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

Chapter 4

Vivian's POV:

I had never wanted to hurt an innocent child.

But my son was my bottom line.

Jenna could provoke me all she wanted, but the second she came after my son, I would make her regret it.

I drove home. In the rearview mirror, Luke sat quietly, turning the Rubik's cube in his hands. Several times, I wanted to speak, then stopped myself.

"Luke, Mommy is taking you away from here very soon. Don't let other people's words make you unhappy."

Luke looked up when he heard me.

"As long as I can be with Mommy, I'm happy every day."

As I looked into my son's sincere eyes, something warm and tender stirred in my chest.

With my son's approval, I no longer had any hesitation about ending this marriage.

When we got home, I was surprised to see Evan busy in the kitchen.

He had his sleeves rolled up and was carrying out a plate of beef pasta.

"You're back? I missed Luke's birthday last time, so I made a whole table of food today to make it up to Luke."

After hearing his explanation, I glanced at the table, where he had laid out steamed crab, garlic butter shrimp, and sirloin steak.

Every dish was a kid-friendly meal Evan had carefully prepared. There was no chili, no cumin, and no unnecessary seasoning.

He had put thought into it.

Unfortunately, Luke couldn't eat any of it.

"Luke, come try what I made."

Evan took Luke's hand and tried to lead him to the table, but Luke looked unhappy.

"Daddy, I'm allergic to beef and seafood. Mommy never lets me eat these things."

Evan froze. He instinctively looked at me, embarrassment flashing across his face.

"Sorry. I forgot our son has allergies."

I glanced at him, my voice calm.

"It's fine."

After all, from now on, what Luke liked to eat and what Luke couldn't eat would have nothing to do with Evan.

Evan felt guilty and suggested taking Luke and me out for dinner.

He had just taken out his phone to book a restaurant when it rang.

"Evan..." Jenna's sobbing voice faintly came through from the other end.

I pretended not to hear it and took my son's hand, leading him to sit by the sofa.

Evan walked over, something shifting across his face.

"Vivian, something urgent happened at the club. I need to go handle it. Next time, I'll definitely make up Luke's birthday with you."

With that, he glanced at Luke on the sofa, grabbed his jacket from the entryway, and hurried out.

When the door closed, Luke pouted.

"Bad Daddy."

I rubbed his head and comforted him softly.

"Don't be angry, baby. In a few days, Mommy will take you away."

'Away from a father who doesn't care enough, doesn't try hard enough, and never keeps his promises.'

That night, after I coaxed Luke to sleep, I sorted through the luggage and took out a document from the very bottom of the drawer.

It was a divorce agreement naming Evan Lancaster as the husband and Vivian Sinclair as the wife.

I turned to the final signature page. My name was already there. On the husband's signature line, Evan's bold, sweeping signature had long since been written.

Three months ago, after I saw the traces of Evan's infidelity on Jenna's feed, I had begun preparing this divorce agreement.

The day I asked him to sign it, I had planned to be honest and bring up the divorce.

But he didn't even look at it. He signed it in a hurry and immediately went back to chatting happily with Jenna on w******p.

It was then that I understood.

Some bonds simply weren't meant to last.

In this marriage, I had wronged neither Evan nor myself. I had given him all my sincerity and warmth.

I had given him everything I should have, and even things I never should have, without holding anything back.

From now on, there would no longer be an Evan Lancaster in my heart.