Lahat ng Kabanata ng Your Penance Means Nothing: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 8

I patted Leonardo's shoulder as he curled deeper into my arms. "Daddy, when are we going to Grandma's house? I don't want to stay here anymore.""Soon. Once I withdraw you from kindergarten, we'll go back. I'm going to ask you one more time. Are you really okay with Dad and Mom getting divorced?" I asked."Yeah. Mommy doesn't like me, so I don't want to like her anymore." My eyes turned red, and I comforted Leonardo to sleep.Just as I was drifting off, my phone buzzed. I checked it and saw an unfamiliar number. But the photos, videos, and provocative messages all told me it was Lucas.In the video call, Emily was telling Adam a story. She was patient and gentle, with Lucas's voice joining in every now and then. They looked just like a genuine family of three.But… Emily had never done any of that for Leonardo.From the day Leonardo was born until now, she had never played games with him or told him any bedtime stories. For Leonardo, all she had were demands and coldness.I used

Emily sounded so urgent, as if she had put a lot of effort into making time for Leonardo's birthday.I looked at Leonardo, who was giggling joyfully, and calmly said, "I brought him back to my parents' place."Emily paused. "When did you leave? Why didn't you tell me?""While you were celebrating someone else's son's birthday." My tone did not change as I answered her question, as if I were talking about something perfectly ordinary.Emily sighed and said, "Jake, I didn't know today was Adam's birthday too. You know his parents are divorced. A child without his mom around is so pitiful. I just wanted to show him some love. I'll come pick you and Leonardo up tomorrow. I'll make his birthday up to him, okay?"The room felt warm, so I went outside and sat on the swing in the yard. I looked up at the stars and calmly said, "Emily, I've thought about this for a long time. Let's get divorced. Leo can stay with me."Emily and I had met through a friend. I fell for her the first time I s

"Jake!" Emily's tone hardened. She reached out, wanting to grab me. I moved away quickly, as if I was afraid of catching some disease.Emily's expression darkened.Just then, Lucas stepped closer. He smiled with Adam in his hands and said, "Em, Adam hasn't stopped talking about you these past two days. He said his mommy hasn't come to see him in two days. Hold him. Why don't we go to the amusement park?"But Emily did not even glance at him as she stared stubbornly at me. "Jake, let's talk. Do you know how serious divorce is? Do you want Leonardo to grow up in a single-parent family? He'll feel self-confidence issues later."Lucas's expression darkened as he pinched Adam hard on the waist. The next second, Adam's cries filled the room.Lucas looked at Emily, hurt. "Em, look at Adam. Something's wrong with him. He's been crying a lot lately. Let's take him to the hospital, alright?"Emily hesitated.At that moment, a woman and a boy walked in from the cafe's entrance. "Dad!"Leo

Emily pressed her lips tightly together, her hands clenched into fists at her sides as she listened to what I had to say.I was already tired of saying the word divorce.I told Emily she was not allowed near Leonardo again, and she was not allowed to show up around my house anymore. I was determined to get the divorce through.Later on, I asked Leonardo whether he thought I was being too brutal. He simply shook his head and said, "I think having a new mom would be good too."There was only silence in the car.Tammie smiled. "Then… What do you think about me being your mom?"Leonardo cried out in surprise. "That would be so cool!"My face turned red and, for a moment, I could not say anything.Suddenly, Tammie hit the emergency brakes. I hurriedly shielded Leonardo, and my forehead slammed into the seat in front of me. Before I could recover from the shock, startled cries came from outside the window."Oh my God! Someone calls 911!""This is horrible! I wonder if they survived