Disappointment Arrives

The day Cayden and I finalized our divorce, I didnt take either of our children.
My five-year-old son, Jim, clutched my hand, refusing to let go.
My three-year-old daughter, Sophie, hugged my leg, crying until she was out of breath.
But I remained unmoved.
Beside me, Caydens eyes were red-rimmed. He told me I didnt deserve to be a mother.
I didnt argue.
Three years later, we ran into each other on the street.
The three people who had once begged me to stay now had another woman with them.
They walked right past me without a single glance.
My best friend nudged my shoulder and asked, "Do you regret it?"
I smiled. Not a single regret.
Not after Cayden had hidden the truth from me, letting his ex-girlfriend live in our home for five years.
The moment I learned that, I decided I would never look back.

1
I never imagined that Cayden, the man with whom I had two children, still had an ex-girlfriend he couldnt forget.
He kept it a secret from me, bringing her into our home to live with us for five years.
He let her be with my son and daughter from the day they were born.
So much so that my mischievous five-year-old son, who listened to no one, obeyed only her.
My sweet three-year-old daughter, who wanted no one else to comfort her, would only let her rock her to sleep.
At first, I had no idea.
But one day, as I was walking Sophie to preschool, we saw a young couple kissing on the sidewalk.
My daughter pointed at them, her voice filled with a curious excitement.
Mommy, Daddy and Auntie Eliza do that too.
Halfway through her sentence, she clamped her hands over her mouth.
If it werent for that gesture, I would have dismissed it as a childs fantasy. But it was clear my daughter had been told to keep a secret.
After that, no matter how much I prodded, she kept her lips sealed.
She wouldnt say another word to me.
After dropping Sophie off, I was supposed to go to the office, but instead, I turned the car around and went home.
As I pulled into our neighborhood, I saw Caydens car parked in front of our house.
A chill ran through me.
He had left for work before me that morning, without even eating breakfast.
Why was he back? And why now, when I was supposed to be gone?
I pushed open the door and heard voices coming from the dining room.
Cayden, youve had stomach problems since we were dating. If you dont start taking better care of yourself, Im going to get angry.
The tone was a playful pout, one I had never heard before.
Cayden took a sip of the warm porridge, his voice laced with a similar fondness.
Alright, alright, I came back, didnt I? Youre the only one who can keep me in line.
I hid behind the door, my hands trembling violently.
I couldnt believe it. This wasnt the way Cayden spoke to anyone but me.
Just as I was about to step inside, I heard Caydens voice again, watching the woman bustle around.
Eliza, he said, his voice laced with concern. In my heart, youre no different from my wife. Dont think of yourself as anything less.
Bringing you here as our housekeeper was just an excuse. It was the only way I could keep you close and take care of you. Dont take the title seriously.
The woman lowered her head.
Whether she stumbled or was overcome with emotion, I couldnt tell.
She suddenly buried her face in Caydens chest and stayed there.
Cayden, I wanted to, she murmured. Being here with you, and with your children Im already so happy.
Wasnt she just?
All these years, I thought I had found the perfect, most caring house manager.
I didnt just raise her salary.
I was grateful for how she helped with the children, treating her like a sister.
My clothes, my makeup, my purses, my jewelry.
She could borrow whatever she wanted, use whatever she liked.
I never would have imagined it.
In my own home, I had been living with the woman my husband loved for five years.
I took a deep breath.
Stepping into the room and meeting two pairs of startled eyes, I spoke with perfect calm.
Cayden, lets get a divorce.

