Page 54 of All That She Needs

"But you called her." I seethed before I added in a harsh tone. "Seeking heradvice."

"He's not asking me to take his side. I'm not taking anyone's side." My mother disputed. "He was just asking me for advice."

I closed my eyes, taking a slow, shaky breath, willing myself to stay calm. When I opened them again, tears burned and blurred my vision, but I pressed on. "Then what you need to do, Ma," I said, my throat tightening. "Is to advise him how to be a good man and a good father. Advise him of everything you've instilled in us since we were little—the value of trust, the importance of honesty, the appreciation for having a family that loves us. Advise him on how to move forward from here, how to fight to regain his children's trust. That's what you need to say."

My mother fell silent.

"You shouldn't advise me or pressure me, your daughter, to swallow my pain and continue living with a man who didn't respect me. Who didn't love me enough to be faithful. Whodidn't even put his own children first. You should have told me to be strong, to have courage, and to set an example for Chloe on how to be resilient."

Both my mother and Aiden stood in silence, their heads bowed, absorbing my words. I could see that my words hit them hard with painful clarity.

"And Ma, your precious son-in-law hurt me more than you can imagine. I don't know if he's shared the whole truth with you, but when he broke up with that woman he was having an affair with, he didn't stop there. He kept pursuing her, begging her to take him back. He didn't want to end the affair. That's not a mistake anymore. They're probably still sleeping together if he can help it. And that, Ma, is a conscious and deliberate cruelty."

I paused for a moment as my voice cracked with the weight of my emotions.

"And I want you to take my side, Ma. My heart is broken, and instead of comforting me, supporting me like a mother should, you dismissed it like it was nothing and defended the very person who broke it. Not once since you came have you asked how I was doing. You didn't even ask if I'm okay. How do you think that makes me feel?"

At that moment, I vowed to myself that I would never do this to Chloe and Kayden. I would always be there for them, giving them whatever support they needed. If they were wrong, I'd guide them in the right direction. But if they were the ones being wronged, I'd hunt down the person responsible and give them a nasty piece of my mind.

When they both couldn't say anything else, I knew it was time to end the conversation. I was too exhausted to continue. And seeing them teaming up against me hurt too much. "Since he's here, you probably want to catch up with him. I'm going totake a shower, then head to bed. The guestroom should be ready. Sandy always keeps it fresh with new sheets. Good night, Ma."

I walked up the stairs, leaving the silence behind me. Neither my mother nor Aiden said a word as I slipped away, and I was grateful for the brief reprieve. I knocked on Chloe's door first to say goodnight. She was tucked behind her study desk, focused on her homework. I kissed her temple, feeling my heart swell with love for her.

"I will always be on your side. No matter what. Remember that, okay?" I whispered.

She looked up at me, her smile small but reassuring. "I know, Mom."

Satisfied, I moved on to Kayden's room. I frowned when I saw him glued to his laptop, playing video games instead of studying. His headphones were on, so he didn't hear me knock. When he noticed me standing there, he scrambled, trying to switch back to his schoolwork quickly. Normally, I'd have scolded him, but tonight, I let it go.

"Love you, honey. Always remember that I'm always going to stand by you." I said, my tone soft, wrapping my arms around him.

He grinned sheepishly. "Wow, no scolding this time. Love you, Mom."

I smiled, feeling a brief sense of peace. "Just this once, okay? Now, get back to studying."

Part 29: Asha

I sat behind my desk, my chair turned toward the window. My thoughts wandered, drifting away from the work displayed on my laptop screen. I was just going through the motions today, physically present but mentally somewhere else entirely. The usual rhythm of the office carried on, but it barely registered with me.

This morning, my mother greeted me with icy silence. She sat at the kitchen island, sipping her coffee, deeply engaged in conversation with Kayden and Chloe, as if I wasn't even in the room. Her deliberate avoidance stung, but I could only sigh. I grabbed my coffee and sat at the far end of the table, determined not to let the tension ruin my morning.

Before I left for work, I said to her, "Forgive me, Ma. I shouldn't have been so hard on you yesterday." She still wouldn't meet my eyes. It broke my heart that she had taken Aiden's side instead of mine, but I reminded myself she was still my mother. Even though I had vowed never to be that inconsiderate with my own kids, I wouldn't want them to shut me out completely when we had a disagreement. "But I'm not changing my mind. I'm going through with the divorce."

As for Aiden, I texted him I didn't want him to come to the house today. I didn't care how he felt about it. If he somehow had the guts to show up, I wasn't sure I could stop myself from chasing him out with a goddamn kitchen knife.

Groaning, I ran a hand through my hair and leaned back in my chair. No matter how long I stared at the screen, nothing seemed to break through the fog clouding my mind.

There was a knock on my door, and a moment later, Dennis's head poked through the gap. "Do you still need me?" he asked. I glanced at the clock on my laptop; it was already five p.m. "I want to leave on time today. I have a date." He grinned cheekily. "With Samuel."

"Okay," I replied, my tone dull, which was odd for me, considering how excited I usually got whenever Dennis resumed his on-and-off relationship with Samuel again. "See you tomorrow."

Dennis paused for a moment, then stepped further into the room, studying my face. "Are you alright?"

I shook my head slowly. "Not really. But I don't want to talk about it right now."

"Aiden problem again?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

I sighed dejectedly. "What else would it be?"

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