Ex-husband's Regrets Worth Nothing

Faith's POV

Tiredness gradually crept into my body as I took my steps toward our house from work. My eyes were getting heavy, and I felt like something was sucking my soul.

I badly wanted to pass out until I heard my mother's sweet voice calling me softly, saying, "Faith, sweetheart, are you home?" And just like that, all the exhaustion I felt evaporated into thin air.

"Yes, Mom," I replied, smiling.

"Why do you look so tired today?" she worriedly asked, which I merely chuckled at. "Anyway, dinner's ready. Why don't you go upstairs first and change? I'll call your dad, and let's have dinner together."

I then nodded, kissed her on her cheek, and went upstairs.

I took a quick shower, prepped my skin, dressed in comfortable pajamas, and dashed downstairs.

I was on a full smile because dinner with my family had always been something I looked forward to after a long exhausting day.

However, what flashed before my eyes when I arrived at our dining area instantly flipped my mood upside down.

"Why are you still standing there, Faith?" asked my mother, seeing that I hadn't moved an inch from my position. "Come and sit, sweetheart. Dinner's waiting."

"What is he doing here?" I coldly asked, completely ignoring my mother's invitation.

My eyes met Atlas' wherein, unlike before, I felt no sparks — just a volt of hatred. He looked affected and hurt by my indifference, but I couldn't care any less about that.

At this moment, I had no love or sympathy left for him.

"Don't be rude, Faith. Atlas is our guest," Dad firmly said before inviting me to sit for the second time. Left with no choice, I did as instructed.

I sat down next to him, but I made sure not to make him feel like it was fine being around him.

My eyes remained focused on my plate and my plate alone. I neither raised my head to look at him nor did I join their conversation.

There were four of us at the dining table, but here I was — immersed in my own world.

"So, how's our dear Leo doing?" My mom asked with a broad smile painted on her face.

Did she just call Atlas' son dear Leo? God! Did my mom bump her head somewhere without me knowing? How could she mention that kid's name as if he was her grandson?!

"He's doing fine, Aunt," Atlas replied with a shy smile. "He badly wanted to come here with me, but I thought it was already time for his bed, so I left him with my parents."

"Oh, right!" Mom exclaimed. "How's Kate and Dave, Atlas? It's been a while since I've last seen them. I also lost contact with them when we moved," she sadly added.

"They were actually planning to visit you and Uncle Kiel soon, saying they miss talking to you both," Atlas answered, making me lose my appetite even more. I had been so close with his parents, but many things had already happened. Thinking about meeting them after so many years made me feel uncomfortable.

Uninterested, I continued playing with my food using a fork.

"Faith, sweetheart, why aren't you eating?" Mom asked in concern.

"I'm not hungry, mom," I casually lied.

However, my mother knew me better than anyone. She didn't even believe my excuse and said, "Come on, sweetheart. I know you haven't eaten anything since you came to work because you are hardworking. Now, eat up and fill your belly."

Mom didn't even let me respond as she immediately filled my plate with a serving of pasta. Not wanting to offend her, I took a bite, which I didn't regret. For me, Mom's cooking would always be incomparable!

I took one bite after another then I felt Atlas' gaze on me, making me clench my left hand under the table. Fucking bastard, can't he see that I am eating? Didn't he know that staring that intensely at someone is rude?

"Faith," Mom called, breaking the suffocating silence.

I looked at her and waited for what she would say, but Dad answered on her behalf, saying, "Your mother and I have been wanting to talk to you about something, Faith."

Sensing the seriousness in my father's tone, I put down my fork and signaled them to continue. When my parents exchanged suggestive glances with Atlas, I knew what they would say next would be bad.

"Faith, sweetheart, you're not getting any younger," Mom said, making me frown inwardly. "You're already twenty-seven. Atlas is now a single parent, so your father and I thought that you two —"

If there were was a skill I had mastered throughout my twenty-seven years of existence, that was to pick up through my mother's odd gestures. She was yet to finish her sentence, but I already knew what she wanted to say.

Not wanting this conversation to drift further, I rose from my seat, causing a screeching sound they didn't like.

Still, I stood unfazed and said, "I'm full." I prepared myself to leave, but mom spoke again.

"You can't keep avoiding this conversation, Faith," she said with a sad voice. "You and Atlas have known each other since you guys were young, so if there's anyone who knows you better than yourself, that would be each other."

Mom paused for a while and looked at me with a pair of pleading eyes. She said, "Leo loves you so much, sweetheart. He even thinks that you are his mother. Like you, we are not getting any younger. Faith, we also want to see you get married and be happy."

"Be happy?" I sarcastically repeated before chuckling and giving them a stern look. "Mom, do you think I'll be happy if I marry the person who has ruined my life?"

"Fai—" Atlas called from the side, which I immediately cut off when I yelled, "Shut up!"

"I'm not talking to you, so don't you dare intervene," I added while pointing my finger at him, unable to control my rage.

"You're being disrespectful, young lady," Dad scolded, making me sneer in disbelief. "We didn't raise you to be rude," he added.

"I'm not being disrespectful, Dad. I'm just stating the truth," I scoffed as I approached them. Then, I looked at Atlas and said, "Besides, didn't you teach me that respect is to be earned, not to be given?"

"Stop wasting your energy trying to put together something that has long been broken. Our relationship will no longer be the same," I firmly stated despite my parents' unhappy expressions.

"But Faith, Leo is—"

"What about Leo, Mom?" I asked, cutting her off. "I haven't even spent a minute with that kid, so I don't get why he thinks I'm his mother. Well, it's obvious who has been brainwashing him."

"Faith, I know what she did couldn't be more painful, but her last wish was for you to look after Leo," Dad said, making my blood boil even more.

"Her last wish? Dad, do you think I give a damn about her fucking last wish?" I asked in disbelief.

"Hell no! She could've left this world without causing trouble to others, but she still had the guts to leave a burden to me."

"Faith!" Atlas yelled, which I didn't like. Why the hell was he yelling at me?!

I glared at him, and he did the same. He walked toward me and said, "Leo isn't a burden, Faith. He's my son."

Of course, he was. He was yours and that traitor's son.

"I'm glad you know that he's your son, Atlas," I sarcastically remarked. "He's your responsibility alone, not mine. I have nothing to do with him, so find someone else who wants to be his mother, and stop bugging me!"

After that, I walked away and didn't bother to look back.

"Fuck you, Atlas Williams," I whispered in anger.