I Won't Be Waiting Here

The day before our engagement, my fiancé Connor, heir to Summit Corp., was distant as we walked downtown. I bought some street food and offered him a bite. He slapped it away, furious. Sophie, he snapped, my family needs a classy matriarch. This cheap stuff is embarrassing. How will my parents accept you?
Humiliated, I threw the food away and nodded. "Whatever you say."
But at our party the next day, Lillian stood by his side. He pulled me aside, pleading, "She tried to kill herself over us. I have to do this. I'll come back for you once she's stable." Again, I nodded. "Fine by me," and walked away.
Four years later, he appeared at my door with a ring. "Sophie, Lillian agreed to the divorce! We can be together now!"
I frowned, pushing him toward the door. "Move. You'll make me late to pick up my son."

1
Connor trailed after me. “I’ve had this place watched, Sophie. No man has set foot in here for four years. What son are you talking about?”
He softened his tone, trying to sound reasonable. “I know you’re angry. It’s okay. I’ll take you home with me right now. I know your family is poor, just scraping by with that little chicken farm, but I’ve finally convinced my parents. They won’t look down on you anymore.”
I turned, my brow furrowed in irritation. “I told you before, my family’s farm covers several hills.”
Connor scoffed. “Hills or not, it’s still just chickens. Please, whatever you do, don’t mention it in front of my parents. It’s so… provincial.”
I gave up. There was no getting through to this city slicker. He couldn’t possibly grasp the value of truly organic, free-range chickens raised over acres of rolling hills. That little "provincial" farm had made my family wealthy long ago.
I picked up my pace. If I was any later, my little boy would be the last one left waiting.
Connor kept up, his voice a persistent buzz in my ear. “We can go back to the manor right now. It’s huge. Lillian hasn’t moved out yet, but there’s more than enough room for you.”
He paused, then added, “You’ll have to be nice to her, though. She’s… sensitive. Just let her have her way. We can’t risk upsetting her.”
“What the hell?” I spun around, staring at him in disbelief. “You’re not even divorced, and you’re asking me to move in with you and your wife?”
“What do you think I am? Your mistress? Are you insane?”
I yanked my car door open and slid inside, desperate to put some distance between us. But he was too quick. He smoothly opened the passenger door and settled into the seat beside me.
“I always told you,” he chided gently, “lock your doors the second you get in the car. For safety. Still so careless after all these years.”
His tone was so familiar, so possessive, as if the last four years had never happened.
A hot flash of fury shot through me. “Get. Out.”
Instead, he clicked his seatbelt into place, a smug, triumphant look on his face. “You said you were picking up your son, right? Better get going. You don’t want to be late.”
I glanced at the clock. He was right. I was running out of time. My son would be heartbroken if he was the last one there.
I slammed my foot on the gas, peeling out of the driveway. “Don’t you dare say a word when you see my son,” I warned, my knuckles white on the steering wheel.
Connor just shrugged, utterly unconcerned. “Sure, I’ll keep my mouth shut. You’ve really committed to this, haven’t you? I can’t wait to see where you pull this imaginary son from.”
As I drove, I forced myself to take deep, calming breaths. We stopped at a red light, the traffic ahead a tangled mess.
“Connor,” I said, my voice low and heavy, “why did you assume I’d still be waiting for you after four years?”
My tone must have finally gotten through to him, because for a split second, a flicker of uncertainty crossed his face. But it was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by his usual unshakable arrogance.
“Once you’ve been with me, Sophie, who else could possibly measure up? What kind of men do you even meet? Who else would you find? Of course you’d wait for me.”
A long, weary sigh escaped my lips. So that was it. In his mind, I wasn’t worthy of anyone better. That’s why he could leave me without a second thought and come back four years later, expecting me to fall right back into his arms.
The light turned green.
I pressed the accelerator. As we crossed the intersection, I said softly, “Connor, I’m not kidding. I’m married. I have a child.”
“Pull over after this, and please, just go. I don’t want you disrupting the life I have now.”
He frowned. “Sophie, do you really think a lie like that will work on me?”
“I know you’re hurting. You can throw any tantrum you want. I’ll be right here with you, until you’ve gotten it all out of your system and you’re ready to come home.”

