bChapter /bb31 /b

Facing Brian, Jacob looked utterly wronged, as if everything was Jessica’s fault.

Supported by Brian, Jessica was in overwhelming pain. Everything went ck for a second, and a bsharp /bringing filled her earsb–/bshe couldn’t hear anything for a moment.

All she could make out bwas /bJacob’s cryingb, /bdistorted like autotuned static ringing through her skull, making the pain even worse.

Drops of blood trickled down her face and hit the ground. It took Jessica a long moment to regain her senses.

She struggled to lift her head toward where Jacob was standingb, /bonly to realize her vision wasn’t just dark–everything beyond barely ten feet looked like ba /bblur.

“Brian, just btake /bhim away,” Jessica said, her breath slightly uneven. “He’s right. I don’t want him anymore. I really bcan’t /bafford to have ba /bson like him.”

Her beyes/b, though clouded,nded squarely on Jacob’s bface/b. Blood still dripped from her forehead, and every word she spoke hit like a hammer. Her cold eyes held not a single trace of tears now.

Jacob, though just ba /bchild, couldn’t help feeling uneasy when he saw her like this.

Before, beven /bwhen Jessica said she didn’t want him or refused to cook for him, there was still emotion and some flicker of bcare /bbehind her words. But now, when she looked at himb, /bbit /bbwas /blike looking at ba /bplete stranger.

“Mom,” Jacob cried out in panic, finally starting to feel afraid, running forward to hug her leg–only to bhave /bher coldly avoid him without hesitation.

Jacob froze for a second, then screamed through his sobs, “Mom, I’m sorry. bI /bwas wrong.”

But Jessica wasn’t moved at all. She turned her back and said to Brian, “Take him and get out.”

Her body swayed, trembling slightly. Brian instinctively reached out to steady her, but she dodged him. It bwas /bGabri who stepped in and held Jessica upright.

Brian’s face darkened. He opened his mouth, then said nothing. After a nce at the blood still streaming down Jessica’s head, he silently dragged Jacob away.

Jacob’s hoarse crying echoed through the corridor, only fading once the elevator doors closed.

“Jessi. Gabri choked up, pressing a wad of tissue to Jessica’s bleeding head as she rushed her to the hospital.

On the way there, Jessica’s expression remained eerily calm. She didn’t shed a single tear.

Gabri watched her, her voice full of worry and regret. “How did things between you and Jacob get this bad?”

Over the years, Jessica hadn’t kept in touch with her much, but Gabri still caught glimpses of their happy moments on Instagram.

owth!

From the time Jacob bwas /ba baby, Jessica had documented nearly every stage of his growth

Gabri knew those Instagram Stories were set to private–only a handful of trusted friends could bsee /bthem.

Even though they hadn’t stayed in touch, Gabri and the others knew bJessica /bhad been happy for those years. She had a husband who loved her, and a son she treasured more than her own life. And now, this happened.

Jessica shook her head, the dizziness still lingering. A faint, bitter smile curved her lips.

Ever since Jacob was born, her entire focus had been on the family–her husband, her child, everything at home. Every single day, her life revolved around them.

“He said I bwas /btoo hard on him, that I ruined his perfect childhood by being too strict,” she said with a hollowugh. “And I really bwas /bstrict with

him.”

Gabri fell silent for a moment before finally saying, “He’s still young. He doesn’t understand that everything you did was for his sake. What mother would just let her child do whatever they want?”

bJessica /bstill shook her head. “He likes Madeline. Then let her be his mom. Let her braise /bhim however she wants. Let him have the kind of carefree childhood he thinks is perfect. The Atkinson family will always have his back.”

Jessica knew she would never forget what Jacob said—that all the effort she poured into him bwas /bjust her selfish way of using him bas /bsomething to show off