My Son Died While He Welcomed Yours

Five years. Five years since Rhys Harrington and I lost our son, Leo, in a car accident.
He was across the country, escorting his mistress for the birth of their child, and didnt even attend Leos funeral.
Now, after years of silence and survival, I found him again. In the cemetery.
I was holding a mini-cake, ready to spend a quiet afternoon talking to my son. Instead, I saw Rhys setting a limited-edition sports carthe one Leo always wantedat the headstone.
Beside him, a small boy burrowed into his side.
Daddy, do you think big brother will like the gift I picked out?
1
The autumn air carried a sharp, desolate chill through the cemetery.
Rhys bent down, patiently zipping the boys jacket all the way up. That was the careful, solicitous kind of fatherly love my Leo never knew.
The boy noticed the mini-cake I held, which had a tiny race car drawn on the frosting. He peered up at me, his eyes wide with curiosity.
Auntie, its my brothers birthday today. Are you here to celebrate him, too?
I turned my head, pretending not to hear. I used a moist wipe to clean the dust from the photo on the headstone, then placed a small candle on the cake. My Leo. His life frozen at five years old.
The boy looked at the cake, then up at Rhys, and finally back to me. Silently, he picked up the sports car hed brought and placed it next to the tombstone.
A haze of disorientation washed over me.
The boytall for his age, with deep, perceptive eyesshared a strong resemblance to Leo. They both carried the dominant Harrington genes. If I didnt know exactly who his mother was, I might have been tempted to pull him into my arms, a desperate, flawed solace for the wave of grief that constantly crashed back over me.
The cold wind sliced in from all directions. I tried several times to light the candle, but my hand was shaking too badly.
Rhys reached out naturally, taking the lighter from my grasp. For a fleeting second, our skin touched. The proximity of his scent, his body heat, the things I once clung to, now made my stomach churn with pure revulsion.
I snatched the lighter back, my movement violent enough to make him stumble a few steps.
The boy cried out defensively, shielding his father. You shouldnt push people! You need to apologize to my Daddy.
2
Finn Harrington, that is enough.
Rhyss voice was low and heavy, utterly lacking the gentle patience hed shown moments before.
The boy's face crumpled with offense, a look that painfully mirrored his mothers pride and stubbornness. It was impossible not to recall Seraphina Maxwell, flaunting her pregnancy in front of me years ago.
Genevieve Hartley, shed sneered, if fate hadnt gotten in the way, Rhys would have met me first. He would never have needed to marry a spoiled, clueless debutante like you.
Rhys crouched down, touching the boys pouting cheek. Dont you love your big brother most? This is his mother. If youre too loud, it will make your brother sad.
I gritted my teeth.
How dare Rhys? How dare he let Seraphinas son call my Leo brother, and use a nameFinnthat felt so deliberately resonant, designed to replace the Huai character that was part of my son's Chinese name?
I had no intention of lingering. I was back in New York to finalize the process of having Leos remains moved. I needed to speak to the cemetery director.
Rhys followed, still holding Finn.
When he heard my request, his voice was thick and hoarse. Genevieve, you havent visited Leo in five years. And the moment you return, you want to take him away?
He is my son. I wont allow it.
I let my eyes trail over Rhys with a cold, dismissive look. He was still the impeccably tailored man I remembered, tall and commanding in his expensive suit. The tie he worethat signature burgundy red, almost certainly chosen by Seraphinaspoke of power, warmth, and quiet strength.
Five years after losing Leo, Rhys Harrington was still thriving, still on top.
I, on the other hand, had a few strands of gray at my temples. Leo would have worried about me.
But he was gone.
I tilted my head back, a bitter, icy smile touching my lips. Im not asking for your permission. You didn't even attend his funeral. You forfeited the right to discuss this with me.
3
Rhys seemed to be fighting back a response, but his phone lit up.
Finn, who was pale and slender, spoke in a thin, childish voice. Its Mommy calling! Is the new baby in her tummy being naughty again?
Rhys turned his back to take the call.
Finn, undeterred by my obvious detachment, leaned in conspiratorially. Im going to be a big brother soon, just like my other big brother! Daddy is really excited about the baby, and Im going to share all my toys.
