Chapter 3

Sebastian had already left for work, but I couldn't shake the heaviness in my chest. My mind kept looping back to the messages, to Jordan's words, to the way Sebastian had hesitated instead of giving me a clear answer last night. Every moment, every breath, felt like a weight pressing down on me, and it was suffocating.

Just as I was about to head out, my phone buzzed with a message from Jordan.

"Bring me the tablet."

No greeting. No "Mom." Just a cold command. Like I was nothing but a servant to him.

I stared at the screen, my stomach twisting. He had never spoken to me like this before—not with such disrespect and defiance. But what did I expect? He no longer saw me as his mother.

A lump formed in my throat, my eyes watered, but somehow I swallowed back my emotions, grabbed the tablet, shoved it into my bag, and headed out the door.

Soon, I arrived at the hospital. The moment I stepped inside the hospital ward, I heard the clicking of sharp heels against the tile. I barely had time to register the movement before a sharp sting exploded across my cheek.

The impact sent my head snapping to the side, and I staggered back. A burning sensation crept across my skin, and my fingers flew to my cheek in shock as I looked up to see who it was.

My jaw dropped when I saw it was none other than Catherine Steele. My mother-in-law. Meanwhile, Jordan's gaze darted between us, his small fingers clutching the bed sheets. He looked uncomfortable, as if he were trying to disappear.

"You useless woman!" she seethed, her eyes blazing with fury. "You can't even take care of your own son!"

A gasp escaped me, not just from the pain but from the way she was treating me. I glanced at Jordan, who was sitting up in his hospital bed and looked startled, his mouth slightly open.

I forced myself to stay calm, not wanting to frighten him further. This was not a good scene, and I did not want my son to witness it at all. So, I stepped forward, took the tablet from my bag, and handed it to him. It was a futile attempt to distract him. Then I took my mother-in-law by the arm and led her to the corner. "Mom, this isn't the place for this."

Her voice was sharp as a dagger; it pierced through the room. "The time and space? The time was when you let my grandson end up in a hospital bed!" She turned to Jordan, her expression twisting into something pitiful. "My poor baby, having to suffer because of his mother's incompetence."

I clenched my jaw. "I would never intentionally hurt my son. You know that. I am his mother. Everything I do is for his best interest."

Catherine scoffed. "For his interest? Is this why he is in the hospital? You should have taken better care of him from the start. Why did you let the situation escalate to the point where he had to be admitted into the hospital?"

I took a steady breath. "That's enough."

She crossed her arms, her lips curling. "Enough? Oh no, we're just getting started. You don't deserve to be a mother."

At her words, I stiffened. How could she say this to me when she was a mother herself? That was when my patience snapped. "Joey is the reason Jordan is in this hospital," I stated, and at this new piece of information, color drained from Catherine's face.

I stepped closer, lowering my voice. "She took him out for ice cream, despite knowing he has a sensitive stomach. You want to blame someone? Blame her."

For a second, she faltered. But then, like a snake coiling to strike, she leaned in. "And whose fault is it that his stomach is so weak in the first place?"

A sharp, cruel smile spread across her lips. "From the moment he was born, you have been coddling him, smothering him, turning him into this fragile little thing. If he were my son, he would be stronger."

Something inside me snapped.

"You weren't there when he was a baby," I shot back. "You weren't the one sitting beside his crib when he cried from stomach pain. You weren't the one rushing him to the ER in the middle of the night. I was! I was the one taking care of him!"

Catherine's nostrils flared. "And look where that got him."

I clenched my fists. "Leave."

She blinked. "Excuse me?"

I took a step closer. "You do not get to come here and insult me in front of my son. Either you leave on your own, or I'll make sure you won’t see Jordan again. As his mother, I have that right."

Her face contorted with rage. "You wouldn't dare—"

"Try me," I said coldly.

She pulled out her phone, her fingers flying over the screen. "Let's see what my son has to say about this."

I watched as she dialed Sebastian's number. The moment he picked up, her voice turned sickly sweet. "Sebastian, dear, your wife is throwing me out of the hospital. Can you believe that? Me, your own mother."

There was silence on the other end. Then, finally, Sebastian spoke.

"If she told you to leave, then leave."

Catherine's expression froze. "Sebastian—"

"I don't want to hear it, Mom," he said firmly. "I trust her. She must have her reasons. Just go home."

A victorious satisfaction swelled in my chest. It felt good to know that Sebastian was with me. Catherine stood there, stunned, before her lips curled in disgust.

"You viper," she hissed under her breath. "Stealing my son away. I swear, you will regret this."

With that, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the hospital room.

After Catherine had left, I went to check on my son. Jordan turned to me, his eyes burning with anger. There was something suspicious about this. "Why did you delete Joey's contact?" he demanded.

Okay. It was about Joey again. I frowned. "I didn't delete anything."

"Liar!" he shouted. "Why won't you just divorce Dad ? He doesn't love you! Everyone knows it!" And those words hit me harder than Catherine's slap.

I took a shaky breath, trying to keep my emotions in check. "Jordan, that's not true."

"Yes, it is!" His little fists balled up in frustration. "Joey said you were just a housewife who doesn't do anything. She said you kept me locked up and made my life miserable!"

My heart twisted painfully. "I only want what's best for you, sweetheart."

His lip quivered, but he stubbornly turned away from me. "I wish Joey were my mom."

I felt something inside me break. Hearing such a thing from him shattered me.

I forced a smile, even as my chest caved in. "I see." My voice wavered, but I refuse to let him see me crumble. "You should rest now, Jordan."

But I knew. There was no resting from this. He said all that because Sebastian had told him. Otherwise, how would he have known? It was all lies. Everything Sebastian said to me yesterday was a lie, and the idea exhausted me. Just as I was about to stumble, the hospital door opened, and a tall figure stepped inside.

His arm slipped around my waist, keeping me in place. I looked up, his sharp eyes locked onto mine. He exuded a quiet authority, his presence filling the room instantly.

"Are you okay?" His voice was low and deep and filled with concern.