Chapter 2

The instant I pushed the door open, every sound in the private room stopped.

Everyone turned to look at me at once, the smiles still not yet wiped from their faces.

The most flustered was Ethan.

He shot to his feet, his expression changing completely.

"Claire? Why are you back early?"

I looked at him and pulled at the corner of my mouth.

"What, you didn't want to see me?"

"How could I?"

Ethan denied it almost immediately, striding quickly toward me and pulling me into his arms.

"You're back—I couldn't be happier."

If I hadn't just heard them scheming against me inside with my own ears, I probably would have believed it.

I lifted my head, past Ethan's shoulder, and looked at Noah sitting to the side.

"Noah." I opened my arms to him. "Mom's home."

But Noah just sat there without moving.

He only stared at me, his gaze so unfamiliar it was like he was looking at an enemy.

The atmosphere in the private room suddenly turned delicate.

Someone hurried to smooth things over.

"Noah, go on, aren't you the one who missed Mom most?"

Only under everyone's urging did Noah slowly walk up to me.

I crouched down, reached out and hugged him, and whispered in his ear:

"I heard what you said just now."

"Don't worry, Mom will make it happen for you."

The moment my words landed, Noah's body visibly stiffened.

A second later, just as I released him, he seemed to be struck by something, jerked back two steps, and looked at me with red eyes.

Ethan immediately sensed something wrong and hurried forward.

"Noah, what's the matter?"

Noah's lips trembled, and the tears came on cue.

"Dad..."

He choked out.

"Does Mom not like me?"

"She just told me I'm a sick child, that I'm a burden to her. She even said it would be better if I died..."

The moment those words landed, the private room exploded.

"Noah!"

Mia stood up first, her face full of heartache as she rushed over and pulled the child into her arms.

"Nonsense, how could Mom say that to you?"

But the look she turned on me had already pronounced me guilty.

"Claire, how could you do this?"

Her voice trembled.

"Noah is your own son. How could you despise him? He's suffered enough these years."

Noah threw himself into her arms, crying even harder.

Daniel's face went livid. He shot to his feet and in a few strides was in front of me.

"Claire Reed, are you even human?"

A slap landed hard across my face.

My head snapped to the side, ears ringing.

"He's your son!"

Daniel ground his teeth.

"You despise him for being sick? For dragging you down? How could I have a sister as vicious as you!"

Ryan stood up too, looking at me with eyes full of disappointment.

"Claire, you've really changed."

He said coldly.

"Noah is how old? How could you bear to hurt him like this?"

With that, he turned and went after Mia and Noah.

In an instant, everyone in the private room was blaming me.

Soon, only Ethan and I were left.

He stood before me, brows and eyes weary, as if utterly disappointed in me.

"Claire."

He spoke hoarsely.

"These five years, doing research abroad was hard, I know."

"But Noah and I weren't having it easy back home either."

"He suffers his illness every day, and still thinks of you every day, hoping you'll come back. And the moment you do, you say this and hurt him..."

As Ethan spoke, his eyes reddened too.

If I hadn't heard them with my own ears outside the door, plotting how to set the trap, even I would have believed it.

Just before I pushed the door open, Ryan had still been asking:

"Should we plant a landmine for her first?"

Daniel nodded.

"Yes, so she doesn't get suspicious."

And that idea had come from Mia.

She said, "Let Noah clash with her first. A child's words are the easiest to believe."

Seeing that I hadn't spoken at all, Ethan's expression grew darker and darker.

"Claire."

He stared at me, his tone disappointed and pained.

"If you really do despise us, father and son so much—"

"Then let's divorce."

With that, he turned and walked away.

The vast private room was, in a blink, just me.

I stood there, half my face burning.

Yet slowly, I smiled.

So this was the home I'd traded half my life for.