The papers I was skimming paused in my hands.
Rhys and Seraphinaa picture of a successful marriage, professionally and personally. Two children in five years. Their son looked perfectly cared for and shielded.
My face felt tight and cold, but Finn wasn't afraid.
My Leo was different. Before he was three, his father was too busy building his empire to spend time with him. After he turned three, Rhys fell in love with Seraphina. He grew to resent me, and by extension, the child Id given him. Rhys stopped coming home for Leos birthdays and holidays.
That last, rainy night, Leo insisted on waiting for his father. He said Daddy had promised to bring him a sports car from out of town. In that one blink of an eye, my Leo ran into the street and was hit by a car.
4
Rhys hung up. I was about to sign the transfer papers with the cemetery director.
He grabbed my wrist, his composure barely holding. I told you, you are not taking Leo away.
I stood perfectly still, my expression blank. Then you can tell my son that yourself, in the grave.
Rhyss grip tightened, digging into my flesh. It hurt.
There was a time when this man would have been near tears if I scraped my knee. When I was giving birth to Leo, he was beside himself with fear and guilt, promising through sobs that he would never put me through that again, that he couldnt bear to lose me.
He broke that promise, of course. Not a thousand days into our marriage, he was already rolling around in his penthouse office with Seraphina.
I fought. I screamed. I made a spectacle. All that got me was Seraphinas ever-increasing encroachment on my life. With Rhyss tacit permission, she eventually pushed me out of the company altogether.
5
The contract was ripped into pieces, scattering across the wet grass. Rhyss jaw was a tight knot.
He signaled to Walter, his long-time driver, to take Finn to the car. Walter caught sight of my face, and a flicker of panic crossed his features.
M-Miss Genevieve!
Walter had worked for the Hartley family when Rhys was a struggling young man. Hed seen me argue with my stepbrother, Connor, to invest in Rhys. And hed also helped Seraphina cover up the lipstick she dropped in Rhyss car. It was the rich mans world: the patrons change, but the driver stays the same.
Rhyss eyes were black, bottomless pools. The aura of a man in charge surged around him. He turned to the cemetery director, his voice menacing.
If my sons rest is disturbed, I will ensure you understand the true meaning of consequences.
The director gave me a helpless look and quickly retreated.
I couldnt stand it anymore. I raised my hand to slap him.
But I didnt land it.
My hand was captured in his vise-like grip. Rhys spoke with a low, desperate ferocity. Gen. You want to sever every connection we have, even Leo.
You hate me, dont you? He closed the distance, pinning me against the cold, gray stone wall, fine dust particles settling on my coat.
I took a deep breath. Why waste the energy to hate you? Does someone keep a score of every dog that has ever bitten their family, just so they can remember to look after it forever?
Given Rhyss current wealth and standing, the Hartley family at its peak couldnt compete. Id made too many futile attempts to fight him. Id lost too much. He had no qualms attacking my family for Seraphina. I learned to accept the harsh, unpredictable reality of life.
I just wanted to take my Leo home.
6
A layer of autumn rain, a layer of cold. It was clear I wouldn't finish the paperwork today. I started to leave.
Rhys glanced at my light trench coat, and the ingrained habit surfaced: he took off his six-figure Kiton coat, ready to place it over my shoulders. Where are you going? Ill take you.
I slapped the coat to the ground. The top-tier Neapolitan brand, famous for its flawless tailoring, instantly soaked up the wet mud.
I used to love dressing Rhys. Dressing the man I loved in the way I loved.
Rhys let out a low, self-deprecating laugh. When I first met you, you were still the fierce, defiant socialite.
I wanted so badly for you to hold on to that high-and-mighty position forever.
But you destroyed me, didnt you?
I His usually calm voice held a subtle, nearly imperceptible hint of panic.
Dark clouds approached, and the sky grew heavy. My ride-share car arrived. Ignoring Rhyss outstretched arm, I got into the back seat.
Less than two minutes later, the driver looked in the rearview mirror and whistled. Ayo. Is that guy trying to pull a move from an action movie? He looks like hes trying to box us in.
