When it came to our divorce, Daniel wanted custody of our son. My ex-husband said, “How about we ask him what *he* wants?” Lucas, my son, held his phone, calmly glancing at me. “Are you really going through with the divorce?” “Yes.” I nodded, firm in my decision. “Alright then.” Lucas, still engrossed in his game, casually spoke to Daniel. “I’m with Mom. But you need to give her more assets; I’m worried she won’t be able to afford me otherwise.” Daniel dragged Lucas into his study. I started to follow, worried, but the door slammed shut with a “bang” right in front of me. Daniel’s furious voice echoed from inside. “Lucas Miller, I’m asking you one more time, are you really sticking with your mom? Don’t say I didn’t warn you, your mom’s just a homemaker. Do you seriously think she can take care of you?” Lucas’s indifferent voice replied, “Dad, honestly, it doesn’t really matter who I live with. The main thing is, Chloe Johnson is pregnant with my little brother. If I stayed with you, I’d just be afraid of upsetting her.” Having his dirty laundry aired by his own son, even Daniel, with all his nerve, probably felt a little flustered. The voices inside quieted down. I couldn’t make out what they said next, reaching up to wipe my tears, only for more to stream down. I don’t know how long passed, but the study door reopened. Daniel walked up to me, and seeing me hunched over, crying, he seemed to feel a flicker of remorse. He handed me a tissue and slowly said, “Lucas will stay with you.” I lifted my tear-streaked face. My ex-husband continued, “The car and the house are yours, plus five hundred thousand dollars. If you agree, we can file the papers tomorrow.” I stared at him blankly. To be honest, I was the one who pushed for the divorce. But when it came to the actual divorce settlement, I hadn’t the faintest clue. “Don’t give her the car.” Lucas suddenly spoke up. I snapped back to reality, a bitter laugh catching in my throat. Of course, the father-son bond ran deep; he was clearly siding with his dad. But then he continued, “Seriously, Mom’s driving? She’d either never use it, or she’d cause an accident. Let’s just cash it out. “Your car must be worth seven or eight hundred thousand, minimum. So, a hundred thousand on top of the house, I think that’s fair.” Daniel’s gaze turned heavy as he looked at Lucas. Lucas shrugged indifferently. Daniel looked away. “Alright, we’ll do that. Tomorrow at nine, meet at the divorce attorney’s office.” The front door closed. My heart clenched with it. Daniel was gone, likely never to return. We had been together since college. Our young love, so genuine, so pure. I thought we’d grow old together. But somehow, we’d ended up like this. “Mom.” Lucas’s voice pulled me back from my sadness. “I’m hungry. Did you make dinner?” I quickly got up, wiping away my tears. “I’ll go buy groceries right now.” A hint of grievance crept into his voice. “Mom, you’re about to have a million dollars. Can’t you just treat me to a big dinner out?” I took Lucas to the barbecue joint downstairs. He handed me a large piece of beef. “Mom, it’s an all-you-can-eat buffet. You gotta eat a lot to get your money’s worth.” “Oh.” I took it and put it in my mouth, finding it tasteless, unable to swallow. I thought of all the online articles about how divorce traumatizes children. I carefully began, “Son, even though your dad and I are getting divorced, he’s still your father. I might hate him, but you don’t have to.” “I don’t hate him.” He flipped a chicken wing. “You shouldn’t hate him either. Hating someone is exhausting.” He sat across from me, and through the rising smoke, I could barely make out his face.
The next morning, I was sitting on the edge of my bed, lost in thought, when Lucas knocked on my door. “Mom, time to go. Let’s get moving.” I jolted awake. Why did it feel like he was more eager for our divorce than his own father? I opened the door, looking at him suspiciously. “Why aren’t you at school yet?” He gave me a complex look. “Mom, summer break started today.” I’d been so out of it for the past month that I’d even forgotten his vacation. Guiltily, I straightened his collar. “I’m sorry, son.” He tilted his head and smiled. “If you’re really feeling guilty, why not take me on a trip? Let’s go to the beach, scuba diving, eat seafood.” He made a ‘V’ sign with his fingers. “Sounds good.” I couldn’t help but smile too. Some of the gloom in my heart seemed to dissipate. Chloe Johnson arrived with Daniel. Not even divorced yet, and she was already so eager to stake her claim? Lucas greeted her proactively. “Well, hello, Ms. Johnson, braving this heat to tag along? Be careful, you might melt my little brother.” “You—” Chloe glared at him, annoyed, twisting her body as if seeking Daniel’s support. Lucas quickly clarified, “Dad, I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s forty degrees out; I’m genuinely worried about my little brother.” Daniel’s face was grim as he told Chloe, “Go wait in the car; don’t come inside.” We submitted the divorce registration application. Daniel pulled up in his car and called out to us. “I’ll give you a ride home.” I was about to refuse when Lucas darted forward and opened the car door. “Mom, hurry up! I’m melting!” I had no choice but to follow him into the car. We sat in the back, while Chloe occupied the familiar passenger seat in front. She tugged on Daniel’s arm, saying sweetly, “Honey, where should we go celebrate later?” Lucas leaned forward. “Chicken Little Chloe, how about that restaurant? Dad loves their food the most. He used to take Mom and me there whenever something good happened.” In the rearview mirror, I saw Chloe’s face fall considerably. It wasn’t very kind of me, but I secretly felt a little pleased. Lucas leaned back, continuing his assault. “Mom, where are we going for our trip? Maybe not the beach; how about Hawaii? They say it’s where people go for new experiences, maybe even find a rebound.” Daniel’s expression also soured. “Planning a trip?” He glanced at me in the rearview mirror. “Yes.” I didn’t want to talk to him, so I turned to look out the window. “It’s good to get away and clear your head.” He spoke to himself. “But Hawaii isn’t that special. How about the Maldives? I have a friend who owns a resort in Haikou Bay.” Lucas leaned forward again. “Oh, cool, Dad, can we get a discount? With our resemblance, your friend will recognize us right away, won’t he?” Daniel chuckled, reaching back to pat Lucas’s head. “You’re my son, of course, it won’t be a problem.” They interacted intimately, completely missing Chloe’s stormy face.
