Survived the Venom, Killed by Betrayal

When I got home, I found my husband, Daniel Dawson, and my son, Ethan Dawson, packing something up.

"Dad, do you think Grace would like these DVDs if I gave them to her to celebrate her discharge?"

Daniel ruffled Ethan's hair indulgently. "Of course. Every disc here is a limited edition. She will be thrilled."

They kept chatting, not even noticing I was back.

The nanny, May Kirby, saw me first and called out politely, "Mrs. Dawson."

Ethan turned to me with a puzzled look. "Why are you back?"

I almost laughed. This was my house, and my son was asking why I had come back. He couldn't even bother to greet me.

My gaze fell on the DVDs in his hands. It was his most prized collection. If I so much as touched one before, he'd inspect it for damage. But now, he was about to hand them over to Grace.

He caught me looking, hurriedly put the discs into a box, and tied a neat bow with pink ribbon.

I gave a rueful smile. As his mother, I'd never received a single gift from him. I'd told him even a pebble or a flower he found at school would do. But not once did he ever bring me anything.

He always said I was a boring adult, not as likable as his Godmom, Grace. She was only three months younger than me. What made her less of an adult than me?

I was drifting in those thoughts when Ethan suddenly shouted, "Mom!"

I shook off my thoughts and saw milk spreading across the gift box he had just wrapped.

They both scrambled to clean up the mess, then looked at me for help like they always did. Once, I might've jumped in to help. But now, I just couldn't bring myself to care.

I headed for the bedroom without a word. The venom had already spread. The painkillers dulled the pain, but my body was failing. Even lifting my arms felt like a struggle. I just wanted to lie down for a while.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw several newly opened photo frames on the dining table. My blood ran cold when I saw the photos inside.

The bride and groom in the photos were Grace and Daniel. In another frame, Grace kissed Daniel's cheek while Ethan stood between them, covering his eyes and giggling.

All through our relationship, I'd asked more than once to take wedding photos. But every time, Daniel said he didn't have the time. Even after Ethan was born, he kept saying he was too busy for a family portrait.

But now, he had taken wedding photos with Grace and even brought Ethan along.

I reached out to take a closer look, and Daniel stepped in front of me.

"Gracie wanted to take them. So, I brought her," he said. His voice was a little shaky.

"You know she's been in poor health. Wedding photos cheer her up. They help her recover."

It felt like an invisible hand was squeezing my heart. I dug my nails into my palm and kept my voice even. "Great. You look just like a happy family."

Daniel blinked, then raised his voice. "What's with the tone? They're just pictures. Can you stop making a big deal out of nothing?"

Ethan walked over and looked at me with disdain. "Mom, why are you so petty? We just wanted to make Grace happy. You're jealous of that? You're such a bad mom. I don't want a mom like you!"

My eyes burned, and tears nearly fell. I forced a smile and said, "I'm not making a scene. I just think wedding photos aren't enough. Why don't you two get married? If anyone sees the photos, it'll be easier to explain."

Seeing Daniel's expression cloud over, I pressed on, "It's for your own good. When Grace is better, we can remarry."

That landed like a charm, and his expression eased. "You're right. Wedding photos aren't like other photos. But are you really willing to divorce me?"

He looked doubtful and eager all at once.

I nodded. "Yes. I've already drawn up the divorce papers."

I took them from my bag and handed them to him. "Sign them."