When I filed for divorce, Oscar Astor remained as indifferent as ever. He turned his face away, his tone flat. “Do as you wish. You can keep Nora with you. I do not want her.” My heart felt like it had turned to ash. Just as I was about to sign my name, a stream of comments appeared before my eyes. [Kathy, do not sign! He may look calm and unbothered, but inside, he is dying. Look, he cannot even bring himself to look at you.] [He is giving up custody not because he does not care, but because he does not want to make you suffer. It has nothing to do with that woman.] [My heart aches for Oscar. Just because he is naturally reserved, he is going to lose the woman he loves the most.] My pen hesitated while writing. I snapped back to reality after reading those few lines. Lifting my head, I studied Oscar. Under the dim yellow light, his sharp profile remained as distant as ever, as if divorce were nothing more than a trivial matter. I couldn’t find a single flaw, so I took the initiative to speak, “Don’t you have anything to explain?” Oscar turned away, rubbing his temples. “What more do you want from me?” He let out a long sigh, as though I were the one being unreasonable. A dull ache spread in my chest. Forcing a weak smile, I was about to respond when his phone rang abruptly. The room was quiet enough for me to hear Carol’s tearful voice clearly. “Oscar, Mila has a high fever. What should I do?” This was the 33rd time. Carol’s excuses for calling him were always the same: something broke, her daughter was sick, or their house had been burglarized. My lips curled into a cold smirk, unsurprised to hear her excuse again. Oscar said, “Kathy.” I turned my head to look at him. At some point, Oscar had already ended the call. He stood there with his lips pressed together and stared at me. “There’s nothing as dirty between us as you think.” With that, he slammed the door, leaving with a hint of restrained anger. So that was his explanation? I lowered my gaze. How utterly unconvincing. But the online comments didn’t see it that way. [Oh, Oscar must be heartbroken because Kathy doesn’t trust him.] [He only takes care of that woman out of gratitude. Can’t Kathy be a little more understanding?] [Great, now Kathy has pushed him further toward the other woman again.] Frustration welled up in my chest, making it hard for me to breathe. I felt trapped, unable to move forward or back. Carol Wilson was the daughter of Oscar’s late mentor. Ever since her father passed away six months ago, she had returned to the country with her daughter, Mila. And from that point on, Oscar and I had been caught in an inexplicable cycle of cold wars. Our five-year-old daughter, Nora Astor, had been affected by the tense atmosphere at home, waking up crying from nightmares night after night. I had read online that a couple’s relationship directly impacts their children’s mental health. So, I chose to take the first step toward reconciliation. I brought a pot of soup to Oscar’s office, only to walk in on Carol already inside. “I’m married,” he said. “So what?” Carol’s eyes were red as she wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. “I know you’ve only ever cared about Kathy,” she choked out. “But I don’t have a father anymore… Can you give me just a little bit of the love you have for her? Just a little is enough.” Oscar fell silent. He didn’t say a word for a long time. At that moment, my hands trembled so much that I nearly dropped the lunchbox. There had always been countless girls who liked Oscar. But he was naturally indifferent, rejecting others with clean precision, never leading them on. So his silence now was nothing short of acquiescence. And for the first time, I realized that, to Oscar, there was now another exception besides me. That was why Carol had the audacity to throw me that blatantly provocative smile.
