Chapter 9 Zara's POV

I wanted to confront them or even slap the woman, but my conscience stopped me. Besides, I wasn't a scandalous person. So, I lied to Enrique that Lucas received an emergency call from the office, and he couldn't join us. Enrique pouted but understood there was nothing we could do.

I took him to a fast-food restaurant popular with kids and ordered a kiddie meal for him. He seemed contented, but as I watched him eat, I felt a pang of guilt. I wanted to drag Lucas away from that woman, but Giselle had no idea he was married.

We then went to a toy store, but Enrique lost the drive to shop and asked if we could just go home. I knew he was sad, and at that moment, I felt a deep resentment towards Lucas. When we got home, Enrique went to his room, saying he was tired, but I knew better.

I took a deep breath before going downstairs to prepare his favorite snacks. But while cooking, I couldn't focus because I kept thinking about Lucas and Giselle. That evening, Lucas didn't come home.

Well, he didn't come home for several days!

When Lucas finally came home after a week of being with Giselle, I expected him to be kind to Enrique, who missed him so much. But Lucas was the same jerk. He treated Enrique and me coldly and was indifferent towards us.

He quickly changed his clothes and took the car key. Despite the late hour, he was going to his girlfriend's condominium again! Sometimes, I wondered if Lucas would get tired of looking at Giselle's face, as her makeup seemed to never leave her face, but then, he really loved that woman.

"Come on, son. Let's go to sleep," I told Enrique.

I washed him and prepared him for bed. Just like his father, Enrique loved to sleep without anything on. As soon as his back hit the bed, he was immediately asleep. Since I couldn't sleep, I got up and went to the kitchen to get a glass of milk.

While there, my mind wandered to Lucas and Giselle. Were they cozy on the balcony, drinking wine, and embracing each each other while stargazing?

I finished my milk and then returned to my room. I thought that reading a book would help me fall asleep. My footsteps echoed in the hallway because the house was so quiet. Deep inside, I wondered if I was waiting for him to come home.

Even if he would just be sleeping in another room, knowing he was close would give me peace. When I entered the room, it was awfully quiet. Then, I changed my mind. Instead of reading a book, I would just cuddle with my little boy. I thought he was already asleep, but he suddenly spoke.

"Mom, I'm sorry," he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.

I turned to him and gently combed his hair with my fingers. "Sorry for what, baby?" I asked in a low voice.

"Sorry for having me. I feel like it's my fault, why you have to endure Daddy's indifference to you," he said, his voice quivering.

Listening to him, I felt my breath catch in my throat. The words coming from his mouth pierced my heart. Looking into his eyes, I wondered what was going on in his little head.

"Ken, what are you talking about? It's not your fault, okay? Go to sleep now, do you want me to sing a song?" I asked gently, but then he suddenly cried.

All I could do was hug him.

I cried too, unable to stop my tears from falling. It's one thing for me to suffer, to hurt, but not my son! Not my child!

I couldn't believe that he was hurting more than me! What had I done? Because of my unrequited love for Lucas, I had let my son suffer in silence! I had allowed him to believe that he was a worthless son.

I wiped my son's tears and spoke softly, "Enrique, listen, baby, okay? This is part of life. And don't ever say or think that you caused this pain. You didn't, son. In fact, maybe if you weren't here with me right now, I'd be even more miserable. Maybe I'd be even more depressed. Baby, Mommy draws strength from you, alright? You are my only treasure. Always remember that."

My son nodded slightly and said, "I love you, Mom."

"Mommy loves you too. Never forget that."

The next day, I woke up early to cook breakfast. It was just enough for the two of us because Lucas never came home last night. As if I'm not used to it. He was always absent in our lives.

Enrique ate his pancakes with gusto. Thankfully, his appetite wasn't affected by our conversation last night. When I looked at him, he just smiled.

"Do you want more chocolate syrup?" I asked him.

"Yes, and more strawberries, Mom."

While he was eating, I couldn't eat my food. I had no appetite. So, I just had a cup of my favorite coffee. Then, I called my husband's secretary to ask something about the man I married.

Actually, it wasn't my style to call his assistant, but it was urgent. If only I could call him personally, then it would be better. But when it comes to us, Lucas treated us like staff who had to go through his secretary.

"Hello, Mary, good day to you."

"Oh, hi Miss Delafontaine. How can I help you?"

"Can I speak with your boss?"

"I'm sorry, but he is not yet here, Miss Delafontaine. It's still seven in the morning, and he usually comes at eight," Mary said on the other line.

While listening to Mary, I felt embarrassed. She was right. It was seven and yet, I called her to ask about Lucas Blackwood. She was probably laughing behind my back. But then, I have known Mary for more than six years. She was one of the few who knew the truth between me and Lucas.

"Hmmm, Mary, do you know if Lucas has any plans for his birthday?" I asked because his birthday was next month. He never celebrated it with me or Enrique.

"Let me just check his schedule. Mmmm, he would be going to Japan with Giselle," she informed me.

It wasn't surprising, considering they've always celebrated special occasions together. However, deep down, I had hoped he would change his plans this year and spend the day with us.

A sigh escaped my lips as I absorbed the news. I expressed my gratitude to Mary for informing me, all the while aware that Enrique, my son, was listening intently. Antoinette's words echoed in my mind, suggesting that I should consider divorcing Lucas and pursuing a relationship with Nick. It prompted me to send Antoinette a message, arranging to meet for coffee later.

After dropping Enrique off at school, Antoinette and I headed to the nearest coffee shop. As expected, Nick had already informed her about Lucas' actions, and she was furious. I cautioned her to keep her voice down, as I couldn't believe it when Nick told her how furious he was when I said it was fine.

"Giselle has no idea he's married to me," I reminded Antoinette, and she snorted in agreement.

"Exactly! So why not do something about it? Slowly inform the public that he's married! You're his wife, Zara. You know what to do in this situation!" she exclaimed.

I considered her suggestion, admitting that I had several ideas. However, I hesitated, not wanting to complicate things further and cause more harm to my son, Enrique.

Antoinette offered her help, proposing to ruin Lucas' reputation with a few online posts. I declined, realizing that it would only drag my name through the mud as well.

"You're right. The only solution seems to be divorce. As for the contract, I'll tell him I'll cover the damages. I'll let you know the amount," I replied, contemplating the thought of spending my hard-earned money for freedom.

Lucas remained unaware of the partnership I had formed with Antoinette before. I had invested my savings into our successful dessert business, which had grown exponentially over the years, with branches everywhere.

"If money can give you the freedom you deserve, then do it. Do it for yourself, Zara. Do it for Enrique. Your son doesn't deserve to suffer in that household," Antoinette urged, reminding me of Enrique's tearful state the previous night.

With determination, I informed Antoinette that I would talk to Lucas about divorce that evening. She gave me a thumbs-up before heading to the counter to order our coffee.