Too Late for a Second Choice

Seeing the terrible wound on my son's forehead, I chose to ignore my heartache from Niall's words, calling him again and again.

I could live with Niall not loving me, but my son, Cyrus, was my bottom line. I brought him into this world, so I had to take responsibility for him.

"She's so desperate to reach you," said Chelsea. "Maybe something really did happen? You should probably answer the call!"

Her words had Niall picking up my call immediately.

"Spew any more lies about my son getting into an accident, I'm divorcing you immediately!" he warned right off the bat.

He knew how much I loved him. In the past, whenever we had differences in opinion, I would compromise unconditionally the instant he mentioned divorce.

I would not cave this time, though. This was our son we were talking about!

"I'm telling the truth," I told him. "I'm at your hospital with our son right now! All you have to do is come over and have a look. That'd tell you whether I'm lying or not. Would you dare to come?"

Cyrus looked at me in confusion, his head still covered in blood. "Is Daddy busy? When is he coming?"

I held the phone next to his mouth, whereupon he immediately called out, "I really miss you, Daddy. When are you coming to see me?"

Even when speaking to his son, Niall's voice did not soften in the slightest. Instead, it was filled with doubt.

"Your mother said that you got into a car accident," he stated. "Was it serious?"

"It really hurts, Daddy," Cyrus answered in response, his voice filled with childish naivety. "I've lost a lot of blood."

However, his words only served to anger Niall. "You made a four-year-old child tell lies? I've had enough of you, Shayla Jennings! How serious could it be if he could still speak to me over the phone?

"Even lies need to make sense, alright? You're trying to trick me into heading to the entrance and getting me home, right? In your dreams!"

The color drained from Cyrus' face when he heard that. He was a sensible child and did not want his father to worry about him, but here was his father, making the worst assumptions about him.

I snatched the phone from Cyrus and attempted to explain the situation, but my voice was stuck in my throat at the barrage of abuse from the other end.

"Shayla Jennings!" roared Niall. "I can overlook you using despicable means to marry me, but how could you teach a child to say such things?

"He will be as shameless as you when he grows up! Aren't you afraid that he'll grow up to hate you?

"A car accident? Hah! Even if you were to die, I wouldn't bother to collect your body!"

Chelsea's demure voice carried over the phone. "Don't blame the child. Children only make mistakes because the adults have failed to educate them well. Don't lose your temper at the child!"

"If only you were half as sensible as Chelsea, Shayla," Niall snapped coldly. "Maybe you would have been a qualified mother!"

With that, he hung up.

I stood where I was, completely silent. I saw how gently Niall treated Lulu after hanging up the call.

"I didn't frighten you just now, did I?" he asked her softly. "Good girl! You're so brave. I'll take you to ride a carousel and see some fireworks later!"

The hospital room seemed to radiate with warmth and coziness, but my son and I felt like our hearts were colder than a winter day.

Cyrus had lost too much blood and was barely standing. I could not afford to waste any more time on a scumbag.

Today might have ended in my loss, Chelsea, but the days ahead were long. By then, we would see who had the last laugh.