2
If he wouldn’t believe my words, he would have to believe his own eyes.
“Mommy! You’re late today!”
A little boy with bright eyes and a sweet smile ran toward me, his arms outstretched.
“I’m so sorry, sweetie. Mommy had to pick something up from the old house. I’ll make it up to you with some fries later, okay?”
“Okay!” My son, Leo, chirped happily, hugging me tight.
Connor stood frozen, his face a mask of shock. He never expected to see a real child.
His expression hardened. “Sophie, this joke has gone far enough. You can’t just grab some random kid off the street!”
“This is serious! It’s kidnapping! You could go to jail for this. Take him back right now.” He strode forward, his hand reaching for Leo’s arm to drag him away.
I slapped his hand away and pulled Leo into my arms protectively. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Just then, one of the kindergarten teachers walked over, a friendly smile on her face.
“Oh, you must be Leo’s dad! We’ve only ever met his mom. It’s so wonderful to finally meet you.”
Connor’s jaw dropped. He stared at me, then at the teacher, utterly stunned.
“He’s… he’s really your son?”
“Of course.” I was about to turn and leave, but he grabbed my arm, stopping me.
His eyes were locked on the teacher. “How old is the boy?”
“Leo just turned three,” she said cheerfully.
Three.
The word hung in the air. Connor’s grip on my arm tightened painfully. “Sophie… he’s my son, isn’t he? You were pregnant, and you never told me?”
I looked at him, my expression unreadable. “If I had been pregnant with your child back then, would you have chosen me over Lillian?”
“I…” He faltered, then looked down, his brow creased. “Lillian would have died.”
A cold, bitter laugh escaped my lips. “Then it’s a good thing he’s not your son.”
“Sophie, I’m taking you and our son home. Right now.”
“My parents have been hoping for a grandchild for years. If you come back with our son, they won’t care about our families’ status difference anymore.”
I rolled my eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck. “Who wants to go with you? I told you, he’s not your son. Are you deaf?”
“Stop this nonsense, Sophie. I will not allow Connor blood to be raised out here in the world, all alone.”
He glared around him with disdain. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner? How could you let our son attend a school like this? This place is a dump. He’ll never get a proper education here.”
I glanced at the beautiful, sprawling campus of the kindergarten, then back at Connor. This was a top-tier prep school, a direct feeder into the Ivy Leagues. Did he have any idea what that meant? It was worlds better than the so-called elite academy he attended, where rich kids went to waste time. I had specifically asked Alex to get Leo in here so he wouldn’t pick up the arrogant, entitled attitude of kids like Connor.
To hear him belittle it… I was suddenly so grateful I’d never married this short-sighted man.
“Stay away from us,” I said, my voice dangerously low. “This has nothing to do with you.”
“If he’s not my son, then whose is he?” Connor demanded, turning back to the teacher. “You! Check the records. Who is listed as the father?”
To protect our privacy, we had left the father’s information blank on the school forms. The teacher, flustered, admitted she didn’t know.
Hearing that the father’s name was missing only solidified Connor’s delusion.
“Sophie, it must have been so hard for you, being a single mother all these years. You’ve been stubborn long enough. Come home with me.”
Leo, sensing the tension, whispered in my ear, “Mommy, what about my fries?”
Connor overheard and exploded.
“Sophie! How can you feed my son that junk?” he roared. “You and your disgusting street food! First that cheap chicken, and now you’re feeding our son this greasy garbage? What if he gets sick? Can you take responsibility for that? He’s the only heir to the Connor family!”
My son’s fries are homemade by our chef with organic potatoes. How is that garbage?
I ignored him, turning to carry Leo to the car. But Connor blocked the door. “Don’t put him in this piece of junk. It’s not safe for my son.”
My car was a modest but reliable sedan, chosen specifically to avoid drawing attention. The back seat, however, was custom-fitted with the latest and safest child-proofing technology. If Connor had bothered to look inside for even a second, he would have seen that I had a child and that I took damn good care of him.
But he never cared about the details of my life. He only cared about himself.
He gestured grandly toward his gleaming Mercedes. “Only I can give you the life you deserve.”
As if on cue, Lillian appeared, dressed in a stunning evening gown that looked completely out of place on the busy afternoon street. She picked her way delicately across the pavement, a frown on her face.
“Connor, darling, I thought you were picking up Sophie. What’s taking so long? We have to meet that mysterious new CEO of the Alexander Corporation, you know.”
Connor’s expression instantly softened at the sight of her. “I remember, Lillian, don’t worry. I never forget what’s important to you.” He turned to me. “Sophie’s being a little difficult, but I’ll handle it. I’ll be right with you to meet Mr. Alexander. You look so beautiful today, he’ll be absolutely charmed. You’ll be the perfect Mrs. Alexander.”
He leaned in conspiratorially. “The Alexanders are the most powerful family in Crestwood, far more influential than us. You deserve that happiness, Lillian. Just give me a minute to sort this out, okay?”
I stared at them, my mind reeling. Did I hear that right? Lillian was supporting Connor’s reunion with his ex-girlfriend, while Connor was actively trying to set his wife up with another man?
And this Mr. Alexander… they couldn’t possibly be talking about my husband, could they?

