My Husband Was a Stand-In, Now I Race Free

Chapter 3

Vivian's POV:

Early the next morning, Evan went to the racing club.

After I dropped Luke off at kindergarten, I drove home again.

Alone in the living room, I carefully looked over the house I had designed with my own hands. Memories surged through my mind.

Most of the things in this house belonged to Evan.

On the TV cabinet were Evan's racing trophies, award certificates, and all kinds of colorful, flashy model race cars.

Because he once said he hated clutter, Luke's toys weren't allowed in the living room. Luke could only play in his bedroom.

Because he once said he hated the scent of flowers, I never bought my favorite yellow roses again. Every empty vase in the house had been shoved into storage.

I used to think that as long as I made this house warm enough, I would have a warm family of three.

But now, no matter how beautiful a house was, it wasn't necessarily a true shelter.

I picked up my phone, intending to check flight information.

Seeing Karina's name in my chat list, I instinctively tapped into her feed.

Jenna: Fireworks in the sky. Love like the tide.

Below the text was a video, with colorful fireworks exploding across the night sky, couples holding hands and kissing.

The camera panned, and Evan flashed by briefly, his ring-bearing hand clasped with Karina's as she filmed.

So last night, when he didn't come home for his son's birthday, he was out watching fireworks with some young girl.

I set down my phone and let out a bitter laugh.

Three months ago, this girl had secretly added me as a contact without Evan's knowledge.

She never openly provoked me. She just quietly posted updates to her feed, making me a witness to her and Evan's growing intimacy.

It was after seeing all of that with my own eyes that I finally decided to leave Evan with my son.

Ending a failed relationship with dignity was one of the lessons a woman learned as she grew up.

I looked at the family photo still sitting on the entryway cabinet. I took it down, picked up a pair of scissors, and cut out the part with Luke and me.

Then I threw the part with only Evan left, along with the frame, into the trash bins downstairs.

I was done with the rotten marriage and the man whose heart had never been with his family.

At 5 p.m., I drove to the kindergarten to pick up my son.

As soon as I parked, I saw Jenna standing in the parent waiting area, talking to Luke, who had his little backpack on.

My heart sank. I hurried over.

"Luke!"

When Luke heard my voice, he immediately ran toward me.

I pulled him behind me and looked at Jenna warily.

"What were you saying to my son?"

Jenna stroked her still-flat stomach and said pointedly, "I came here especially to tell him that he'll have a little brother or sister soon."

Behind me, Luke tugged at the hem of my clothes.

"Mommy, she also wanted me to go with her. She said Daddy and she have a new home at the club and that I'm welcome to visit."

At my son's words, my jaw clenched.

"Wait for Mommy in the car." I unlocked the car with the remote and told Luke to get in.

Once the door was shut, I turned back to Jenna, who was still looking at me with that provoking expression.

I raised my right hand and slapped her hard across the face.

"The man I don't want is yours. But if you dare lay a finger on my son, I have plenty of ways to make sure that baby never sees the light of day."