The Ex-Wife's Redemption: A Love Reborn Chapter 245

Alexander studied my reaction to Henry's message, his eyes narrowing slightly.

After a moment, he casually remarked, "You still care about him, don't you? That just proves you haven't really gotten over Henry."

I felt my chest tighten at his words.

Though Alexander wasn't directly involved in our past, he understood the basics of what had happened between Henry and me.

As an outsider, he couldn't know all the intimate details of our relationship, but he grasped one essential truth: a proud man like Henry would never easily humble himself. Despite what Henry claimed, he couldn't possibly be as indifferent to me as he pretended to be.

If he truly didn't care, why had our divorce dragged on for six months?

"In relationships," Alexander continued thoughtfully, "when a woman initiates a breakup but the man disagrees, they usually stay together. But when a man wants to end things, he's typically made up his mind after careful consideration, and the relationship ends."

He leaned forward, his voice taking on a philosophical tone. "Men are more rational in relationships and focus more on benefits. Many men can marry women they don't love if those women bring them advantages. But women rarely marry men they don't have feelings for—they need love. Women are more emotional and prioritize feelings."

Seeing my discomfort, Alexander nodded. "I'm certain of one thing: Henry still occupies some space in your heart. If you truly didn't care, seeing his name wouldn't create any ripples in your emotions."

Since the divorce, I'd been in great spirits—even my sleep quality had improved dramatically. But now, being told I hadn't truly moved on from Henry irritated me.

"I just asked you a perfectly normal question," I snapped. "Where did all this philosophical analysis come from?"

When Alexander saw my annoyance, he immediately changed the subject. "Hey, you asked, so I answered! How is this my fault?"

His expression softened into a playful smile. "Tell you what... let me take you out for dinner? To that BBQ place you love?"

I touched my empty stomach and gave him a glance, pretending to be reluctant. "Fine. For the sake of BBQ, I'll let this slide."

Our eyes met, and we both burst into laughter, suddenly feeling as silly as children.

Just like that, the question of whether Henry would attend the parent-child activity faded to the back of my mind.

The weekend arrived—a rare day off.

By seven in the morning, parents were already streaming into the kindergarten with their children.

Though it was a rest day, I had gotten up early, applied light makeup, put on comfortable sneakers, and dressed in sporty clothes to match the occasion.

Billy wore a similar athletic outfit, his face beaming with excitement as we walked hand in hand toward his school.

However, when he noticed other children arriving with both parents, he couldn't help glancing hopefully toward the entrance.

When he didn't see who he was looking for, he pouted slightly before tugging my hand toward his classroom.

Since this was a parent-child activity, almost everyone came as a family of three. The school had opened the large playground for the event, with each class assigned to a specific area marked by clear signs.

Following the directions on the signs, I led Billy to our designated spot.

When I saw the three small chairs arranged there, I felt my mouth twitch.

Those tiny chairs looked especially small and would be uncomfortable for a grown man to sit in.

I glanced at the empty chair and breathed a sigh of relief.

As I had suspected, Henry was too busy with work to come.

Alexander had offered to accompany us and pretend to be Billy's father, but I'd refused.

He wasn't Billy's father, and there was no need for pretense. Besides, Alexander and I were just friends who got along well—I had no romantic feelings for him.

As my son and I sat down on the tiny chairs, Billy asked with disappointment, "Mommy, didn't you say Daddy would come?"

Despite having clearly explained to him: "Billy, your father and I are separated now. You're just my child from now on. If your father wants to see you, I'll arrange it, but he and I won't appear together. You need to accept this reality."

At the time, Billy hadn't said anything, but his disappointment was impossible to hide.

I took out a tissue and gently wiped the moisture from his lips. "He's busy with work," I explained softly. "It's normal that he can't make it. Remember what I told you? His promises aren't always kept. Don't expect too much from him, okay?" I stroked his hair gently. "No matter if he comes or not, Mommy will always be with you, alright?"

All the other children had their fathers with them—only Billy didn't. Seeing my son's envious glances toward the other kids, I felt a sharp pain in my chest.

Billy thought for a moment, then gave me a bright smile. "I understand, Mommy!"

He had already grown accustomed to life without a father. The only reason he'd hoped his dad would come was because all the other kids had their fathers, and without his, he might be teased by his classmates.

After the fighting incident with his classmates, his longing for the word "Daddy" had diminished significantly.

What was the point of wanting someone who wasn't there when needed, but showed up when unwanted?

The little boy clenched his fist briefly before turning to play a game with Emily, the girl sitting next to him.

The teacher began taking attendance: "Now, I'll start calling names. When I call your name, please stand up, okay?"

When she called Billy's name, she looked in our direction. "Are Billy's parents here?"

The teacher recognized me, of course, and smiled slightly in greeting when our eyes met.

I had already prepared my response if she asked why I was alone—I would say Billy's father was out of town on business, and I could handle things by myself.

I quickly raised my hand. "I'm here!" Noticing her gaze drift to the empty chair beside me, I hurried to explain. "His father is away on business and couldn't make it, so—"

Before I could finish, a clear male voice came from behind me. "I apologize for being late. Just got back to the city after a business trip and was terribly busy." The voice continued, addressing the teacher, "I'm sorry for my tardiness."

I didn't even need to turn around to know who was speaking.

But I turned anyway.

Henry was wearing a navy blue down jacket that reached his knees, gray athletic pants, and white sneakers. Compared to his usual business attire, he looked less cold and more youthful.

Suddenly, I remembered the first time I'd seen him.

Back then, Sam had died, my mother had abandoned me, and I was pregnant with a child whose father I didn't know. Filled with despair, I had only wanted to end my life.

After jumping off the cliff into the sea, just as I was about to sink into the endless abyss, a pair of long, strong hands had gripped mine, pulling me upward with all their might.

Later, when I opened my eyes, I saw through the clear seawater the face I had been dreaming of. At that first glimpse of Henry, I had mistaken him for Sam. But...

I knew very clearly that he wasn't Sam!

Betty once asked me: "Could you ever confuse Sam and Henry?"

I had shaken my head and answered with a smile: "Never! Sam is Sam, and Henry is Henry. I can tell them apart just by looking at their eyes!"

Sam's eyes were bright, filled with sunshine. Henry's were deep and difficult to approach, more like a hunter's eyes.

For six years, I had deceived myself: I was just using Henry as Sam's replacement.

But the truth was—there was never any replacement at all.

Every part of my feelings had been sincere and passionate!

From the moment I married Henry, I had truly considered myself his wife.