Chapter 2 I Wish Ella Were My Mother

Natalie scribbled her signature at the bottom of the divorce agreement. Without risking a second look at the man lounging on the couch, she pushed herself upright and hurried up the stairs toward the bedroom.

Only when she was hidden from Lucas' eyes did she press weakly against the closed door, her body and spirit utterly drained.

Her marriage felt like a dream turned to dust, and she no longer knew where to place the blame.

Perhaps there was no one to blame at all. Love could not be bent to anyone's will.

Drawing in a shaky breath, Natalie opened her wardrobe in silence and began filling a suitcase with her clothes.

Her marriage with Lucas had begun with a child she had not expected. After the boy was born, she had poured all her time into their home, neglecting her appearance. Shopping meant grabbing plain clothes that made it easier to cook, clean, and tend to both Lucas and their son.

Three years had passed in this house, yet every trace of her life could fit inside one small suitcase.

Natalie tugged the case toward the doorway, her eyes sweeping over the bedroom that had been hers for three years. A flicker of hesitation came, but she pushed it aside and walked away.

Downstairs, she found Lucas and slipped the wedding band from her finger right in front of him.

"Take this," she said, offering up the ring in her open palm.

Lucas stared at her hand, his attention catching on the pale imprint left behind by the band, and his eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

She had once lost weight just so the ring would fit, and not once in three years had she removed it.

Seeing how easily she let it go now sparked a feeling in Lucas that he could not name.

Trying to hide any reaction, he flicked his gaze to the suitcase and a crease formed between his brows. "You don't have to leave right away."

"What do you mean?" Natalie frowned at him, a spark of hope flickering before she could stop it.

However, that hope was crushed in an instant as Lucas continued, "It'll take about a month for the divorce to go through. There's time for you to find somewhere else and move out when you're ready."

His cold words left her forcing a brittle smile.

She shook her head and waved off his suggestion without a moment's pause, her voice steady and unyielding. "There's no sense in dragging this out. Let's keep things clean."

This way, there would be no false hopes left behind.

Lucas pressed his lips together, hesitating before turning his face away. "Whatever you want."

"I'm going to check on our son."

Natalie had barely turned to go when Lucas' voice cut through the air, flat and unfeeling.

"Grandma's health has taken a hit these past months. She won't handle this kind of news well. Hold off on telling anyone about the divorce."

At the mention of his grandmother, Natalie's thoughts drifted to Martha Thorpe's gentle smile and warm words.

Out of all the Thorpes, Martha had been the rare one who showed her kindness, even scolding Lucas more than once for treating her poorly.

Because of that, Natalie had no intention of letting the news reach her, whether Lucas warned her or not.

"I won't say a word."

Her readiness took Lucas by surprise. He half-expected her to turn Martha's affection into a weapon and try to fight for her place in the family.

For a long moment, his eyes lingered on her face, dark and unreadable, as if he were seeing her differently for the first time.

"We'll have to keep pretending we're still married in front of her."

"That won't be an issue." Natalie gave a quick nod. "I'm just going to check if Cole's asleep."

Even knowing the odds were against her, she couldn't abandon the thought of keeping her son. Lucas might refuse her custody, but if Colin asked to live with her, his father might reconsider.

Natalie made her way to Colin's room and tapped softly on the door. "Cole, are you still awake? Mind if I come in?"

No answer came. Her shoulders drooped, assuming he'd already drifted off. But then a bright, excited voice floated through the doorway.

"Ella, you have to come by early tomorrow! I want to get you a blueberry cake-your favorite!"

Colin's tender, coaxing tone slipped through the crack, and Natalie's chest tightened.

He once used that same voice only for her. Somewhere along the way, things had changed, and now he hardly spoke to her without distance in his tone.

Her hands curled into fists, then slowly loosened, as if she were forcing herself to gather courage before stepping inside.

"Cole, I need to talk to you about something important..."

The phone was snapped shut in a heartbeat, and Cole shot her a glare.

"Mom, don't you know it's rude to barge in like this?"

Irritation rang loud in his voice, leaving no room for doubt about how he felt.

Natalie felt as though his words had cut her open, sharp and merciless. She faltered, then forced a small, uneasy smile.

"I'm sorry for barging in, but I really need to ask you something, Cole. Would you even consider-"

"No!" Colin snapped before she could even finish, his voice full of irritation. "Why can't you be more like Ella?"

Natalie stood rooted to the spot, thrown by the sting in her son's voice.

"You're useless. All you ever do is spend Dad's money and get in the way. I feel embarrassed just telling anyone you're my mom. I wish Ella were my mother!"

The cruelty in his tone left Natalie stunned. She opened her mouth to respond, but he was already glued to his phone, shutting her out completely.

The name Ella lit up his screen, messages flickering back and forth, and Natalie felt her chest hollow with despair.

She cast one last look at her son before slipping silently out of the room.

It took only a few minutes for her to gather her things, book a ride, and head out, never once glancing back at Lucas.

Lucas sat on the couch, his eyes following her until she disappeared, a strange irritation gnawing at him now that she had left without hesitation.

Natalie made straight for a modest apartment she'd purchased on a whim two years before, a place she once meant for cooling off after fights with Lucas. Now, it was her only safe haven.

Exhaustion weighed down on her, and she had no strength left to think. She washed up quickly and collapsed into bed.

Morning came, and Natalie ordered a ride straight to Thorpe Group. She was determined to hand in her resignation.

Originally, she had joined the company only to be close to Lucas. Divorce erased that reason.

"Would it be possible to process my resignation today?" Natalie asked Jeffrey Tucker, Lucas' assistant.

A bead of sweat rolled down Jeffrey's forehead. He hesitated before replying, "Let me double-check with Mr. Thorpe. Please give me a moment."

Since Jeffrey was one of the few in the company who knew her marriage to Lucas, Natalie could see why he looked so uneasy.

Pausing for a moment, she asked, "Is it really necessary to bring him in?"

Jeffrey's uncertainty showed on his face. "It was Mr. Thorpe who signed off on your hiring back then..."

Not wishing to complicate things, Natalie nodded in understanding. "Thank you for helping out."

Back at her desk, she debated making a quick run for coffee, but the ding of the elevator doors caught her attention.

Lucas strode out, looking every inch the powerful executive in his tailored suit, but his stern expression softened when he faced the woman beside him. The usual chill in his eyes seemed to thaw away.

For a split second, Natalie's breath caught. She hadn't expected to run into that woman.