Ex-Husband and Stepson's Regrets are Worthless

For five years, I had been the wife of Cameron Smith. He made me fall for him, and when we got married, I thought I had found love. But soon, I learned the cruel truth—I resembled his late wife, and that was the only reason he wanted me. And when I thought that was the worst of it, their six-year-old son, Tyron, whom I had treated like my own, hated me and made my life miserable.

Like now.

A sharp yank on my hair sent me staggering backward, my scalp burning from Cameron’s iron grip. The sound of paper crumpling and liquid dripping onto the wooden floor filled the room.

“You useless woman!” Cameron seethed, his grip tightening as he shook me. His furious eyes darted toward the mess on his desk—his blueprints, now ruined by a spill of milk. “Do you have any idea how important those were?”

I gasped, wincing from the pain. “Cameron, I—I didn’t do it! It was Tyron! He—”

He cut me off with a snarl, his fingers finally releasing my hair only to shove me backward. I landed hard on the cold floor, pain shooting up my arm where I caught myself. The sting of an emerging bruise bloomed across my skin.

“That was your only job—to take care of Tyron,” he spat. “Yet you couldn’t even do that. You’re useless.”

I bit my lip, trying to keep the tears from spilling, but they came anyway. Cameron stood over me, looking at me like I was nothing, like I was a nuisance rather than the woman he had vowed to cherish.

“If you can’t discipline Tyron and make him listen to you, then next time, you’ll be the one locked up,” he warned, his voice dripping with ice. Then, without another glance, he stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

The moment he was gone, I curled into myself, pressing my forehead against my knees as the sobs wracked my body. My shoulders trembled, my chest tightened, and for a brief second, I wished I could disappear. But before I could even gather myself, the door creaked open again.

Tyron stood there, a wicked grin stretching across his innocent-looking face.

“You deserved that,” he said, his voice laced with triumph. “You killed my mommy.”

My breath hitched, my heart twisting at his words. “Tyron, I didn’t—”

“I hate you,” he declared before I could even finish. His small fists clenched at his sides, his gaze filled with nothing but resentment.

No matter what I said, no matter how hard I tried, he would never believe me… and Cameron didn’t even once clarify the truth about Tyron’s mother.

He turned on his heel and ran around the office, knocking over books, sending papers flying. “Tyron, stop!” I called out, scrambling to my feet to chase after him.

He only laughed, dodging my grasp, his little legs carrying him faster than I could catch. In his reckless playfulness, his hand snatched at the steaming cup of coffee on the desk.

The cup tipped.

The dark liquid poured.

The searing pain burned through my skin as the scalding coffee splashed onto my arm.

A scream ripped from my throat, the agony so intense that my knees nearly buckled. My body shook from the pain, and something inside me snapped.

For years, I had tried. I had done everything to be a good mother to him, hoping—praying—that one day, he would see me as family. But now, staring at my reddened skin, listening to his laughter, I knew.

I couldn’t do this anymore.

“Enough!” I shouted, my voice echoing through the room. Tyron froze mid-step, his eyes widening in shock at the fury in my tone. My breathing was ragged, my heart pounding as I glared at him. “I am your mother now! Whether you like it or not, you will obey me!”

Tears welled up in his eyes as his lips trembled. “Daddy!” he screamed, his voice filled with terror as he turned to run.

But as he fled, his small feet slipped on the spilled coffee. His body tumbled forward, arms flailing as he crashed down the stairs.

“Tyron!” I gasped, panic flooding through me as I rushed after him.

A bloodcurdling scream pierced the air. “Oh my god! Zoe just pushed Tyron!”

Nadine. Cameron’s mistress.

I spun around to see her standing at the top of the stairs. The moment the words left her mouth, I knew I was doomed.

Heavy footsteps pounded against the floor. Cameron’s towering frame appeared at the doorway. The moment his gaze landed on Tyron, sprawled at the bottom of the stairs, his rage turned on me.

“You fucking bitch!” His roar rattled the walls, and before I could react, his hands were on me, gripping my arm with bruising force.

“Cameron, I didn’t—”

His palm struck my cheek, the impact sending me reeling. I barely had time to recover before he shoved me inside my room, the door slamming shut behind me. The sharp click of the lock echoed like a death sentence.

“You will not leave there unless I say so. And if anything happens to my son, you’ll die too.” His voice was devoid of emotion, filled with nothing but cruel finality.

The sound of his retreating footsteps sent a shiver down my spine. I sank to the floor, wrapping my arms around myself as silent sobs shook my frame.

I had nothing left.

No love. No hope. No way out.

Unless…

My trembling hands reached for the phone hidden beneath my pillow. My fingers hovered over the screen before I dialed the one number I had long forced myself to forget.

It rang once.

Twice.

Then, a voice I hadn’t heard in years answered.

“Hello?”

A shaky breath escaped my lips. “I’m sorry for leaving, brother. But please, take me back. I’ll do anything… just take me back again.”