Elizabeth let out a dry laugh.
“Keep your hands off my photo!”
The second Baker walked in with Sam, the boy spotted the picture in Elizabeth’s hand and shot toward her like a little rocket. He snatched the photo and pressed it tightly against his chest.
Elizabeth’s face went pale. Her fingers twitched, almost involuntarily.
“You’re a terrible mom! You can’t even stand Auntie Zahra’s picture! Just like Dad said, you’re petty and unreasonable!”
Baker’s expression flickered, and he opened his mouth to scold Sam.
But Elizabeth cut him off. “If you’re free today, let’s get the divorce filing started before the family court clerk’s office closes.”
She laid out the divorce terms to Baker, matter-of-fact and cold.
Baker stayed silent for a long beat.
Sam, listening closely, shot a suspicious look between his parents. “Are you really going to divorce my dad?”
Elizabeth glanced down, a flicker of concern for Sam stirring in her chest. She wanted to comfort him.
The next second, Sam’s voice rang out, full of delight.
“Good! Then you can leave! I’m gonna tell Auntie Zahra! Maybe she can live with Dad and me instead!”
And just like that, he ran off to make the call, all too eager.
Elizabeth gave a bitter smile, her eyes slowly turning cold.
Finally, Baker spoke, his tone sharp with displeasure. “If you don’t want to take time off, I’ll arrange for Zahra to be transferred by tonight. Does that settle it?”
It took Elizabeth a second to grasp what he was getting at.
Did he actually think she was jealous?
She let out an incredulous laugh.
Seeing her reaction, Baker softened his voice. “Zahra just got back. She doesn’t have many friends or family here. I was only trying to help her—”
While Baker rambled on, patiently explaining himself, Elizabeth found every word grating on her nerves.
She asked, “If Zahra only recently came back, why is Sam already so familiar with her?”
It hit her then—Baker had always assumed she was naive.
Elizabeth couldn’t be bothered to argue anymore. She pushed, “Just sign the papers. The sooner we divorce, the sooner you can be with her.”
Baker’s face hardened. “Must you be so relentless? I’ve told you, Zahra and I are in the past. No one can threaten your position. Why are you making such a fuss?”
Elizabeth, exasperated, threw out one last line. “If you won’t sign, then we’ll see each other in court.”
With that, she walked out.
Baker watched her leave, a tangled mess of emotions settling heavy in his chest.
He thought he’d compromised enough. For seven years, he’d been faithful, giving Elizabeth and Sam every material comfort and social standing. Sure, he hadn’t been around much because of work, but he figured she understood that.
He couldn’t wrap his head around why something as small as taking Zahra to the hospital had blown up like this.
Baker sipped his coffee, planning to sort things out with Elizabeth again later that night.
But when he went back into their bedroom, she wasn’t there. The room felt off, even though it was the same space. When he opened the wardrobe to grab his toiletries, he realized Elizabeth’s clothes were gone.
Was she planning to sleep in a separate room?
Anger flared up inside him, and he stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him.
Not long after, Sam’s cries echoed from the neighboring room, calling for his dad.
Instinctively, Elizabeth wanted to go comfort him, but she held herself back. From now on, he’d have to get used to life without her.
Sam cried his heart out.
Unable to sleep from the noise, Elizabeth went downstairs to get a glass of water.
She found Sam standing barefoot at the front door in his pajamas, sobbing. He’d never had the strongest immune system, and before, she would’ve been worried sick about him catching a cold after a night like this. But now, she pretended not to notice, drank her water, and headed back to her room.
Sam suddenly rushed over, grabbing at her sleeve.
“It’s your fault! You made Dad upset, that’s why he left me! Why are you so horrible? Why wasn’t it you who left? I hate you! Get out of me and Dad’s house!”
Elizabeth calmly pried his fingers off her sleeve and told him, “Funny enough, I don’t like you either. Call your father and tell him to sign the divorce papers, and I’ll congratulate you on getting a new mom you actually like.”
Sam stared at her, shocked, completely at a loss for words.
Elizabeth shut the door, went back to her room, and slept. She didn’t hear Sam’s voice again after that.
When she got up the next morning, Sam was gone—probably taken to school by the driver. Elizabeth didn’t ask. She headed to the hospital to turn in her resignation.
Dr. Gonzales looked at her with a conflicted expression. “Elizabeth, this is just a small issue. There’s no need to make such a big deal out of it. If you’re uncomfortable, you could always take a leave.”
Elizabeth came from a family of doctors, practically raised around medicine. She’d quickly become a nationally respected surgeon specializing in neurotrauma and complex emergency care, and the hospital was not about to lose a doctor of her caliber.
But Elizabeth insisted on resigning.
It wasn’t about the hospital. She simply didn’t want any ties left to Baker.
In the end, Dr. Gonzales didn’t accept her resignation. Instead, he gave her a month to think it over.
Elizabeth couldn’t understand why everyone assumed she was acting on impulse whenever she brought up divorce.
Baker might have been a high-status, good-looking man, but if he didn’t love her, what was the point of staying tied to him?
Leaving him would only mean a better life for her.
But clearly, nobody believed that.
As she packed her things in her office, she passed by Zahra’s room and overheard voices.
“Baker, is Dr. Boyd still upset? Did you explain things to her?” Zahra’s apologetic voice trailed out. “Sam called me yesterday, saying you’re getting divorced. I’ve been feeling guilty ever since.”
Baker’s face was gloomy.
“Maybe I should talk to Dr. Boyd. You two can’t get divorced. Otherwise, it would all be my fault.” Zahra looked helpless, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have called you—”
“It’s not Auntie Zahra’s fault at all!”
“Dad, you should divorce Mom! I don’t want to stay with her. I want to live with you and Auntie Zahra!”
Elizabeth noticed Sam wasn’t at school after all.
Hearing his words, though, gave her a strange sense of relief.
Giving up custody of Sam had been weighing on her—she’d worried about leaving a negative mark on him. After all, he was her own flesh and blood, and she did care about him.
But now, it didn’t seem so bad.
She pushed the door open and asked, “Have you all decided? When can we finalize the paperwork?”
“You eavesdropped on us?” Baker’s voice rose with anger. Elizabeth merely smirked coldly. “You’re all loud enough. Hardly counts as eavesdropping. Baker, your reluctance to sign the papers—could it be that you’re not willing to let me go?”
She turned to Zahra with amusement. “Seems like you’re not charming enough, Miss Thomas.”
Zahra’s face froze.
Then tears started falling as she spoke. “Dr. Boyd, you misunderstood. There’s nothing between Baker and me… He hasn’t wronged you. And as for Sam—”
She looked on the verge of breaking down. “Dr. Boyd, shouldn’t you also reflect on why Baker and Sam aren’t fond of you? With such a good husband and son… if it were me…”
Zahra looked like a delicate flower, gazing at Baker with deep affection.
Elizabeth gave a dry smile. “As long as they like you, that’s enough. If he tried to hold on to both of us, he’d just be a two-timing hypocrite. But Miss Thomas, there’s something I’m curious about,” Elizabeth said with a cold, mocking smile, “If there’s nothing between you two, why would my son want you, a stranger, to be his mom? And ever since you came back, my husband’s late nights out have only increased. So tell me—where has he been staying?”
