Chapter 149 Deciding to Leave
"Mom, it's nothing. I just don't want to have dinner with a socialite. Let's go," Aimée's voice dripped with sarcasm, clearly aimed at Alison.
Alison clenched her fists, trying to keep her cool. Aimée's words were too much.
But Sophi's innocent question reignited Alison's anger: "Mommy, where's the socialite? I didn't see anyone like that."
Alison couldn't hold back any longer. She stood up abruptly, and while Jack was busy peeling shrimp to calm Sophi, she stormed out, determined to stand up for herself.
She wasn't someone who would let others insult her.
She ran to catch up with Aimée.
Jack looked bewildered as he watched Alison leave, "Alison, where are you going?" He had been too focused on the kids to hear Aimée's harsh words.
Alison ignored Jack and quickly caught up with Aimée. For the past four years, she had endured so much—enduring Jack, enduring everyone—but she still remembered how Aimée had framed her. She never intended to harm Aimée's child or cause her miscarriage.
Aimée's words had pushed Alison over the edge.
Without hesitation, she slapped Aimée across the face.
The crisp sound of the slap drew everyone's attention in the restaurant.
Aimée's face turned pale instantly, feeling utterly humiliated.
Aimée's mother quickly stepped in to protect her daughter, "How dare you! What kind of person hits someone without reason?"
Alison fearlessly met Aimée's mother's gaze, "I think I've been very polite. At least I wouldn't try to kill my own child and blame it on someone else."
Aimée was furious, "What do you mean by that?" She desperately tried to clear her name, insisting she hadn't killed her own child.
At that moment, Jack arrived and pulled Alison behind him. He saw Aimée's mother about to retaliate and didn't want Alison to suffer. He had heard everything clearly and was seeing Alison this angry for the first time. It was a side of her he hadn't seen before—she had a temper too.
"Let go!" Alison was genuinely angry. Remembering how Jack had slapped her before, she felt deeply wronged. Aimée's words had brought all her suppressed pain to the surface, and she couldn't control it anymore.
Jack let go without thinking and turned to Aimée, "Aimée, you should go home. I'll come see you tomorrow. Ma'am, please take care of Aimée." He didn't want to cause a scene in front of the kids.
Aimée panicked, "Jack, what do you mean? Are we not having our wedding?" Alison's slap had humiliated her, and now Jack was siding with Alison.
Meanwhile, Alison had already walked back to the table. She suddenly realized she had been wrong all along. The dream at the amusement park needed to end. She knew better than anyone what kind of person Jack was—always flirting around. What was she doing, staying with him with two kids? She could support herself.
Overwhelmed with anger, she couldn't think straight. All she could see were the times Jack had mistreated her.
Ethan saw Alison crying and rushed over, "Mommy, what's wrong? What happened?" To him, Mommy was always right.
Alison waved to Sophi, "Sophi, let's go."
Sophi was reluctant, "Mommy, I'm not full yet." She was confused and didn't understand what was happening.
Alison whispered, "I'll cook for you at home." She struggled to contain her anger, feeling more out of control than ever. She regretted hitting Aimée in front of the kids, but it was too late to turn back now. Sophi obediently followed her, and she took both kids by the hand and left.
Jack noticed something was wrong with Alison, "Alison, where are you going?"
"To the restroom," she said offhandedly, but she was heading for the exit.
Jack never expected the usually docile Alison to stubbornly leave with the kids. He was still trying to calm Aimée and her mother, hoping to defuse the situation. His mother would never support him otherwise.
Even though he had decided not to marry Aimée, the child she was carrying was a big problem. He couldn't abandon the child, but if he didn't marry Aimée, the child would be illegitimate.
Alison left without looking back, not caring what would happen next. Aimée's insults had woken her up. She wasn't Cinderella, and Jack wasn't her prince. He came to her and the kids when he was happy and bossed her around when he wasn't.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She cried as she took the kids into a cab. Seeing their mother like this, Sophi and Ethan started crying too.
The driver, confused, asked, "Ma'am, where to?"
Ethan, seeing his mother still crying, gave their home address. Alison cried silently, as if trying to shed all the tears from the past four years.
She was deeply hurt. Aimée had called her a socialite, a prostitute, and Jack hadn't defended her. Did he really see her as so worthless?
The amusement park dream was a lie. Jack was a fraud, charming countless girls in the city with his sweet words.
Her anger surged like a tide, impossible to quell.
Back home, she continued to cry silently. As she was about to go to her room, Sophi held her hand, "Mommy, can I stay in your room tonight?"
"No," she said, acting as stubborn as a child.
She called the nanny to take care of Sophi and Ethan, then locked herself in her room, crying and staring blankly at the ceiling.
None of this was worth it. She suddenly wanted to leave, to go somewhere no one could find her.
But what about the kids? The thought of them filled her with reluctance.
I sat in the room, my tears long dried, and the night outside had grown deep.
Ethan called from outside, "Mommy, dinner's ready."
The nanny had prepared dinner, and the smell wafted into the room, but Alison had no appetite.
"Ethan, you and your sister eat first. Mommy will eat later."
For some reason, the thought of leaving wouldn't go away. I didn't want anything anymore, just to take the kids and go.
I'll pay back the money I owe him, even if it takes until I'm old and gray.
The urge to leave grew stronger, and Alison began packing.
This home would be left for the nanny to manage.
It was like going on vacation. Though she hadn't decided where to go, the world was big enough to find a temporary haven.
Alison packed her things and then started packing for Sophi and Ethan.
"Mommy, what are you doing?" Ethan and Sophi watched Alison pack, feeling uneasy.
"Mommy's taking you on vacation."
"Vacation? Where are we going?"
"I haven't decided yet. I'll tell you when I do."
"Mommy, when are we leaving?" They watched as Alison finished packing, sensing that she was planning to leave. What about Daddy? But neither dared to ask, seeing that Mommy seemed angry with Daddy.