Chapter 3

3

Then came Luna's voice. "Lennon? Who are you talking to?"

Panic flashed in Lennon's eyes, but he had no choice but to turn around slowly.

Luna saw me and looked genuinely surprised. "Ms. Holloway? You know Lennon?"

Lennon looked back at me and shook his head frantically, begging me with his eyes to stay quiet.

He walked over to Luna and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Luna, why didn't you tell me you were transferring Cece to a new school?"

"I knew you were busy, honey. I didn't want to bother you with small details."

Luna leaned into him with a smile, but she quickly returned to the previous topic.

"Do you two know each other? You didn't mention Ms. Holloway this afternoon."

Lennon scrambled for an excuse. "We were just classmates. We saw each other a few times in college. I doubt she even remembers me."

We did attend the same university.

But he was a year ahead of me, and we had never actually met back then.

Lennon stared at me, blinking rapidly.

Under his desperate gaze, I slowly let a smile spread across my face.

"Yeah. Lennon and I were just... classmates."

The moment I got home, I started packing.

I didn't finish until the early hours of the morning.

Looking at the home I had carefully decorated, I took a deep breath.

Luckily, my son was staying at my parents' place for a few days. He didn't have to see this.

As I went to grab my suitcase, the front door opened. Lennon walked in.

He froze when he saw the luggage. "Jenna, where are you going?"

"We never signed a marriage license, so we don't need a divorce. My son is on my registry, and he's staying with me."

"You bought this house, so I'm leaving it. I bought the car, so I'm taking it."

"We're done. Don't ever contact me again."

I tried to push past him, but Lennon grabbed me in a tight embrace.

He wrapped his arms around my waist and buried his face in my neck.

"Jenna, please believe me. I'm going to divorce her as soon as possible. You and Noah are the people I truly love."

I took a light sniff.

The scent on Lennon was the same perfume Luna had been wearing that afternoon.

And on his neck, there was a fresh hickey from his wife.

I pushed him away with all my strength. "I will never believe another word you say."

Lennon looked panicked, grabbing my hand with a pleading tone.

"Jenna, please. Back then, the Sterling family was falling apart. I only married Luna to get the investment from her family."

"So many people were depending on me. I couldn't be selfish. But I don't love her."

"I've never been happy with Luna. It wasn't until I met you that I knew what love felt like."

"I've been working so hard all these years for our future. Just wait a little longer. I'll divorce her soon."

Hearing his explanation didn't move me at all.

Instead, I felt a chilling sense of desolation.

Lennon married Luna for money.

And now that he was done using her, he was ready to discard her just as easily.

What kind of man was he really?

I only hated myself for being so blind to his true nature.

That night, Lennon begged for forgiveness until dawn, but I still walked out with my suitcase.

The next morning, I dropped Noah off at preschool and went to work at the elementary school as usual.

At the school gates, Luna was just letting Cece out of her car.

Cece shyly greeted me with a "Good morning, Ms. Holloway."

Luna gave me a polite smile as she handed Cece over.

Looking at Cece, who looked so much like Noah's sister, I felt a bitter pang in my heart.

But the child was innocent. She was my student, and I wouldn't take my anger out on her.

Cece was a bit of an introvert.

To help her integrate, I sat her in the front row next to a more outgoing student.

By the end of the day, she didn't have any negative reactions and seemed to get along with her seatmate.

During pickup, Luna came to get her, and I mentioned the PTA meeting on Friday.

Luna looked hesitant. "I might have something going on that day. My husband is busy too."

I maintained a professional smile. "You're welcome to schedule a private meeting with me whenever you're free."

Luna thanked me and left with Cece.

I wandered the streets aimlessly for a while before going home.

As soon as I walked in, Noah ran up to me. "Mom, why isn't Dad home yet?"

My heart ached.

Noah was only four. I didn't know how to explain this to him.

I couldn't tell him that his father already had another family.

I blinked back tears and smiled. "Dad's on a business trip. He'll bring you a toy when he gets back, okay?"

Noah nodded happily. "Yay!"

On the day of the PTA meeting, I arrived early.

It was the first meeting of the semester, so most parents showed up ahead of time.

When the meeting started, Cece and her parents were still missing.

I assumed they weren't coming and stepped up to the podium to begin.

But a few minutes into my opening remarks, the door was pushed open.

I looked up and saw Lennon walking in.

Luna was right beside him, her arm linked with his. Lennon was holding Cece's hand.

Cece saw me and excitedly pulled Lennon toward the front. "Ms. Holloway, this is my daddy!"

I stood there, frozen, staring at Lennon.

Lennon, however, gave me a calm, detached nod, as if we were mere acquaintances.

I never imagined he would stand before me in this capacity.

Someone else's father. Someone else's husband.

I had to stand there and watch the man I thought was mine act intimate with another woman.

Luna's face was grim as she sat down with Lennon and Cece.

I forced myself to snap out of it and turned around to compose my emotions.

Once I had swallowed back my tears, I officially started the meeting.

The meeting went by quickly, ending in about an hour.

Next was the Q&A session for the parents.

Everyone was eager to ask questions, and I patiently answered each one.

When no more hands were raised, I smiled. "Thank you all for coming. Today's meeting is now―"

"Wait, I have one more question."

Luna suddenly raised her hand, interrupting me.

I was caught off guard. Looking at her cold, expressionless face, a knot formed in my stomach.

In our few interactions, Luna had always been polite and smiling.

I had never seen her look this stern.

I asked, "Cece's mom, what would you like to know?"

Luna stood up and asked in a chillingly calm voice.

"Ms. Holloway, how does a homewrecker like you..."

"...have the nerve to stand there and educate other people's children?"