Lucas and I did end up going to the Maldives. He was incredibly excited, making three full pages of travel plans. I didn’t want to be a spoilsport, so I tried to keep my spirits up and accompany him. Thirteen or fourteen-year-old boys are full of energy. During the day, I’d go skydiving, surfing, and scuba diving with him, and at night, I’d have to accompany him to the night market to catch hermit crabs. After a whole day, my body felt like it was falling apart. I’d hit the bed and fall asleep instantly, not even having time to feel sad about the divorce. When we returned from the Maldives, I originally wanted to get some good rest. But then Lucas started criticizing my cooking. “Mom, your food isn’t bad, it’s just… lacking variety.” I glared at him. “You’ve been eating my cooking for years, and now you’re complaining?” He scratched his head, chuckling. “It’s not complaining, exactly. Just a little bored. If you could add more variety, I swear I’d grow to six feet three.” “Get out of here.” I playfully slapped his face, laughing. After all these days, I finally understood. This kid was finding every possible way to keep me busy, just so I wouldn’t have time to be sad. My judgment in choosing a husband might have been terrible, but the child I bore was a treasure. What was there to be sad about anymore? I decided to look for a job. Although Daniel had promised me a million dollars and committed to timely monthly child support payments. A million dollars, once you start spending it, isn’t actually that much. Lucas’s various extracurricular classes alone cost nearly two hundred thousand a year. Not to mention daily expenses. If I just stayed at home, my savings would be depleted in no time. After being a homemaker for over a decade, my work skills were almost nonexistent. I thought I’d start with something easy to learn and manageable, then switch to something better once I gained some experience. I shared my idea with Lucas. After all, if I went back to work, I might not have as much time to take care of him. He thought for a moment, then said, “Of course I support you working, Mom. But finding a job is like finding a partner; you need to think it through before you act.” Hearing his little adult talk, I burst out laughing, unable to resist teasing him. “Have you ever looked for a partner, for them to be the same?” He argued earnestly, “Well, if you just settle for the first one you find, and then you meet someone better, would you break up, or just keep dragging it out?” I thought about it, and he had a point. If I just took any job, and then a better opportunity came along, taking time off for interviews and such would be a hassle. Lucas continued, “Finding a job isn’t urgent, but something else is.” “What is it?” I asked him. “Cancel my training classes.” “No!” I refused him flatly. “Mom!” he wailed. “Learning so many talents every day, I’m your son, not a slave.” After friendly negotiation, we decided to cancel the equestrian and fencing classes. For now, we kept cello and rugby. Our lives slowly settled into a routine. That day, I was ordering something from a link my best friend, Brooke, had sent me. Lucas leaned over and watched for a while, then suddenly asked, “Can Brooke make money doing this?” “Yeah, pretty well.” I answered casually, still processing my payment. He tugged my hand, his big eyes sparkling as he looked at me. “Mom, I think you’d be really good at this.” My heart fluttered. Brooke always had a keen eye; she’d done very well in e-commerce years ago. This time, she’d moved into a newly launched community group-buying platform. While it didn’t have many users yet, the shopping process was convenient, and the distribution channels were flexible. Its development prospects looked promising. Most importantly, it had a one-click reselling feature, so I wouldn’t have to worry about sourcing products—perfect for a beginner like me. “Alright, I’ll go ask Brooke about it.” If there was one thing I gained from fifteen years as a homemaker, it was my purchasing skills. I’m a bit picky; when I buy things, I not only look at the price but also demand high quality. I often compare three different options and do thorough research. So, my friends always came to me for recommendations. As Lucas said, doing something like this platform truly suited me. With Brooke’s help, my online shop was quickly set up. I was very strict about the quality of the products I resold; I had to try them myself and approve them before listing. So, although I didn’t make a lot of money at first, I quickly built up a loyal following. Almost a month passed in the blink of an eye. Daniel suddenly showed up at my door. He said he wanted to withdraw the divorce registration application.
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