no words came out. Finally, all I could say was, "It's okay. Mommy will always be with you." Leo didn’t ask again. He quietly picked up his birthday hat. "Mommy, can you put it on me?" I nodded, reaching for it. But my eyes caught a glimpse of Chloe Davis’s latest Instagram story. [Such a perfect day. Loved every minute.] The accompanying photo was a gourmet meal from a high-end restaurant. Though her face wasn't visible, I immediately noticed the wedding band peeking out from the corner of the frame. It was the ring I'd specifically chosen for our wedding. But he’d always worn it on his pinky finger, a deliberate choice, I knew, to avoid any suggestion of commitment. The irony burned. The ring meant to symbolize our marriage was his declaration of single status. On our son's sixth birthday, he was having a candlelit dinner with his mistress at a fancy restaurant. All the bitterness within me transformed into a chilling calm. I 'liked' the photo, then put my phone down. I turned to Leo and placed the birthday hat on his head. "Happy birthday, Leo." In the soft candlelight, Leo closed his eyes and pressed his hands together. "My birthday wish is to be with Mommy forever." I picked up my phone and captured the moment. The thought of leaving, which had been a seedling in my mind, now fully blossomed into a towering tree. "Okay," I said, my voice firm. "Mommy promises you that." That night, neither of us mentioned Ethan again. It was as if our home had always only belonged to the two of us. After Leo fell asleep, I pulled the divorce papers from the drawer, already prepared. The last shred of doubt in my heart finally dissolved. At two in the morning, Ethan finally came home. When he saw the cake on the table, a flicker of regret, or perhaps just annoyance, crossed his face. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I forgot." I found it laughable. All those messages, all those reminders on his phone. Had he truly not seen them? Or was the sweetness of his other life simply too intoxicating, making him forget everything else? I took out the divorce papers, turning to the last page, and handed them to him, forcing myself to sound composed. "Could you sign this, please…" Before I could finish, Ethan’s phone rang. Chloe’s slightly panicked voice drifted from the speaker. "Mr. Miller, I think the power's out at my place. Could you come stay with me? I'm so scared." Ethan instantly stood up, his eyes flashing with urgency. "Wait there. I'm on my way." He hung up, then, without even glancing at the document, scribbled his signature. I stepped back, silently watching him leave. Ethan Miller, you will forever remember this. This home is the one you deliberately abandoned. 3 The next day, I went back to the office to hand over my work. Ethan approached me, offering a beautifully wrapped gift box. "This is for Leo's birthday. I forgot to give it to him yesterday." I paused, then took the gift and opened it. It was a small dog toy. Leo’s biggest fear was dogs. When he was five, Ethan took him to an amusement park. Midway through, he spotted a friend and let go of Leo's hand. My young son got lost in the crowd. When we finally found him, he was huddled on the side of the road, trembling from fear of a stray dog. Since then, dogs had been Leo's permanent nightmare. And the very person responsible for that trauma was now giving him a dog toy as a gift. I couldn’t tell if anger or disappointment was stronger. I casually put the box aside. "Thanks," I said, my voice flat. Ethan looked at me strangely, then seemed to remember something. "Chloe’s apartment lost power, so I'm having her stay at the house." "Don't come to work today. Go back, pack some things, and take Leo to stay somewhere else for a couple of days." His words, light as air, struck me like a heavy hammer. I stared at him in disbelief. "Are you saying you want to kick Leo and me out for Chloe Davis?" Ethan frowned. "Don't put it like that. It's just temporary." "Since we agreed to keep our marriage a secret, of course, we need to avoid any suspicion in front of colleagues." I smiled, a bitter, sarcastic twist of my lips. Just colleagues? Just avoiding suspicion? Or did he feel that Leo and I were simply inconvenient, a secret he preferred to keep hidden from the world as he pursued his new love? I didn't want to look at him anymore. I sat back at my desk and resumed work. "Got it," I said, my voice devoid of emotion. "I’ll pack our things as quickly as possible and take Leo. We won't disturb you." I was leaving anyway. A little sooner or later made no difference. Seeing me agree so readily, Ethan seemed taken aback. He