Chapter 2

2.

The next morning, Alex was already gone when I woke up.

It was just me and Leo.

The five-year-old was a whirlwind of energy, his Legos and picture books scattered everywhere.

I was bending over to clean up when something hit me hard in the back of the head―a building block.

I spun around. Leo was holding another one. My face hardened instantly. “Leo! How many times have I told you not to throw things at people?”

My sharp tone startled him. He looked down, his eyes turning red, but he muttered under his breath, “You’re always so mean. Chloe’s never mean to me.”

His quiet complaint was like a needle to my heart. All the words I wanted to say got stuck in my throat.

I saw the defiance in his eyes, thinking of how well-behaved he always was for Chloe, and a wave of complete exhaustion washed over me.

Forget it.

“Get your backpack. It’s time for school.”

Leo stared, a flash of confusion in his eyes. Normally, after he threw something, I would have put him in a timeout.

But a child’s happiness returns quickly. He immediately ran to his room to grab his bag.

I drove him to preschool, but I didn’t give him the usual lecture about behaving. I dropped him off and went straight to the lab.

I spent the entire day buried in technical documents.

After years of focusing on my family, I had fallen behind on the latest research. I needed to catch up with the team, fast.

Besides, I knew something they didn't.

My memories of my past life told me that the navigation algorithm JPL was currently using had a critical architectural flaw. It was a problem that would be fully exposed in a simulation test three years from now, setting the project back significantly.

I quietly documented my findings, waiting for the right moment to present them.

By the time I finally felt hungry, it was already dark.

I rushed home to find that Alex had already picked up Leo, bathed him, and put him to bed.

He came out of the kid's room and shot me a cold look, saying nothing.

It wasn't until we were in the bedroom that he spoke. “I have a critical mission over Thanksgiving. Looks like you’ll have to go to your parents’ place by yourself.”

My heart sank. I bit my lip. “They haven’t seen you in a long time.”

In the past, Alex was always absent for holidays. I’d go back alone, and though my parents never said anything, I could see the worry in their eyes.

Alex clearly misunderstood my meaning.

He pulled a check from his wallet and handed it to me. “Don’t worry. This is my performance bonus for the month. Use it to buy them something nice.”

The check was for several thousand dollars, but right now, it felt like a knife in my chest.

I didn’t take it, my eyes stinging. “Alex, in your eyes, are my parents the kind of people who only care about money?”

They never wanted expensive gifts. They just wanted a little bit of consideration from their son-in-law.

Alex looked at me like I was a stranger, genuinely confused.

“Isn’t this how it’s always been? What’s the problem now? Just take it. I have an early meeting tomorrow.”

He placed the check on the nightstand and walked into the bathroom.

It was always like this. My anger, my hurt―it was like punching cotton. He felt nothing.

I used to think it was the emotional stability of a mature man. Now I understood. It was indifference. He simply didn’t care about me, so my feelings never registered.

A heavy weight pressed down on my chest. Then, my eyes caught the calendar on the wall.

Just hold on a little longer, Evelyn.

Only twenty-nine days left.

The thought slowly calmed me down.