Chapter One Hundred And Ninety Nine
Chapter One Hundred And Ninety Nine
Chapter One Hundred and Ninety Nine
Tia woke up before sunrise. She didn’t know what pulled her out of bed so early, maybe the thought that Andy was starting school that morning.
She wanted everything to be perfect for him his breakfast, his uniform, everything.
She tied her hair into a bun and wore her robe, then quietly made her way to the kitchen. The house was still silent.
Most of the workers weren’t up yet. She liked it that way peaceful and quiet. She opened the fridge, took out eggs, milk, and butter, then began mixing the pancake batter just the way Andy loved it.
She was flipping the first pancake when she heard slow footsteps behind her. She didn’t turn immediately, but she knew who it was even before he spoke.
“Morning,” Adam’s deep, sleepy voice came from behind her.
She turned slightly. He was shirtless, wearing only grey sweatpants. His hair was messy, and his voice still carried sleep.
“Morning,” she said quickly and looked away.
He rubbed the back of his neck. “The cooks would do that, you know.”
She kept her eyes on the pan. “I know,” she said softly, “but I wanted to do it myself. It’s his first day.”
Adam leaned against the counter, watching her for a moment.
The smell of pancakes filled the kitchen. Something about it brought back memories years ago, before everything went wrong, she used to make breakfast like this every morning.
He didn’t say anything. Just stood there, watching.
Tia reached for a cup on the other side of the counter, but as she stretched, her hand brushed against his. Her fingers froze instantly. Adam’s hand steadied her wrist before she could pull back.
“Sorry,” he said quickly, his voice low. “I didn’t mean to touch you.”
She pulled her hand back fast, pretending not to care. “It’s fine,” she said, even though it wasn’t.
Inside, her heart beat fast. She didn’t want him to see how much that small touch affected her. It hurt that he apologized for it, like touching her was some kind of mistake.
The truth was, she wanted it too. She missed the way his hands felt on her, missed the warmth that used to come so naturally between them. But now, it was gone.
Adam took a step back and looked away, running his hand through his hair. “I’ll go get dressed,” he muttered.
Before he could leave, Andy’s voice echoed from the hallway. “Mommy! Daddy! Good morning!”
The awkward air between them instantly melted as the little boy ran into the kitchen wearing his new school uniform.
His tie was crooked, and his shoes weren’t fully buckled, but his smile could light up any room.
Tia bent down to fix his tie. “You look so handsome,” she said proudly.
“Thank you, Mommy,” Andy said, hugging her waist. “Daddy, look! I look like a big boy now.”
Adam smiled faintly. “You sure do, champ.”
Andy turned toward the dining table and gasped when he saw the food. “Mommy, you made pancakes!”
“Your favorite,” she said. “Eat well before school.”
He climbed into his chair and began eating happily.
Adam sat across from him, quietly watching them both. Every bite Andy took reminded him of old times the mornings when Tia used to serve him breakfast before work.
Back then, their life was simple. Now, they sat like strangers under the same roof, pretending nothing had ever happened.
Adam picked up a piece of pancake and tasted it. The flavor hadn’t changed. He could never forget it. For a second, his eyes met Tia’s across the table, but she quickly looked down, pretending to focus on Andy.
Only Andy kept them under the same roof. Without him, there would be nothing left between them except silence.
After breakfast, Andy ran upstairs to grab his bag. Tia stood to clean the table, and Adam helped without saying a word. When he reached for a plate, his fingers brushed hers again. This time, neither spoke. They both moved away at the same time, pretending it didn’t happen.
“Is his lunchbox ready?” Adam asked after a moment.
“Yes. I packed it last night.”
He nodded. “Good.”
When Andy came back down, he was already jumping with excitement. “I’m ready, Mommy! I’m ready, Daddy!”
Adam smiled at his energy. “Let’s go, champ. You don’t want to be late for your first day.”
They walked out together. The sunlight hit the wide garage, where a line of shiny black SUVs waited with drivers and security guards standing nearby. Andy’s eyes grew wide.
“Daddy!” he said, pointing. “Is that our car?”
Adam smiled. “Yes, son. All of them belong to us.”
Andy gasped. “Wow! We won’t ever take the bus again, right, Mommy?”
Tia smiled softly, walking behind them with his backpack. “No, baby. No buses anymore.”
Her voice shook a little. Watching her son walk beside his father like that holding Adam’s hand, smiling up at him it touched her deeply. For a moment, she forgot the pain between them and only saw the family they once were.
The guards opened the SUV door. Adam helped Andy in while Tia adjusted his collar. “Be a good boy, okay? Listen to your teacher.”
“I will, Mommy,” Andy said. “I’ll make new friends.”
Adam leaned closer. “And remember, if anyone troubles you, tell Daddy.”
Andy giggled. “Okay!”
As the door closed, Tia waved until the car drove out of sight, escorted by the other SUVs.
The convoy looked grand, almost like a president’s motorcade. For her, it was strange and emotional. Andy was just a little boy, but his life already looked so different so distant from the simple one she used to dream about.
When the cars disappeared through the gate, silence filled the air again. Adam stood beside her, watching the road for a moment.
“He’s going to be fine,” he said finally.
“I know,” Tia replied.
She turned to go back inside, but his voice stopped her.
“I’m off work” he said flatly. “I’ll be home in case you need anything.”
She nodded once. “Alright.”
Adam waited for her to say something more, but she didn’t. He finally sighed and walked past her toward the stairs.
He respected her decision not to bring back their love story, not to reopen old wounds. But as he climbed the stairs, a part of him wanted to turn back, to tell her that he still thought of her, that he still remembered every small detail about her.
Instead, he kept walking.
Tia stayed in the hallway for a while, holding Andy’s empty cup in her hand. She watched him go, her heart full but tired.
Sometimes, she wondered if love ever truly dies or if it just hides behind pride and pain, waiting for a reason to breathe again.
For now, she told herself she was doing this for Andy for his happiness, his peace, his future. Even if it meant pretending she felt nothing.
She turned off the kitchen lights, took a deep breath, and walked back to her room. The smell of pancakes still lingered faintly in the air, mixing with the silence he left behind.