opened his mouth, his tone unusually softened. "I'll make it up to you both." I didn't look up, only remained silent. The damage was done. No amount of compensation could erase it. Back home, I packed our luggage and took Leo out. As I opened the door, I ran right into Ethan, who was returning with Chloe. He was effortlessly wheeling Chloe's luggage with one hand, practically radiating 'boyfriend of the year' vibes. Our eyes met, and I distinctly saw a flicker of panic in his. Chloe let out a little gasp and asked, "Ms. Green, why are you at Mr. Miller's house?" At her question, my first instinct was to pull Leo behind me, shielding him from her view. "I…" "They're my relatives," Ethan cut me off, his voice clipped, "just staying here temporarily." His hand, gripping Chloe’s suitcase, tightened visibly. It wasn't the first time. But each time I heard him deny us, my heart still twisted in pain. I was about to speak, but Leo beat me to it. "Hello, sir." I spun around, disbelief warring with pain, only to see Leo’s eyes were slightly red-rimmed. "Mommy, let's go." All my words caught in my throat. I managed a strained smile and whispered, "Okay." As we walked past him, Ethan grabbed my arm. 4 He stared at me, disbelief etched on his face. "Leo… what did he call me?" I smiled, a thin, cutting line. "Isn't that what you always wanted, Mr. Miller?" For six years of our secret marriage, Ethan hadn't just kept our relationship hidden. He had also actively refused to let Leo call him "Dad." The only difference now was, then, he forced Leo to call him "Uncle." Now, Leo was choosing to distance himself, to call him "Sir." I lowered my eyes, tugging hard to free my arm, but his grip was unyielding. Ethan looked at me, his gaze complex. "Just give me a few days." "I'll explain it to Leo." I reminded him, "Chloe’s waiting for you. Let go." Ethan seemed to snap back to reality, reluctantly releasing my arm. I let out a dismissive snort, then took Leo's hand and started to leave. But Ethan suddenly called out to us. "Wait." He ran back to his car, pulled out a cake box, and handed it to me. "Happy birthday, Leo." Chloe piped up at just the right moment, her voice sugary sweet. "Oh, Mr. Miller actually bought this cake for me, but it's your son's birthday, Ms. Green, so please don't be offended!" The cake in my hands instantly felt like a thousand pounds. I was about to give it back, but then I saw the spark of surprise and anticipation in Leo's eyes. My heart softened, and I hesitated. Leo, unaware of the adult war being waged around him, looked expectantly at Ethan. "Can you eat it with me?" Ethan hesitated for only a moment before agreeing. Leo cheered and ran into the living room, urging me to open the cake. I ruffled his hair and quickly cut slices. But the smile on my face froze the moment the cake touched Leo’s lips. "Spit it out! Don't eat it!" I snatched the cake from Leo's hand, almost frantically, my expression wild. Ethan’s face immediately darkened. "Olivia Green, are you out of your mind?" I looked up, my eyes burning. "Leo is allergic to mango, Ethan! Didn't you know that?" At my words, Ethan's face quickly filled with panic. "I’m sorry," he stammered. "I didn't know." Sorry. From the moment Leo was born until now, I had heard that word countless times. Leo seemed to understand. He looked at Ethan, his expression blank, his eyes no longer holding any expectation. "It's okay," he whispered, burying his face in my embrace. "It's normal that they don't know." He wouldn't look at Ethan again. No longer hesitating, I picked Leo up and walked out. Even as I left the villa, I could still feel Ethan’s apologetic, panicked gaze on my back. But this time, Leo and I felt nothing. 5 Leaving the house, I went straight to the office and quickly cleared out my desk. I had planned to say a proper goodbye, but now, it seemed unnecessary. I placed the signed divorce papers on the table and let out a long breath. With our luggage, I took Leo to the airport. Before we boarded the plane, I asked Leo, "Will you be angry that Mommy's taking you away?" He shook his head, pressing his cheek against mine. "I just want Mommy." My tears finally broke free. All the pain transformed into a profound sense of release. I pulled out my phone and blocked Ethan’s number from every contact list. Ethan Miller, goodbye forever. The next day, Ethan arrived at the office on time. After what happened yesterday, he'd been restless, his mind unsettled. He clicked on his email, and a message with the subject line "Approved" popped up. "Resignation Request?"
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