“Mommy, when will Daddy be back? I want to go to the amusement park soon!” Fresh out of school, Nora broke free from Mary’s hand and ran toward me. I snapped out of my thoughts and quickly caught her. It was only then that I remembered today was our family day. Oscar’s childhood had not been a happy one. His father was a violent gambler, while his mother was weak and timid, shaping him into the distant and indifferent person he was. On the day Nora was born, he had held her carefully in his arms, fearful yet gentle, his eyes so full of tenderness that it was almost overwhelming. “Kathy, I would be willing to die right now if it meant keeping this moment forever!” Oscar had grown up in an empty and lonely childhood, and he was determined not to let his child go through the same thing. That was why he personally established this family outing day. Every year, on November 1st, we would put everything aside and take Nora to the theme park. Even as she grew older and his business empire expanded, he had never missed it. I had not even answered Nora yet when she eagerly tapped on her smartwatch, starting a video call with Oscar. Then, she lifted her wrist high and pleaded with me, “Mommy, please ask Daddy for me!” Her expression was pitiful, making her look even more adorable. For some reason, Nora was never very close to Oscar. Perhaps in Nora’s heart, a father who was often absent naturally felt distant. I chuckled and took the watch, about to tease her when the call connected. The next second, a large, curious face filled the screen. It was Mila. My smile froze. “What did Daddy say?” Nora noticed my sudden stillness and leaned forward, trying to get a better look at the screen. Almost instinctively, I ended the call. Calmly, I placed the watch down, bent down, and patted her head. “Daddy is still busy. Today, Mommy and Mary will take you instead.” “Oh… Okay…” Nora lowered her head, looking a little disappointed. But being the sensible child she was, she did not throw a tantrum and obediently followed Mary upstairs to change. Once she was out of sight, I turned and continued packing the things we needed for the outing. As I reached for the three Halloween-themed family masks, my hand paused. After a brief hesitation, I took out the two smaller ones and put them in my bag. I casually tossed the black one into the trash. It would not be needed anyway. Oscar had always had a rigid sense of personal boundaries. He never let anyone touch his phone, not even his own daughter. When Nora was three, his phone rang while he was in the shower, and Nora picked it up, intending to hand it to him. Oscar flew into a rage. He scolded her harshly. Little Nora was terrified and cried so hard that she could barely breathe. In the past, Oscar would surrender the moment his daughter shed a tear. When I tried to intervene, he stopped me, his face stern as he declared, “Let her remember this lesson. She needs to understand what she is not allowed to touch.”
A child’s emotions were like a summer rainstorm, which was quick to arrive but just as quick to pass. At the theme park, Nora was so excited that she was like a wild horse set free. Despite the cold winter weather, she played until her face turned red and broke into a sweat. I rummaged through my bag and realized that we had finished all the warm water we had brought from home. “Let’s take a break,” I said, stopping Nora just as she was about to run toward the carousel for the eighth time. Holding her hand, I led her toward the convenience store. As we passed by a souvenir stall selling accessories, I glanced at it instinctively. Then, my footsteps came to a halt. Oscar was standing in front of the stall, one hand in his pocket, the other absentmindedly fiddling with a tiger-shaped mask. His expression was indifferent. Beside him stood Carol and Mila. Carol was bent over, adjusting a pumpkin hat on Mila’s head. Mila was excitedly gesturing, her cheeks flushed with joy, showing no signs of having a fever at all. She and Carol whispered something to each other, then both of them laughed with bright eyes. Even Oscar had a small smile. The bullet comments appeared again. [Oscar is smiling so gently. He must be thinking about the times he used to come here with Kathy and their daughter.] [The only person who can make him smile just by thinking about them is Kathy.] I ignored the comments and exchanged a glance with Mary, signaling her to take Nora another way. But before she could react, Nora had already spotted Oscar with her sharp eyes. “It’s Daddy!” she exclaimed. Oscar turned his head, and the moment he saw me, his lips immediately pressed into a thin line. [Haha, he is still sulking because Kathy brought up divorce this morning.] [He actually didn’t forget about family day. He agreed to come with Carol on purpose, hoping to run into Kathy. It is so heartbreaking how desperate he is!] [Yes! He has been waiting for her to call him all day, but when she didn’t. He had no choice but to come looking for her himself.] I had no time to pay attention to the comments because, at that moment, Nora had already broken free from Mary and was running toward Oscar. She grinned, thinking her father had come here to surprise her. But before she could reach him, Mila suddenly bumped into Nora and pushed her aside. Nora watched as Mila threw herself into Oscar’s arms and pointed at the pumpkin hat on her head. “Mr. Astor, I want this hat!” Nora stumbled and fell to the ground. Her eyes instantly turned red. In her memory, her father had never held any other child before. Her small body tensed up as she struggled to keep her tears from falling. “My daddy won’t buy it for you!” she declared. Nora got up, patted the dust off her clothes, and marched toward Mila, raising her voice. “You bumped into me! You need to apologize!” Mila huffed and lifted her chin. “Why should I? You weren’t looking where you were running! I didn’t even ask you to apologize to me, and who are you to decide what Mr. Astor buys? You are so rude!” Mila was about the same age as Nora but shorter, so she had to tilt her head up to glare at Nora. Nora was furious at her shamelessness. “It was obviously you—” “Apologize,” Oscar suddenly spoke. His voice was indifferent. Nora put her hands on her hips and swayed her head triumphantly. “Did you hear that? My dad told you to apolo—” “Nora, apologize!”
