His Rejected Mommy Never Back

Chapter 2 The Outsider

Claire couldn't believe her ears. She stared at Leo, her lips trembling. "Leo, are you serious?"

Leo nodded.

"Just divorce Daddy. I don't want to take shots or medicine anymore."

Julia smirked, giving him an approving smile as Leo ran over and hugged her leg.

Claire, struggling to hold herself up, slowly stood.

Felix had his left arm around Julia and his right hand holding Leo's, as if Claire was the outsider, the one who was ruining their happiness.

Claire smiled, said nothing more, straightened up, and turned to leave.

Once Claire walked out, the house felt eerily quiet.

Julia sat on the couch, holding Leo in her arms, a smug smile on her face.

"I can't believe Claire just left so calmly. I thought she'd cause a huge scene."

Felix sat beside her, holding a glass of wine, swirling it gently. His eyes were cold as he spoke, "She knows better. She knows she's not fit to be Leo's mom. If he stays with her, he'll just keep suffering."

Julia furrowed her brow, a slight irritation in her voice. "Why are we still talking about her? Are you trying to ruin my good mood?"

Felix pulled her closer, kissing her softly on the cheek.

"Don't be mad. Tomorrow, I'll take you both to an island to unwind."

Leo's eyes lit up, his little hands clapping excitedly. "Really? Does that mean I don't have to go to school?"

Felix smiled slightly, nodding. "Of course. Go pack your things. We leave tomorrow morning."

Leo danced around in excitement, but then he suddenly stopped, looking up at Julia with a hopeful expression. "Julia, can you stay with me until I fall asleep?"

Julia's expression stiffened, and she cleared her throat. "Leo, you're a big boy now. It's time for you to start sleeping on your own. Be brave, okay? You can't always rely on someone to be there."

Leo's face fell instantly, a look of disappointment crossing his features. He lowered his head and murmured, "But Mommy always sat with me and told me bedtime stories..."

Felix's face darkened slightly. He impatiently pulled Leo aside and said sternly, "Leo, you're growing up. You need to learn to be more independent. Your mommy spoiled you too much, but that stops now. Starting today, things are going to change."

Leo fiddled with his fingers, his eyes glistening with hurt, but he quickly looked up and forced a small smile. "Okay, Daddy. I'll be brave. I can sleep by myself."

Julia, watching Leo's retreating back, feigned understanding, her voice soft. "Leo's still just a little kid. Maybe we're being too tough on him?"

Felix snorted. "Claire babied him too much. He needs to learn how to stand on his own."

Leo slowly walked to his room, fighting back tears. He'd never slept alone before. No matter how late Claire worked, she always came back to tuck him in.

But now, for the sake of not taking shots or medicine, Leo thought it wouldn't matter if Claire didn't come back.

*****

Claire wandered the streets, lost in thought. She didn't know how long she had been walking until she found herself standing in front of a familiar building—the hospital where Leo had been born.

She slowly walked in, sitting down on a bench in the waiting area. The memories of Leo's birth flooded her mind.

She had been lying on the delivery bed, sweat soaking her hair. The pain had come in waves, and she gripped Felix's hand tightly, groaning in agony.

After what seemed like an eternity, a loud cry shattered the silence of the delivery room.

Exhausted, Claire opened her eyes and saw the nurse holding a tiny baby. Her gaze softened, and she whispered, "My dear baby, Mommy loves you."

Felix held her hand gently. "The baby's healthy. You did great, honey."

Claire looked at the baby in her arms, silently vowing to protect him with her life.

But happiness was short-lived. A few days later, the doctor came in with a serious expression, holding the test results. "Ma'am, there's something abnormal in the baby's blood sugar levels. I'm afraid he may have congenital diabetes."

Claire stared at the doctor in disbelief. "That's impossible. He's just a baby. There's no way he..."

The doctor sighed, offering a gentle reassurance. "It's a rare genetic disorder. There's no cure at the moment, but it can be managed with medication and careful monitoring."

Claire hugged the baby tightly, tears flowing uncontrollably. "Baby, I won't give up on you. I'll find a way to cure you."

From that moment on, Claire's life changed completely. She gave up her previous career and interned at a children's hospital, learning everything she could about diabetes. She poured herself into caring for Leo, while Felix worked hard to build his own company, trying to provide a better life for their family.

Leo was different from other kids. He was always sick or injured.

Claire never stopped caring for him, giving him all her patience.

At first, Leo was afraid of the injections, so Claire would go first, showing him it didn't hurt. For every needle mark on Leo's arm, there was one more on hers.

Claire remembered one time when they went to a restaurant. A waiter accidentally tipped a bowl of hot soup, nearly spilling it on Leo. Claire immediately stepped in front of him, taking the burn on her own hand.

From that day on, she became even more protective, making sure Leo was always in the safest environment possible.

At that time, Leo was incredibly thoughtful. He'd look up at her, his little face full of gratitude. "Mommy, thank you for protecting me."

Claire looked at Leo, her heart swelling with happiness.

But now, Leo seemed like a stranger.

He no longer relied on her and even showed her cold indifference. Claire was filled with confusion and pain. Could she really be a failure as a mother?

She wiped away her tears, looking up to see the sun rising.

Standing up, she silently made up her mind that she had to go home and talk to Leo. Maybe there was some misunderstanding between them. She believed that if she tried hard enough, she could win back her son's heart.