Divorce Time

Chapter 2

He had completely forgotten it was Charlene’s birthday. Even though Charlene had braced herself for disappointment, she still couldn’t help but feel a sting of sadness.

After getting ready for the day, she was about to head downstairs when she heard Jasmine and their nanny, Latonia, chatting away.

“Is everything alright, sweetie? You seem a bit down,” Latonia inquired, concern lacing her voice.

Jasmine answered sadly, “I was really looking forward to hitting the beach with Ms. Hawkins tomorrow. Dad and I had everything planned. Now that Mom’s shown up out of nowhere, it’d be kind of awkward if she came with us. And Mom’s always so mean to Ms. Hawkins.”

Latonia said, “Honey, she’s your mom. You shouldn’t talk like that. It could hurt her feelings.”

“I know, but Dad and I like Ms. Hawkins more. Can’t I have Ms. Hawkins be my mom?”

Charlene couldn’t make out Latonia’s response after that. She had raised Jasmine with all the love a mother could give. Yet these past two years, the father–daughter bond had seemingly grown stronger with her husband, Thorne, spending more time with Jasmine. Thome had moved to Goldland last year to expand his business, and Jasmine insisted on going with him.

Charlene had hoped Jasmine would want to stay with her. But she couldn’t stand the

taken time off work to come

room, Charlene carefully repacked the gifts she had brought from

child out, telling Charlene to reach out if she needed

sense of emptiness. She had made this trip, leaving her job behind, only to realize only to

some time, she left the house and wandered through this land that was both foreign and

had made lunch plans with Thorne. Recalling the morning’s conversation, she hesitated on whether to go back and include her daughter when a message

come up. I need to

accustomed to this. To Thorne, work

Maybe it once did. But at the moment, Charlene felt

more lost. She had come all this way, eager and hopeful, only to be met with indifference from both her husband and her daughter.

to go to all the time. As she was about

bites of her pastry while Thorne looked on with affection, his attention

there was their daughter, born from Charlene’s flesh, enjoying the company of

woman.