Oscar repeated coldly, his voice sharp. Nora’s eyes widened in disbelief, and tears instantly welled up. But she was strong-willed; she bit her lip stubbornly without giving in. Carol pulled Mila to her side and smiled in understanding, “Kids have tempers. It is normal. We are fine, really. You do not have to let this affect your relationship with your daughter.” Oscar did not respond. Instead, his brows furrowed even tighter, and his tone became even harsher. “Nora!” Nora trembled all over, and tears fell onto the ground. Oscar frowned, about to reprimand her further when I felt a sharp pang in my heart. I immediately rushed forward and shielded Nora. “Do you need me to apologize too?” Oscar’s furious gaze met my cold eyes. He froze. [Does Kathy think Oscar is standing up for Carol and Mila?] [Did Kathy forget that Oscar was badly bullied in high school? He just does not want his daughter to become someone weak like he was back then!] [Oscar may be scolding his daughter, but deep down, he feels sorry for her.] Ridiculous. The comments made me frown. I took Nora’s hand, ready to leave, but Carol stepped in our way. “Sorry, I did not know today was your family day. Mila kept insisting on coming here, and we are unfamiliar with this place, so we had no choice but to ask Oscar for help. Kathy, you are not mad about this, are you?” Her tone was full of apology, yet her eyes could not hide their smugness. “Yes,” I replied. “What?” Carol tilted her head in confusion. I curved my lips into a cold smile. “I am mad. So what now? Shouldn’t you apologize to me?” If she wanted to twist the truth, I could do the same. Carol had not expected me to be so direct. She stood there, momentarily stunned. “You…” “There is no need,” Oscar said flatly. “It has nothing to do with you.” His hands were in his pockets, but there was an unmistakable hint of amusement in his expression. [Kathy is jealous. Oscar is secretly pleased!] [Oh my god, this is too sweet!] [Oscar looks cold on the outside, but he is actually so sensitive. That is why he constantly needs reassurance of Kathy’s love. He is completely addicted to it.] I was so angry that I actually laughed. Ignoring Oscar, I walked straight up to Carol. In the midst of her shocked scream, I kicked her hard, sending her toppling to the ground. “Your daughter pushed my daughter. Returning this to you is reasonable, right?” Oscar was stunned by my sudden outburst. “Kathy?” I ignored him, picked up Nora, and walked away. He grabbed my wrist, his face dark with anger. “What are you doing? Apologize to them!” Without hesitation, I lifted my foot. The sharp heel of my shoe landed precisely on his toe. “You get lost too!”