3
My gaze shifted to Lillian with a complicated mix of disbelief and annoyance. This woman was my polar opposite in every conceivable way.
“I suppose I am just that captivating,” Lillian said with a smug little smile. Then her eyes fell on the child in my arms, and she let out a piercing shriek. “Sophie! That child… is he?”
Connor rushed to explain. “He’s my son, Lillian. Let me explain.”
Lillian clutched her chest, looking as if she’d been mortally wounded. “Connor… you had a child with her behind my back? You could have refused to marry me, but why… why did you have to betray me?” Her voice cracked. “Is that why you would never touch me? Because of them?”
Connor immediately went to her side. “Lillian, it’s not what you think. This was before we were married.” He shot me a venomous glare. “She was desperate not to lose me, so she had this baby to trap me. I only just found out today. Don’t lower yourself to her level, please.”
Lillian pointed a trembling finger at me, her face a mask of tragic betrayal. “Sophie, how could you be so shameless? To secretly have Connor’s son… do you have no decency?”
Leo didn’t understand the words, but he knew she was attacking me. He pointed his little finger right back at her. “You’re a mean lady! Why are you yelling at my mommy? You’re bad!”
Lillian’s face contorted with rage, and she raised her hand to strike him. I moved in a flash, spinning on my heel while still holding Leo with one arm, and caught her wrist in a vice-like grip.
“You lay one finger on my son, and I swear you’ll regret it.”
“Sophie, let her go!” Connor grabbed my arm. “She didn’t mean it! This is your fault! If you hadn’t hidden the child from me, none of this would have happened!”
He could say what he wanted about me, but they were not touching my son.
I released Lillian’s wrist and, using the momentum, swung my hand across Connor’s face. The crack of the slap echoed in the sudden silence.
“Control your wife,” I snarled. “If she ever tries to hurt my son again, I will make her pay a thousand times over.”
“You hit him!” Lillian shrieked. “Connor is the CEO of Summit Corp! He could crush you with a snap of his fingers! Don’t think having his son gives you any power. The Connors will never accept you!”
She sneered. “Even if I leave, the next Mrs. Connor won’t be you.”
I let out a short, cold laugh. Only Lillian cared about that title.
“Please. The only one who would want to be Mrs. Connor is a bitch.”
“You… you called me a bitch?”
Lillian clung to Connor’s arm, her eyes, now cold and sharp, fixed on my son. “Connor, look at her. What kind of influence will she be on the boy? You need to bring him back to the Connor estate immediately, where he can be raised properly.”
Connor’s brow furrowed. “Lillian’s right. Give me my son, Sophie. I can give him the best life imaginable.”
“In your dreams!”
Seeing them both preparing to lunge for Leo, I clutched him tighter and bolted back towards the school grounds. As I ran, I fumbled for my phone and dialed Alex.
“Alex! Someone’s trying to take our son! I’m at the kindergarten entrance! Get here now! Right now!”
Connor was right behind me. “Sophie, he’s my son too! He belongs with me, at home!”

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