2
If this marriage was a mistake from the start, my only response was to end it immediately.
My life is short. My youth is shorter.
I have no extra energy to waste on the wrong person.
If I made a mistake, then I would correct it.
But I had to have custody of our two children.
I thought Cayden, a man who could keep his ex-girlfriend by his side for five years, would jump at the chance to divorce me.
But he didnt. The moment I walked in, a look of agony crossed his face.
He rushed toward me, his trembling hands gripping my shoulders, refusing to let go, as if I were still the only woman he cherished.
Chloe, dont talk about divorce. The words alone are enough to shatter my heart.
He sounded like he meant it.
But I didnt believe him.
I wrenched myself from his grasp, the revulsion I felt finally boiling over.
I slapped him, hard.
In five years of marriage, Cayden and I had never once raised our voices at each other.
The man sighed, a look of weary resignation on his face. Chloe, are you calm now? Can you let me explain?
He told me Eliza was, after all, a woman he had once loved. Five years ago, she had been trapped in a bad marriage. After her divorce, she had nowhere to go. He couldnt just stand by and do nothing.
In his explanation, there was no apology, no guilt for deceiving me before we were even married.
He still believed he had done the right thing.
Eliza was raised by her grandparents. Shes all alone now. If I dont take care of her, no one will.
I was stunned by his words.
Who was Eliza to him? Why was it his responsibility to care for another woman for the rest of her life?
But I didnt want to ask.
I just looked at the woman beside him, sobbing quietly, the very picture of pitiable beauty.
I want her gone today. You can put her up anywhere you like, but I find her presence in this house disgusting.
The moment I said that, the tenderness in his eyes vanished, replaced by a sharp, cold edge.
He could be wronged, but the woman he loved could not.
Was that it?
I turned, pulling out my phone to call my lawyer as I walked out the door.
When I came home that evening, Eliza was still there.
She was playing happily with my children, who had been picked up from school early.
When she saw me, she smiled as if nothing had happened.
Chloe, want to join us? Look how happy Sophie and Jim are!
As a woman, I could see the challenge in her eyes.
Was she flaunting the promise Cayden had made to her? Was this her declaration of war?
Unfortunately for her, she chose the wrong tactic.
When it comes to people who arent worth my time, even fighting back feels like a waste of energy.
I pointed to the open door.
Eliza, are you going to pack your bags now, or do you want me to do it for you?
At the sound of my words, my son and daughter, who had been engrossed in their games, dropped their toys.
Like two little knights, they stood protectively in front of her.
Mommy, dont make Auntie Eliza leave! Me and Daddy dont want her to go!

3
In that moment, in the clear, innocent eyes of my children, I saw a flicker of hatred for me.
They looked as if I were trying to steal their most prized possession, ready to fight me to the death.
I blinked back the blurriness in my eyes, a bitter laugh caught in my throat.
That bastard, Cayden.
He had let my children live under the watch of my rival for five years, without me suspecting a thing.
Day and night together, it was impossible for them not to form a bond.
My two children were now Elizas greatest weapons against me.
Cayden emerged from the kitchen. He didnt look at me.
Instead, he patted Jim and Sophie on the head, a gesture of encouragement.
Good job, he praised. Daddys giving you both an extra big piece of chicken tonight.
Jim puffed out his chest, his face beaming with pride. Me and Sophie listen to Daddy. We protected Auntie Eliza even when Mommy was being mean to her.
Sophies little pink lips formed a pout. She stared at me. Mommy, if you make Auntie Eliza leave, then you can make me and Jim leave too.
They had drawn their battle lines.
And I was the outsider in my own home.
It would be a lie to say it didnt hurt. But they were just children, easily manipulated. I couldnt blame them.
Once they were living with me, they would eventually understand who their real mother was, who loved them most.
Only after Sophie had spoken did Cayden finally look at me. He sighed.
Chloe, you see? The children adore Eliza. Why do you have to be the wicked stepmother in this story?
I didnt want to argue with him about his disgusting behavior in front of the children.
I said nothing.
My silence must have seemed like surrender. Cayden took my hand and pulled out a chair for me at the dining table.
I looked at the feast spread before us.
I suddenly remembered. Cayden was an excellent cook, but he rarely cooked. Aside from our childrens birthdays, he often missed my own important celebrations if he was busy.
But thinking back now, I realized that for the past five years, on Elizas birthday, he had always come home hours early from work.
A wave of nausea washed over me.
Even after five years of sharing a bed, even after I had borne him two children, did I still mean less to him than Eliza?
The thought stunned me.
In the end, I was still trapped in the pain Cayden had inflicted.
While I was lost in thought, Cayden, Jim, and Sophie had all sat down next to Eliza. The four of them faced me, a clear division between us.
I wanted to sweep everything off the table.
But watching my childrens eager faces, I couldnt bring myself to do it.
My love for them was my weakness, and it paralyzed me.
Im tired. You guys eat.

4
That evening, he took the children out to see a movie.
I had planned to talk to them, so I waited in my room.
Around nine oclock, Jim sent me a few photos from his smartwatch.
They were selfies, but in the background of every single one, Cayden and Eliza were holding hands.
They had taken my children and created a picture-perfect family of four.
How many times had this happened during those five years of deception?
A wave of disgust rose in my throat. I ran to the bathroom and retched. It was sickening, truly sickening.
When Cayden came home, he was clearly smiling. But the moment he saw me, he froze, as if caught red-handed, and the smile vanished.
I ignored his guilty conscience and held out my hands.
Jim, Sophie, come upstairs to bed with Mommy.
When Eliza wasnt involved, the children were still obedient. They each took one of my hands and followed me upstairs.
After their bath, I held them close and asked casually, If Mommy and Daddy were to separate one day, would you want to live with Mommy?
Sophie, my soft, cuddly daughter, hugged me. Id live with Mommy, she said in her milky voice, but you have to bring Auntie Eliza with us, so Daddy will follow, and we can all be together again.
Jim nudged his sister. Youre so dumb. If Mommy and Daddy separate, it means theyre getting a divorce. After the divorce, Daddy will marry Auntie Eliza. He wont live with Mommy anymore.
He rolled over, his back to me, and went back to his tablet. Im choosing Daddy. You can have Mommy.
The moment Sophie heard she would have to choose me, she burst into tears. I dont want Mommy! I want Auntie Eliza! I want to be with Daddy too!
I never realized how deep a hold Eliza had on my childrens hearts.
These past few years, I had been busy with work, but I had never been absent from their lives. I didnt think I was a bad mother.
But their words, even if they were just being childish, set off alarm bells.
I immediately put all my work on hold.
Before the divorce was final, I devoted myself to being a full-time mother at home.

