The Unveiled Rose

At the preschool, the teacher stepped in to clear up the confusion, "This is Joyce's mom. She's here to drop off Joyce. Don't get it mixed up." "No way!" Nigel protested without a second thought. "She's clearly my mom!"

"Stop claiming relatives out of the blue," I interjected. "I've never had a son like you."

Nigel was taken aback.

The teacher also tried to remind him, "Remember, last time she came to pick you up, you said you didn't recognize her."

How come today, he suddenly claimed her as his mom?

Weird.

Nigel saw me get into the car without a backward glance and couldn't hide his glee.

Mom really doesn't want him anymore! That means he can happily live with Luna from now on!

His initial displeasure at seeing me vanished, replaced by sheer joy.

Fantastic! He was finally rid of the annoying mom!

Nigel, thrilled, dashed toward his classroom.

Joyce watched his retreating back and huffed in annoyance.

What an idiot. He doesn't know what a great mom he's missing out on!

...

The driver was on the move.

Reuben and I, sitting in the backseat, exchanged looks. He eyed me curiously, making me uncomfortable.

"Are you wondering why I'm so cold towards Nigel?"

Reuben didn't deny it. "He's your biological son."

That's when it hit me. Reuben was the first to find me after I fell down the stairs, so he didn't know the full story...

My voice was as cold as ice, "Luna had tampered with the staircase beforehand. Nigel saw me fall but chose to ignore me and ran off... And he did it because he hoped his dad and I would divorce... So their family of four could live happily ever after." I turned to Reuben and he looked incredulous.

I understood his disbelief. "At the time, I couldn't believe it myself. My own child, whom I cared for dearly, could treat me this way. My patience only led to this painful outcome. Now, I have no feelings left for them."

I figured I couldn't keep it from Reuben forever.

So, I decided to tell him everything. "There's always the shadow of the child that never was lingering between us. Although I chose divorce, it doesn't mean I'll just let this matter slide. But if you prefer Joyce's mom to be a saintly figure, feel free to let me go." Reuben was silent for a long while before speaking, "I was just thinking if the same thing happened to me, my reaction would probably be even more extreme."

He actually understood me.

That was unexpected.

"As long as what you do doesn't affect your care for Joyce," Reuben seemed indifferent about my plans, "then do as you please."

After a long silence, I finally spoke, "Don't worry, I won't drag Joyce into this mess."

Reuben nonchalantly replied, "Then there's no problem."

As the car passed by the hospital, I quickly said, "Stop here. I need to get off!"

The driver braked immediately.

After getting out, I closed the door and told Reuben, "You guys go ahead. I have some things to take care of."

Although Reuben didn't know what I was up to, he didn't ask and instructed the driver to leave.

Taking a deep breath, I strode into the hospital.

This is where it all happened...Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

I needed to check if there were any security cameras in the hospital.

Or perhaps someone who might have passed by and heard my conversation with Nigel.