My Son Called Another Woman Mom, So I Walked Away for Good Chapter 01

My Son Called Another Woman Mom, So I Walked Away for Good Chapter 01

After my son spent most of summer break “studying” at his 

classmate’s house, his scores shot up on his first quiz back at school. 

To thank the other family, I bought a gift and handed it to his 

classmate’s mother at a parent–teacher conference. 

She stared at me in confusion. 

“Studying? Kellan never came over. We spent the whole summer in Switzerland.” 

My smile froze. 

When I got home, I asked Kellan where he had actually been going all summer. 

He immediately lost his temper and slammed his bedroom door. 

“Why do you care? You’re the one always telling me to study harder. 

I got good grades. Isn’t that what you wanted?” 

A second later, I noticed an essay lying on his desk. 

The assignment was titled The Person I’m Most Thankful For. 

His title was My Mom. 

Warmth flickered through me. 

Then I started reading. 

In the essay. “Mom” had spent the entire summer helping him study. 

“Mom” loved wearing white dresses. I never wore white because I was always cooking or cleaning. 

Right before school started, the three of them had even taken a trip together. 

The dates matched the exact days my husband had claimed he was away on business. 

I stared at the A+ essay until everything finally clicked. 

Cormac had lied to me. 

And somewhere along the way, our son had learned to lie too. 

They hadn’t just built a second home behind my back. 

Kellan had started loving the woman in that home as his new mother. 

That evening, after dinner, Kellan announced he was going out to “study” again. 

Cormac immediately offered to drive him, saying he needed to stop by the office anyway. 

I smiled and nodded. 

If that other home was so wonderful, they could stay there. 

Starting tonight, neither of them needed to come back. 

After Cormac left with Kellan, I didn’t ask another question. 

I carried the dishes into the kitchen, washed them, then wiped down the stove. 

I let the rush of water fill the kitchen while I tried to breathe through the tightness in my chest. 

When I finished, I sat alone in the living room and video–called my parents. 

Mom was making chicken pot pie when she answered. 

The moment she saw me, she paused. 

I stayed quiet for a few seconds before asking softly, “Mom, you 

know how you said you could help me move to Montclaire… is that still an option?” 

“Of course. If you want to come to Montclaire, your father and I will help you get settled.” 

I smiled and ended the call without explaining why. 

Almost immediately, Cormac called. 

“Something came up at work. I won’t be home tonight. Kellan’s staying at his classmate’s place after studying, and I’ll drop him at school in the morning.” 

“Where?” 

He hesitated before giving me the name of an apartment complex. It was the same place Ke lan’s classmate’s mother had told me he’d never been. 

I held the phone loosely. 

“Got it.” 

Maybe I sounded too calr, because he suddenly seemed uneasy. 

“Don’t overthink it. I’ll come home when I’m done.” 

I hung up without answering. 

Then I changed the smait–lock PIN and removed both of their fingerprints from the system. 

Later, I pulled up our sunimer expenses. 

Kellan had barely used h s school meal account. 

Our water and electricity bills were much lower than the same period last year. 

And every one of Cormac’s so–called business trips lined up perfectly with the “family trips‘ described in Kellan’s essay. 

My phone lit up. 

Cormac had texted me. 

[Don’t wait up. Go to bed early.] 

I replied with one word. 

[Okay.] 

A little after eleven, the tutoring center uploaded class photos to its parent portal. 

Kellan wasn’t in any of them. 

Then I zoomed in on the reflection in a glass door. 

In the reflection, a woman in a white dress was walking out hand in 

hand with a boy while Cormac stayed beside them. The boy had 

Kellan’s backpack slung (ver his shoulder. 

My fingers tightened around my phone. 

Early the next morning, someone pounded on the front door. 

Cormac sounded furious. 

“Briar, what the hell is this? Open the door. The neighbors are staring.” 

Kellan joined in. 

“Mom, I’m going to be late for school!” 

Then, impatiently, “Can you stop being dramatic?” 

I stood behind the door and listened. 

For years, I had made breakfast every morning and waited up every night. 

Yet the one time I closed a door on them. I was suddenly unreasonable. 

I opened it. 

Cormac walked in with a dark expression. 

“Why did you change the code?” 

I looked at him. 

“From now on, you don’t need to tell me whether you’re coming home.” 

He stared at me as if he hadn’t heard correctly. 

“What?” 

I picked up my purse. 

“I have an interview. 

Kellan frowned. 

“Interview for what?” 

“A job.” 

Cormac almost laughed. 

“You haven’t worked in five years. Who’s going to hire you?” 

I met his eyes. 

“Maybe no one. But that’s still better than spending the rest of my life asking you for money.” 

His face hardened. 

“You’re doing this out of spite.” 

“No.” 

I reached the door, then ooked back at them. 

“Kellan’s old enough to manage without me hovering over him. And 

apparently, you already have someone else taking care of you.” 

Cormac frowned. 

“Briar, are you done with this tantrum yet?” 

“I’m not throwing a tantrum.” 

I opened the door. 

“I’m just done having to clepend on you for every dollar I spend.” 

This time, he didn’t follow me.