5
I had already given Cayden the divorce papers.
He hadnt signed them, but as soon as the mandatory waiting period was over, I would file for a court order.
He took the papers, his eyes red, his expression pained.
Chloe, can you really be this cruel to me? he asked. Yes, I admit I hid my past with Eliza from you before we were married. But I married you, didnt I? Theres no future for me and her. What are you so worried about?
I watched as he tore the divorce papers to shreds.
I hesitated for a moment.
Then throw Eliza out of this house.
His pained expression froze.
I could see the hesitation, the conflict, the outright resistance in his eyes. His hands, hanging at his sides, clenched into fists.
After a long silence, he finally met my gaze.
Chloe, I promised Eliza I would take care of her for the rest of her life. If I go back on my word now, I wouldnt be a man of my word.
Faced with a second chance, Cayden once again chose another woman.
Fine. Then lets get a divorce.
I turned away, a mocking smile on my lips.
Even if he had chosen to kick out his ex-girlfriend, I would never have taken him back.
I just wanted to see the look on his face.
The look on the face of a man who claimed to love me while betraying me.
I wanted to burn this disgusting moment into my memory and sever the last remaining thread of affection I had for him.
Since I had been home all day, the children had become very attached to me.
Jims birthday was coming up, and I planned to use the party to win them over completely.

6
The neighborhood kids and their parents were starting to arrive.
I had just finished my makeup and changed into my dress.
Before I could go downstairs, Jim and Sophie pulled me into the bedroom.
Seeing their excited little faces, I thought they had a secret to share.
I knelt down, and in an instant, they turned and bolted from the room.
The door slammed shut.
For a moment, I thought it was just a game.
I smiled. Come on, you two, open the door for Mommy, I cooed. Our friends are waiting.
They didnt answer, just giggled from the other side of the door.
I heard footsteps coming up the stairs.
Then, Caydens stern voice. What is this nonsense? Who told you to lock your mother in her room?
He jiggled the handle, but it wouldnt open.
Chloe, dont worry, he said, his voice soft against the wood. Ill go get the key and let you out.
No! You cant let Mommy out! Jim shouted, his eyes wide. Mommy is here for every birthday. Its boring! This time, I want Auntie Eliza to be with me when I blow out my candles. Mommy can celebrate with me next time. Or she can celebrate with Sophie on her birthday.
I thought my sons words had shattered my heart.
But it was my daughters rejection that tore a gaping hole right through it.
I want Auntie Eliza too! I dont want Mommy! I wish Auntie Eliza could be my mommy.
Nearly a month of doting affection, all for this.
How utterly ridiculous I was.
Outside the door, Eliza gathered my children into her arms, her face a mask of touched emotion. Jim, Sophie, she choked out, having your love is more than enough for me. I wouldnt dare ask for anything more. After all, Im just an outsider in this family.
Cayden, who had been silent, finally spoke. His voice was tinged with a deep sympathy.
Eliza, youve been through so much these years. Its just one birthday party. Youve earned the right to be there as his mother.
He paused, then knocked on the door.
Chloe, this is what Jim wants. Dont spoil his birthday. Just get some rest. Ill bring you a piece of cake later.
The voices outside faded away.
I slid down the door, completely drained. I closed my eyes, refusing to let the tears fall.
I made my decision.
He could have the children.

7
The party ended, but Cayden never came to unlock the door.
The house below was silent. It seemed everyone had left.
My phone was in the dressing room. I couldnt call anyone.
I thought maybe Cayden had taken the kids out for a walk.
But the sky grew dark, and they still hadnt returned.
Then, the power went out.
As the last sliver of twilight vanished, the room was plunged into darkness. But the houses nearby were still brightly lit.
Someone had flipped the circuit breaker.
Who?
I think I knew.
Cayden knew that when I was a child, a nanny had locked me in a closet. I never got over the fear of being trapped in the dark.
I curled into a ball under the covers, smaller and smaller.
I had never wished for Caydens return more than I did in that moment.
But he didnt come.
The minutes ticked by, turning into hours. The sun came up.
Cayden had been gone all night.

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