Biker's Property: Divorced and Claimed By My Childhood Bullies

Fire!...Hunter please ivy is inside.

CHAPTER 3

KATHY'S POV

“M-m-moo-my,—L-l-eo?” My little girl Ivy walked up to me, concern etched on her face. I paused while setting the plates on the dining table and turned to her, forcing a smile.

“He went for a little run with Papa. He’ll be back soon,” I lied. She had been asleep when her brother experienced those frightening seizures. Ivy nodded and walked away after I instructed her to go brush her teeth. Once she was out of sight, I sighed deeply, my thoughts clouding as I wondered how my son was really doing.

I knew he had been acting out of character since his father brought in his mistress, who was turning my kids against me. But he was still my son, and I was worried sick about him. He had never had such severe seizures before. I knew it was due to the excessive candies Olivia had given him.

Just thinking about it made my fists clench and my heart ache with rage. I despised Hunter and Olivia for their actions. How could they allow my son to indulge in anything he wanted, fully aware of his health issues? I swallowed hard and continued to set the table, eager for my son to return safely. I would have followed them to the hospital last night when they rushed him, but I couldn’t leave Ivy alone, so I let Hunter and Olivia take him.

A few minutes later, the door swung open, revealing Hunter and Olivia with Leo. Hunter cradled him gently in his arms, Leo’s head resting on his shoulder as if he were asleep. My eyes narrowed, and a wide grin spread across my face at the sight of my son back on his feet. Hunter set him down on the couch and settled next to him, using his lap as a pillow.

“Sorry, dear,” Olivia’s tiny voice cut through my thoughts, and my fists clenched slowly in anger.

That b*tch! Did she really think she was being smart? I had warned her about giving Leo those candies, and now she is acting like she isn't to be held responsible for the consequences. I couldn’t stand her, and the only reason I tolerated her presence was that Hunter insisted she was crucial for saving our company. She would stay with us for the duration of her six-month partnership, and two months had already passed—I couldn’t wait for it to end.

Ignoring them both, I made my way to the kitchen to dish out the food. I prepared scrambled eggs, sausages, and honey pancakes with smoothies—both Hunter’s and Leo’s favorite breakfast.

I served the food at the table and made my way back to the sitting room.

“Hey, baby?” I called sweetly to Leo. “Come on, I made your favorite dish! You need some good food this morning.”

When he didn’t respond, I approached him where he was lying in his father's lap. I gently tapped his arm, and he stirred slightly at the sound of my voice but didn’t open his eyes.

“Come on, baby,” I coaxed, keeping my voice calm and sweet. “Look, I made honey pancakes. You need to eat something, okay?”

He turned his head away, burying it deep into the cushions, and my stomach twisted in disappointment. I had gone through so much trouble to make this breakfast, enduring burns and cuts as I raced to finish before they returned home.

“Mommy, I don’t want your food. I want Aunty Olivia to cook for me,” his tiny voice said, and my heart broke. I froze, blinking rapidly. He didn’t just say that to me, did he?

I swallowed hard, pretending I hadn’t heard. I didn’t know what Hunter had told him, but Leo was still my son, not his mistress’s child. “Come on, Leo!” I snapped in a stern tone. “Get up and come eat! I won’t say it again!”

“Let him be, Kathy,” Hunter interjected, his tone firm. “He’s not feeling well. Forcing him to eat won’t help. You always want to have things your way. He said he doesn’t want your food, so let him be and allow Olivia to make breakfast for him.”

My breath caught in my throat, and my shoulders sagged in defeat.

“But he needs to eat, Hunter! He'll feel better if he has something nutritious!”

“Olivia will make him something. You can go do the laundry,” he said casually, not even bothering to look at me. I snapped in anger.

“No! I won’t. She is not cooking for him, and I’m not letting her use my kitchen. He is my son, for crying out loud, Hunter! You can’t keep turning him against me!”

