She saw Danny and Sarah embracing each other and he seemed so worried.
Ella covered her mouth and staggered back in disbelief.
She was too anxious that the lunchbox slipped from her grasp and hit the floor with a thud.
Her heart clenched violently and she rushed out the door.
On the way back, her mind was filled with the image of the two of them embracing each other.
She did not dare to think how many times this had happened, or how far they had gone…
She bit her lips, trying desperately to hold back her tears, but she couldn’t stop the scenes replaying in her mind.
Ella recalled the dismissive tone that Danny had used when he spoke of her in front of the camera just now. It was completely different from the way he talked about Sarah. His voice brimmed with unrestained admiration and appreciation for Sarah, even though Ella was the one who had been supporting him over the years.
Suddenly, she collapsed to the ground with a thud. A sharp pain radiating from her palm instantly brought her back to her senses.
She wiped the tears, turned on her phone and saw that Danny had sent her messages.
[Did you come to the lab to find me?]
[Where are you now? Why didn't I see you? Where are you?]
[Message me back when you see them.]
He only sent three questions; she was not worth even a single call.
A flash of self-mockery flickered in Ella's eyes and she forced herself to stand.
But when she reached her front door, she suddenly didn't want to go inside or continue living with a cheater.
Should I file for divorce? She asked inwardly.
After struggling for a moment, she opened her social media apps and sent a post.
Within minutes, more than a dozen people replied to her, but most of them urged her not to divorce.
[At your age, why do you want to get divorced? Just bear with it?]
[Yeah. Your kid is still in her senior year of high school. A divorce during such a crucial time would definitely affect him.]
[Blogger, if you ask me, just turn a blind eye. For the kid's sake, we should endure it.]
…
As she read these comments, a complicated emotion flashed in her eyes. And eventually, she opened the door.
They are right. I have a child. I can't file for a divorce when John is in such a critical time for her.
With this thought, she deleted the lawyer's number that she had searched on Google.
At ten o'clock in the evening, Danny finally called her. Ella just listened to the non-stop ringing without any intention to answer it.
Originally, she wanted to answer the phone if Danny called the second time, but the phone was completely silent.
It meant from the very beginning, Danny only planned to call her once and would not call again if she did not answer.
Slowly, Ella closed her eyes, unable to bear the pain in her heart. Tears welled up in her eyes as sorrow and disappointment filled her heart.
She turned off the phone and climbed into bed.
As soon as the alarm clock rang at five o'clock the next day, she jumped up immediately.
After preparing breakfast, she promptly carried it to John's room and helped him pack his schoolbag.
But seeing John put on his coat, Ella could not help but ask, "Did your dad come to you last night and ask about me?"
John furrowed his brows. He seemed puzzled by her questions.
Concealing the disappointment in her eyes, Ella murmured, "It's nothing. I was just wondering."
After she packed his schoolbag and prepared to leave the room, John clicked his tongue impatiently. "Mom, haven't I told you to put less sugar in it? Are you deaf or what?"
Ella paused and apologized awkwardly, "I'm sorry. I zoned out a bit when making the milk this morning, so …."
"Ugh, so annoying. You have been doing this every day, but still can't do it properly! What good are you? You're nowhere as good as Aunt Sarah."
Ella’s fingers curled tightly into her palms as a sharp ache gripped her chest. Every word he said made her feel she was so foolish.
In the evening, she picked John as usual. Remembering how she had been too careless by putting so much sugar in his milk, she wanted to compensate him.
"John, do you have any questions about today's topic? I can help you."
But John simply waved his hand impatiently. "No need. Just do your chores. Aunt Sarah said she would tutor me. She is a postdoc, so she is way smarter than you."
Ella clenched her fists and sat stiffly back on the dinner table.
Her plate held the spaghetti she had just reheated. She had not even had time to eat in order to pick John up.
But today, somehow, tears fell down onto the food she ate.
When she stuffed the spaghetti into her mouth, she could feel the saltiness of her tears mixed in it.
Across the wall, John and Sarah's chatting and laughing drifted through the half-open door. The sound was like a blade that pierced her heart.
Halfway through the meal, she heard the sound of a door being unlocked. Ella hastily grabbed a tissue to wipe her face dry.
Danny sat down beside her and asked in a deep voice, "Why didn't you answer my messages yesterday?"
Ella stiffened for a moment and pretended to be calm before saying, “Oh, I forgot.”
But suddenly, Danny grabbed her hand, stared intently at her face and sneered, "You’re crying?"
