My Son Called Another Woman Mom, So I Walked Away for Good Chapter 02

My Son Called Another Woman Mom, So I Walked Away for Good Chapter 02

I went to the mall to buy something for my interview. 

For years, I had barely bought anything for myself. 

Cormac’s shirts got more expensive every season, and Kellan always 

seemed to need a new pair of sneakers. 

I kept telling myself I could wait. 

A sales associate brought me a pale pantsuit. 

When I stepped out of the fitting room and looked in the mirror, I barely recognized the wo man staring back at me. 

So I could still look like someone who belonged somewhere other than a kitchen. 

At checkout, the cashier ran my card, then paused. 

I’m sorry, ma’am. This card is no longer active.” 

I blinked 

“Deactivated?” 

“It looks like you’re no longer an authorized user on the account.” 

Heat rushed into my face. 

Then a soft female voice came from behind me. 

“Do you still want the suit?” 

I turned. 

A woman in a white dress stood a few feet away. 

I recognized her immediately. 

Cambria Locke. 

Cormac’s first love. The woman he had once claimed he hadn’t spoken to in years. 

She walked up to the reg ster and handed the cashier a card. 

“Use this one.” 

When the receipt printed, I caught the last four digits of the card. 

They were the same ones I knew from Cormac’s card. 

I stood there, strangely calm. 

So he had removed me from the account and added her instead. 

Cambria picked up the shopping bag and looked at me with a faint smile. 

“Ms. Ellison?” 

I said nothing. 

She seemed to remembe: something. 

“Cormac’s mentioned you. He said you take really good care of him and Kellan.” 

I glanced at the bag in her hand. 

“He’s mentioned you too. 

Her smile stiffened. 

I turned and left. 

Outside the mall, I called the card issuer. 

The representative confirmed that I had been removed from the 

account two weeks earlier, the day before Kellan went back to school. 

My phone buzzed. 

A text from my son. 

[Mom, can you make honey BBQ ribs tonight?] 

I stared at it for a long time before replying. 

[Ask your dad.] 

Cormac called almost immediately. 

“What’s that supposed to mean? Kellan wants you to make ribs tonight.” 

I stood at the bus stop, watching traffic pass. 

‘Doesn’t he prefer having someone else take care of him?” 

Silence. 

“Who told you that?” 

“No one.” 

I looked up as my bus approached. 

“I’m not coming home to cook tonight.” 

His tone hardened. 

“Don’t take this out on the kid.” 

I hung up. 

That night, I ate a simple bowl of pasta by myself. 

When I got home, the living room lights were still on. Takeout 

containers covered the dining table. 

Kellan sat on the couch and frowned when he saw me. 

“You really didn’t cook?” 

“You already ate.” 

“The takeout was disgusting.” 

“Tell your dad to order something better next time.” 

Cormac walked out of his home office. 

“Where were you today?” 

“I had an interview. Then I went shopping.” 

His gaze dropped to my empty hands. 

“Where are the clothes?” 

I smiled. 

“Apparently, someone else has access to the account now.” 

His face changed instant y. 

Kellan glanced at him, then quickly looked away. 

The last tiny piece of doubt inside me disappeared. 

He knew too. 

Cormac stepped closer. 

“Briar, I can explain what happened with the account.” 

I moved away from his hand. 

“Don’t.” 

“What do you want from me?” 

“Nothing.” 

I looked at the takeout boxes. 

“From now on, what you eat, where you go, and who you see are none of my business.” 

Kellan slammed his fork onto the table. 

“Why are you acting like this?” 

I turned to him. 

“What was the point of lying to me all summer?‘ 

He went silent. 

I didn’t look at either of them again. 

I walked into the bedrooin and shut the door. 

From that day on, I stopped making breakfast. 

By the third morning. Kellan finally snapped. 

“Mom, enough already.” 

I was putting on my shoes. 

“I have another interview.” 

He stood in his doorway with messy hair and a scowl. 

“What am I supposed to eat for lunch?” 

I glanced at him. 

“Ask your dad.” 

Then I walked out without looking back.