I looked back. Rhyss large, black SUV was aggressively tailing us. It quickly pulled up right next to my side window. Rhys rolled down his window, his lips moving as if shouting something. Finn was strapped into his booster seat, a look of small, frightened confusion on his face.
I stared straight ahead.
The driver, however, was clearly invested. Thats your husband and kid, right? Is he trying to mess with you even at a time like this? The spirits wont rest easy if he keeps pushing you around!
Dont worry, Sis. I used to race cars. Ill make sure we lose this tail.
He gripped the wheel, floored the gas, and sped past the SUV.
Almost simultaneously, I received two text messages.
Give me another chance. Lets talk this through properly.
Gen, Dr. Andy is a leading neurosurgeon. Hes arriving in the city this weekend. Perhaps theres hope for Connor.
7
The first message was, without a doubt, from Rhys. I had blocked his number, changed mine, and disappeared five years ago. He was resourceful enough to find it in mere hours.
The second was from my brothers friend, Dr. Daniel Dan Cross. Hes a physician, a neuro specialist who studied abroad. Connor sustained severe brain trauma in the accident, resulting in significant memory loss. Id spent the last few years in Europe with him, focusing on rehabilitation, with frustratingly little success. Dans text was likely meant to reassure me, to give me something to hold onto.
I reached the hospital, paid the driver a generous tip, and he drove off happily, wishing me a good life.
A life like thatsimple, predictable, with minor worriesalways seemed so appealing.
I was born a Hartley, and I had seen the heights of power. I once had a pair of red party heels that cost more than some peoples annual salary. But the bloom on the rose is fleeting.
After my father died, Connor inherited the family business. He faced down a pack of greedy relatives with ruthless efficiency. But he couldn't refuse my tearful pleas to invest in Rhys.
Rhys Harrington was at his lowest point, facing complete financial ruin. I found him in a dive bar, being force-fed liquor by his old rivals. I couldnt stand to see my moon dragged through the mud.
I pestered Connor until he agreed to pay off Rhyss staggering debt. He resisted, so I used the one thing I knew he couldnt denythe fact that my father had found him in an orphanage and brought him home.
Finally, he conceded. Gen, the Hartley name and everything that comes with it is yours. You make the call.
The tragedy of my life began when I poured everything I had into that love.
Rhys accepted my help, and promised on my parents graves that he would never betray me.
Yet, history proved that once a man becomes a power unto himself, he subtly rewrites his origin story, re-casting the help that sustained him as a flaw that needed to be overcome.
8
In the VIP room, I was helping Connor practice making tea, breaking down the steps into simple actions. His mental capacity was regressed to that of a five or six-year-old. Hed suffered from selective mutism and was prone to emotional outbursts.
Dr. Cross entered, looking frustrated. Dr. Andy was just taken by Mrs. Harrington. She claims her mother has a severe migraine and needs the most authoritative specialist immediately.
Seraphina had a pattern of this.
Years ago, on a snow-laced night, Leo was running a high fever. I called Rhys, but Seraphina answered, informing me that my husband was in her shower. I screamed at her, calling her a gold-digging predator. Seraphina simply arranged for Rhys to turn off his phone and stay out all night.
I drove slowly through the snow, Leo sleeping fitfully in the back seat. I nearly spun out multiple times, but he still murmured a warning.
Mommy, the road is slick. Please be careful. It would make me sad if you got hurt.
Now, empowered by her title as Mrs. Harrington, Seraphina would only escalate her cruelty. My anger flared, and I marched to the room next door.
9
Seraphina was draped in a mink coat and heavy jewelry, projecting an image of effortless wealth. A faint, arrogant smile played on her lips, the same haughty demeanor of the brilliant young woman Id met years ago. She was exceedingly thin, however, which made her very pregnant belly seem grotesquely out of proportion.
I had heard Seraphinas name long before I saw her. Rhys mentioned her several times after the Harrington company stabilized and he decided on a pivot. Hed found a brilliant programmeran overseas graduate whose vision aligned perfectly with his.
A primal sense of alarm made me jealous.
Rhys rubbed my hugely pregnant stomach, gently flicking my nose. Talent isnt gendered. If youre worried, Ill report my whereabouts from the office every day.
The next day, he installed real-time monitoring in his conference room, allowing me to check in at any time.
