When Emery walked into the room, Jaxon didn’t even bother to look up. Instead, he simply turned the volume of his game up louder.
Calla smiled, her expression playful but taunting. She reached out to pat Jaxon on the shoulder. “Jaxon, your mom’s here. Don’t be rude. Have you forgotten everything Auntie Calla taught you?”
Immediately, Jaxon dropped his tablet, his face shifting into the obedient expression he knew was expected.
It was a deliberate move from Calla, pushing Emery to the sidelines and making her feel like a stranger in the room.
A wave of regret washed over Emery. With both Jaxon and Elliot so cold and indifferent, she wondered why she had bothered to come at all.
Placing the container of chicken soup on the table, Emery spoke, her voice flat. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave.”
Her detachment only seemed to fuel Jaxon’s anger.
He jumped off the bed in a flash. “I don’t want your soup!”
His face flushed with frustration, leaving Emery momentarily speechless.
She had always taken such care of Jaxon. Since he was three, she had made it her mission to prepare nourishing soups for him every week. She’d adjusted recipes, added extra ingredients and even continued the ritual when she was sick herself.
But now, the little boy who used to smile and say, “Mommy’s the best!” after finishing his soup was gone. How had he turned into this ungrateful child?
Seeing Jaxon’s outburst, Calla quickly grabbed the thermos with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Well, since Jaxon doesn’t want it, Miss Carter can take it back. He’s not feeling well, after all. It’s only natural for children to be a little temperamental at times.”
She added, as if to ease the tension, “Don’t worry, Jaxon just had the Fish Tacos I made. I made sure he wouldn’t go hungry.”
Fish Tacos? The words hit Emery like a cold slap. Her gaze flicked to the empty bowl on the table and a chill ran through her.
Jaxon had always despised fish. The mere scent of it had been enough to send him running for the door. For years, Emery had never once served fish at the dinner table, even though it had been one of her favorites, all to avoid upsetting him.
Yet here he was, eating Fish Tacos made by Calla.
Emery’s mind raced. Was it the fish Jaxon hated, or had it always been her, the mother who had sacrificed so much for him?
Sensing the shift in the air, Calla pushed the thermos toward Emery again, her gesture seemingly innocent. But as Emery reached for it, Calla let go of the thermos too soon.
It tumbled to the floor, spilling the hot soup with a violent splash. Emery instinctively recoiled, narrowly avoiding the scalding liquid.
Calla didn’t miss a beat; her voice was smooth but biting. “Miss Carter, there was really no need to let go so suddenly, was there? If you didn’t want it, you could have just said so.”
Jaxon immediately sprang to his feet, his small body blocking Calla like a fierce little protector. “Don’t bully Auntie Calla! If you keep doing that, I’ll tell Daddy to divorce you!”
The word divorce fell from his lips with a surprising force and Calla couldn’t hide the smirk that tugged at her mouth.
Emery didn’t even flinch at the spectacle. She knew the game Calla played all too well and had no interest in being part of it. Without a word, she turned and walked out of the ward, her steps steady, refusing to look back.
But Calla, never one to let an opportunity slip, followed her into the corridor. She blocked Emery’s path with a sly smile.
“Seeing Mr. Carter and Jaxon both on my side must sting, doesn’t it? A smart woman knows when to let go. Clinging to the title of Mrs. Carter isn’t always as glamorous as it seems.”
She leaned in, voice dripping with malice. “Let me tell you something. I knew Jaxon was allergic to mangoes. I just wanted to see if Mr. Carter would blame me for something so trivial.”
The words hit Emery like a slap in the face. She couldn’t believe Calla would go so far as to risk a child’s health to test Elliot’s loyalty. Her composure, always so steady, shattered in an instant. Without thinking, she slapped Calla across the face, the sound ringing in the quiet hall.
“Do you know a severe allergic reaction could be fatal?! A human life isn’t a game to play with!”
Calla’s eyes widened, shock flickering across her face. “What’s wrong with you?!”
Before Emery could say another word, Elliot’s enraged voice echoed through the corridor, booming like thunder. “What’s going on here?”
He stormed toward them, his arrival timed to perfection, as always.
