From Neglected Wife to CEO’s Obsession novel Chapter 100

I just couldn’t figure out why Remy was so dead set against getting a divorce.

He’d loved Julia for years, staying loyal to her even when she was gone. Now she was back in the picture, and she was Cindy’s real mom. Wouldn’t it make way more sense for the three of them to just be together and start over as a real family?

Was Remy just worried that Julia might die in six months, and then he’d be left alone with Cindy and no one to help?

“Cindy still needs to go to preschool. Just let her stay with me, I’ll take care of her,” I said.

Remy’s expression softened, but before he could get a word out, Cindy’s sweet little voice chimed in, loud and clear.

“Mom, what are you doing? Dad barely ever takes me out, and you never let me go. All you do is watch me do homework. I never get to play! I want to be with Dad. I don’t need you to take care of me.”

Cindy stuck out her lower lip and glared at me, obviously annoyed.

I crouched down and tried to pull her into a gentle hug, hoping I could talk some sense into her.

Her last outburst had already cut me pretty deep, but what mother can just turn off her love for her kid? No matter how much it hurts, you still care.

But before I could even steady myself, Cindy shoved both my shoulders—hard.

I wasn’t ready for it. I landed on the floor with a thud, my ankle—still not fully healed—sending a sharp pain shooting up my leg.

“Leave me alone! I don’t want to listen to you. You’re my stepmom, you don’t get to tell me what to do. I don’t want you,” she snapped.

Her tiny face was twisted in anger and disgust, so cold and impatient it made my heart drop.

Hearing her say “stepmom” like that, so blunt and final, felt like someone driving a knife straight through my chest. In that moment, my heart just broke.

The pain was instant and overwhelming, buzzing through every part of me.

Cindy had never been treated like this before. She looked shocked and scared, and then burst out crying, loud and heartbroken.

Remy looked like he’d just been slapped. He hadn’t expected Cindy to say any of that. He grabbed her hand and snapped, “Cindy, is that any way to talk to your mother? Apologize. Now.”

Cindy’s face crumpled, her eyes filled with tears, and when she saw Remy wasn’t backing down, she flopped down on the floor and started wailing even louder.

“It’s only been a few days since Avery left, and look what you’ve done to her. Mr. Thompson, you really know how to make a scene,” someone whispered nearby.

The crowd started to grow, people pointing and gossiping under their breath.

Remy hated being the center of attention. His face turned bright red as he crouched down and scolded Cindy in a harsh, embarrassed whisper.

All I could feel was this deep, crushing disappointment—something so heavy I couldn’t even put it into words.