Later, when a piece of core technology was leaked, costing the company millions, Seraphina implied the monitoring system had been compromised, suggesting that my hands had reached too far. Rhys publicly dressed her down, asserting I was the owners wife and would never betray the company.
I didn't care to get involved. Once Leo was born, all my focus went to him, and I lost the will for such trivial fights.
Seraphina took advantage of the gap, using the excuse of "expanding their empire" to travel constantly with Rhys. Their shared mission, their close proximity, and their similar ambitionthe perfect conditions for the heat to ignite quickly.
Postpartum hormones made me demanding and irritable. I constantly asked Rhys to check in. He stopped wanting to come home, barely finding time for our adorable, soft Leo. I suggested divorce several times. Rhys vehemently refused, insisting he couldnt live without me, and I didnt want Leo to grow up in a broken home. I agreed to hold off, on the condition that he limit his contact with Seraphina.
In the end, I lost everything.
10
I walked up to Dr. Andy, who was patiently explaining something to Seraphinas mother in English. The older woman was clearly fine. Seraphina was simply trying to spite me. Five years ago, she did the exact same thing, spiriting away Leos pediatrician overseas to protect her own delivery.
I explained the situation to Dr. Andy. He smiled warmly, thanking me for funding his students lab a year ago.
As he prepared to leave with me, Seraphina gave her mother a sharp look. The older woman, Mrs. Maxwell, blocked the doorway like a street fighter.
He was brought here by my son-in-law! You cheap little hussy, you have no right to take him!
I didnt spare her a glance. I forcibly pulled my arm free from her chicken-claw grip.
Seeing her mother pushed aside, Seraphina seemed to find her justification. She raised her hand to strike me. But the years of physical therapy Id done with Connor had given me significant strength. I caught her wrist mid-swing, twisted, and pinned both her arms against the wall.
The esteemed Mrs. Harringtons face was pressed against the cold wall in a ridiculous, absurd wall kiss.
Genevieve Hartley, how dare you touch me? Rhys wont let you get away with this!
I leaned in close to her ear and spoke clearly, every word a deliberate weapon. I havent even come for you yet, and you seek me out. Arent you afraid that the details of the car accident you arranged five years ago will be revealed? That you and your mother will go to jail?
Seraphinas face instantly drained of color.
11
After Leos funeral, I was a shell of a person. I planned to drive to the cemetery myself, but Connor, seeing my fragile state, insisted on taking the offerings and Leos new toy car instead. On the way, he was hit by a truck. The initial investigation concluded the driver was drunk and he was jailed.
The back-to-back tragedies destroyed me. I filed for divorce immediately. At the time, Finn Harrington had just been born. Rhys, unwilling to let his beloved mistresss child be labeled illegitimate, immediately agreed to the terms.
I took Connor abroad for treatment, desperate to catch the six-month golden window for recovery.
When I finally recovered enough to look into the truck drivers background, I found an unusual wire transfer to his account. All the evidence, however, had been expertly erased.
The cover-up was meticulous. I only found the trail leading to Mrs. MaxwellSeraphinas mothera year ago. Mrs. Maxwell, seeing that Leos death hadn't made Rhys divorce me, had contacted a distant relative in a remote town, who then hired the truck driver. It was a convoluted plot designed to remove me so her daughter could take my place.
Rhys might not have known about the plot initially, but he protected his wife and covered up the scandal, burying the truth deep in the ground.
...
A moment later, Seraphinas composure returned. You dont have proof, or you would have used it already.
Poor Connor Hartley. He loved you all those years, only to end up with no dignity left. She let out a cruel, pitying laugh. I hear he cant even use the restroom without wetting himself. Everything has to be taught from scratch. Its pathetic.
It brought me back to years ago, when she would whisper in my ear. Poor Miss Hartley, you cant even hold onto your husbands heart. Shed follow up by texting me photos of herself in lingerie, lying next to Rhys.
I raised my arm, ready to finally land a blow on her despicable face.
But I failed again.
Rhys arrived. He seized my wrist with punishing force, his eyes threaded with blood. Finns small voice piped up. Mommy, is this the bad lady who was bullying you?

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