Oscar walked through the door carrying a cake just as I finished putting down Nora’s backpack. Since that day, this was the first time he had come home. He did not look at me, only lifted the bag slightly in Nora’s direction. Little girls could never resist sweets. “Yay! It is from Cloud Dessert! My favorite!” As expected, Nora cheered in excitement and immediately followed Oscar into the dining room. [This is hilarious. Oscar originally refused to come home to punish Kathy, but in the end, he could not hold out himself.] [Oscar is not good with words, but this action is clearly his way of conceding to Kathy.] I thought for a moment but did not stop Nora from spending time with Oscar. After all, he was her biological father. He would not harm her. Turning around, I headed upstairs, planning to wash Nora’s school uniform. Just then, a voice message popped up. It was from the owner of Cloud Dessert. Because Nora loved their cakes, I often bought from them, and over time, I added the owner on WhatsApp. “Mrs. Astor, long time no see. I just wanted to check if you were satisfied with the two cakes Mr. Astor ordered today.” I froze. Oscar ordered two cakes? But he only brought back one. Cloud Dessert specialized in cartoon-themed cakes, and many parents usually ordered cakes for their children. The other cake must be ordered for Mila. The owner continued introducing the cake. “This is a new product from our store. It is made with a special cream, tastes better than before, and for the first time, we have added a whole pound of mango in the filling. If you are satisfied…” Mango? My expression changed, and I hurriedly asked, “It contains mango?” “Yes, and Mr. Astor was aware of that. He…” The moment I received confirmation, I dropped my phone without hesitation and rushed downstairs in a panic. Oscar was no longer in the dining room. On the table, the cake was nearly finished, only a small portion left. Nora was scratching her face. When she saw me, she immediately pouted. “Mommy, I feel really bad.” Her whole body was covered in red rashes, and blisters had already formed around her mouth. As soon as she finished speaking, she collapsed straight onto the floor with a loud thud. My vision went black, and my mind went blank. Like a madwoman, I grabbed my daughter and ran to the hospital. It was only when I saw the doctor administering her anti-allergy treatment that my legs gave out, and I sank to the floor. Mary arrived shortly after, bringing a change of clothes for Nora and a pair of shoes for me. Only then did I belatedly look down. I had not even been wearing shoes. No wonder people had been giving me strange looks on the way here. I let out a bitter laugh. I had been so terrified. When Nora was two, Oscar once fed her with a piece of mango, not knowing she was allergic. It had sent her straight into the emergency room. That was when we first discovered that Nora had a severe mango allergy, so severe that it could trigger anaphylactic shock. Back then, Oscar was overwhelmed with guilt. He had even warned Mary sternly, “From now on, I do not want to see mango in this house. If you cannot remember that, then do not work here anymore.” I looked out the window. Dark clouds devoured the blue sky. Waves of black rolled and churned, piling upon each other. It was so heavy that I could not breathe.
As I stepped out of the hospital room, Oscar arrived. His usually neat hair was slightly disheveled, likely from rushing over. Seeing me, he quickly strode forward. “Kathy, what—” “Where were you? Why didn’t you answer your phone?” I cut him off, my tone cold and sharp. From the moment Nora had the allergic reaction until now, I had called him countless times. He had not picked up a single one. “Mila had another high fever. Carol asked me to take her to the hospital. My phone battery died, so I did not get your calls. I am sorry.” Oscar’s expression remained indifferent, as if he were merely stating a fact. I studied his face for a moment before letting out a cold laugh. “Do you even know why you are here?” “I heard Mary had an accident,” he replied slowly, his voice devoid of any emotion. I scoffed in disbelief before speaking, “Your daughter went into shock after eating the mango cake.” His eyes widened in shock. “Yes,” I said icily. “The very cake you specially bought for her.” Suddenly, I remembered what the owner of Cloud Dessert had said yesterday. She had mentioned, “At the time, Mr. Astor even replied, ‘Perfect, the kids love mango-flavored cake.’” I took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eye. “Do you have anything to explain this time?” Oscar visibly froze. For a moment, he seemed at a loss for words. Then, in a panic, he reached for my hand. “I was careless. I did not mean to…” He abruptly stopped, as if unable to find a reasonable excuse for himself. Awkwardly, he changed the subject. “How is Nora? She must have been crying and asking for me. I will go in and see her—” He turned to walk toward the hospital room. I shouted, “You are not worthy!” Oscar stopped in his tracks. “Let’s get a divorce, Oscar.” At this moment, I felt nothing but absolute calm. [No, Kathy, do not be impulsive!] [Oscar is just naturally quiet. He does not know how to express himself, but that does not mean he does not love you.] [What is Kathy doing? Nora is fine now. She is his salvation, why does she not understand that?] [Oscar will never refuse. No matter how unwilling he is, as long as Kathy asks, he will do it.]
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