6
12.46
Howard chased me to the top of the stairs and yelled to our sons, “Adrian! Jack! Stop your mother! She wan
ts to divorce me!”
Adrian and Jack were in the living room, frantically making calls, pulling strings, trying to find Sienna. Heari
ng their father, Adrian moved to block my path, his voice accusatory, “Mom, I’m dealing with a crisis here. What are you doing?”
I slapped his hand away. “Don’t you ever call me Mom again. You’re no son of mine!”
My younger son, Jack, stepped in, a strange look in his eyes. “Mom, Sienna is missing. Adrian and I are busy trying to find her. Can you please not cause trouble right now? Isn’t Dad good enough to you? Why are your suddenly demanding a divorce, disowning Adrian? Surely you’re not disowning me, too?”
I was furious, my heart overflowing with grief and betrayal. Tears streamed down my face. “Yes! I’m disowni- ng you, too!” I screamed. “My husband, my sons, I don’t want any of you! Since you care so much about Sien- na, go ask Serena to be your mother! I’m leaving! I’m letting your perfect family of five finally be together! Are you still not satisfied?!”
I thought revealing their secret would at least make them feel a flicker of guilt.
I was wrong.
My younger son, Jack, was silent for only a moment before offering a placid smile. “Mom, is that what this is about? We didn’t tell you who Sienna’s mother was because we knew you’d overthink it. Dad and Aunt Sere- na haven’t been in contact for a very long time. And we barely kept in touch with Sienna. If she hadn’t called a few weeks ago, saying her mother had passed away and she was all alone and wanted to come home, I would have forgotten what she even looked like. Why are you making such a big deal out of this? What will
people think?”
His words were smooth, practiced.
My heart went cold. I had to laugh. “So now it’s my fault?”
No wonder they wanted me to adopt her. Her real mother was dead. They were looking for a new blood bank to supply her with maternal love.
The thought of spending the next twenty years doting on Serena Crest’s daughter made me tremble with
rage.
I had to get out.
Let someone else be the sacrificial mother. I was done.