Suddenly, Olivia chimed in with a calm tone. “It’s okay, Kathy. Sometimes kids just need time to adjust. Maybe you could give him some space, and he’ll eat when he’s ready.”

I shot her a glare, my face flushed with rage. “You don’t get to tell me how to handle my son, Olivia! You’re not his mother. Save your advice for when you can actually conceive!”

“Enough, Kathy,” Hunter snapped, his voice rising. “You’re making this worse. And don’t ever talk to Olivia like that. Is that clear?”

I scoffed. He was really taking her side, even now?

She had almost harmed my baby, and he sat with her as if nothing had happened. And now Leo wanted her to make him breakfast?

I shook my head inwardly. It was only a matter of time before she used the wrong ingredient and he had more seizures. Leo was allergic to many things, and I was always cautious about what I used when preparing his meals. But maybe this was the last straw. Perhaps Leo was right… he needed a new mommy.

I had tried my best to be the best mother, but it never felt like enough.

.

.

Hours later, I busied myself with the laundry, trying to push away thoughts of what had happened earlier. Olivia was three months into her partnership, and I just needed to be patient for the next three months. Soon, she would be out of my house, and my son would be back with me. I thought about finally signing the divorce papers Hunter had urged me to sign a few weeks before he brought Olivia in, but I hesitated. I had nowhere to go if I left this marriage. There was no prenup, so I would be leaving with nothing. Most importantly, I wanted my kids to grow up in a happy family—not one where I had to fight for custody just to see them.

When I finished the laundry, I tucked Ivy into bed. It was time for their nap. I made my way to the living room, expecting to find Leo there. As I entered, I saw him seated with Olivia, engaged in a playful game that made my stomach churn with anger.

“Leo, it’s time for your nap,” I said, and Olivia raised her gaze to me.

“There’s no need for that. I already told my driver to come take him to the playground. He’ll be here any minute.”

I frowned.

“Playground?” I repeated, confused that Olivia didn’t realize Leo was asthmatic and might get triggered in a crowded area. But before I could say anything, Olivia’s phone rang, and she quickly escorted Leo out of the house. I stood there, unable to move or speak, shocked at how everything was happening so quickly. I blinked rapidly, watching Olivia take my son to her driver before returning to Hunter.

Minutes later, I lay next to Ivy, gently patting her back and thinking about how to regain my son’s trust. Where had I gone wrong? Before I knew it, I dozed off.

Suddenly, flames began to fill the room bit by bit, unnoticed at first. At first, I thought it was just Olivia’s bad cooking. I knew she was preparing food for my family since neither Hunter nor Leo ate my meals. But as the smoke thickened, I started to cough, struggling to get out of bed and check what was happening. Panic turned to desperation as I made my way toward the kitchen, but the smoke blurred my vision, making it hard to navigate through the house.

“Hunter! Hunter! Hunter!” I coughed, trying to find my way. Oh no! Our house was burning!

It was a fire! I continued to cough, my hands trailing along the walls as I fought to move forward despite the heat.

Then it hit me: Ivy was still in her room. I realized it seemed impossible to go back the way I had just come.

“Hunter?” I screamed again, but there was no reply.

“Hunter, please! Ivy is inside!”

I dashed through the smoke-filled hallway, my eyes stinging. I had to get my daughter out of this place.

When I reached the door, I shielded myself as I pushed it open. I rushed in, scooping up my baby and shielding her with my tank top.

“Hold your breath, sweetie. We have to get out of here,” I whispered between coughs as I fought to escape. In the distance, I could hear the sirens of the fire services, giving me a glimmer of hope as I struggled to get out of the burning house. But I wondered where Hunter was. Why hadn’t he tried to save his daughter?

“Someone is in there! Someone is in there!” I heard a voice scream, but my vision was fading, and my breathing was ragged. I could see no one and nothing. I was losing my balance, slowly and gradually, without even realizing it… I thought I was about to die.