Chapter 1321 Hiding Thaddeus
Cecilia's voice trembled with despair, "No matter who I end up with in the future, it definitely won't be you!"
Daryl's heart sank, then he let out a bitter laugh, "You truly know how to be cold and terrifying. Learned that the hard way today."
Cecilia didn't say anything, but her frown deepened.
Daryl sighed, "Alright then, let's just call it quits."
Cecilia's head snapped up, eyes wide.
He was staring out the window, his expression unreadable.
"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
She had a feeling he was talking about divorce, but it was hard to believe. She'd brought it up before, and he'd always reacted so strongly.
"Since you're not in this anymore, let's get the paperwork done. I don't want to keep you from finding your happiness," Daryl said, his face serious but his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Fine." Cecilia nodded, though her heart felt like it was breaking.
She had wanted out of this marriage for so long, but now that he was agreeing, it felt like a punch to the gut.
Daryl frowned at her quick agreement. He pulled out his phone, "We got married in Maple Valley, so we need to go back there to get divorced. I'll have my secretary book us tickets for this afternoon."
"No!" Cecilia blurted out.
Daryl paused, phone in hand, staring at her like she had just changed her mind.
"I can't leave this afternoon. Look at my store; I need to make arrangements before I go. Can we take the morning flight tomorrow?" she explained quickly.
All she could think about was Thaddeus. She couldn't just leave without making sure everything was set for him. He was still breastfeeding and hated formula. If she left, it would be at least two or three days, and she couldn't bear the thought of leaving him unprepared.
Daryl's brief flicker of hope vanished.
He put his phone away, "Fine, see you at the airport tomorrow morning."
With that, he stood up and walked out without looking back.
Cecilia watched him leave, feeling like the world was spinning.
How did their divorce get decided in just a few minutes? She felt dizzy and reached out to steady herself.
Elowen, the store clerk, walked over with a teasing smile, "Boss, that guy was really handsome. Do you know him?"
Cecilia glanced at the excited Elowen and said, "Elijah's brother."
Elowen's eyes widened. "You mean Thaddeus's dad?"
Cecilia quickly made a shushing gesture. "He doesn't know about Thaddeus. Don't let it slip. We're getting divorced, and I don't want him to fight for custody."
Elowen frowned, "Divorce? Really? Boss, Thaddeus's dad is so handsome and manly. Maybe you should think it over."
Cecilia gave a faint smile at Elowen's innocent suggestion. "You wouldn't get it. I need to leave for a few days starting tomorrow morning. You and Calliope need to keep an eye on the store. Check what we're low on, and I'll go restock."
"Got it," Elowen replied and went to take inventory.
Cecilia sat there, her mind filled with thoughts of Daryl's face.
That evening, after running several errands, Cecilia finally returned home.
She was worried Daryl might have someone follow her and discover Thaddeus.
Daryl's quick agreement to the divorce confirmed to Cecilia that he didn't know about Thaddeus. To avoid future custody battles, she wanted to finalize the divorce quickly. She planned to live in this western city for the rest of her life, never crossing paths with Daryl again. He would never know he had a son.
As soon as Cecilia walked in, Freya came over holding Thaddeus and smiled, "Mommy's home!"
"Mommy, mommy," Thaddeus, who had just learned to say "mommy" a few days ago, called out. Though his pronunciation was unclear, Cecilia's heart swelled with emotion at hearing it.
Cecilia hugged Thaddeus and kissed his chubby cheek before asking, "Freya, has Elijah left?"
"Elijah left this afternoon, said he was going back to Maple Valley," Freya replied.
Hearing this, Cecilia nodded, feeling relieved.
Then Cecilia said, "Freya, I have an urgent matter and need to go back to Maple Valley tomorrow. I'll be gone for two or three days. You'll have to take care of Thaddeus on your own."
Freya patted her chest confidently. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of Thaddeus."
"I'm just worried he won't like formula," Cecilia said, looking down at her son, her brows furrowed.
"Mrs. Fields, Thaddeus has started eating solid foods. I'll make him some mashed potatoes, vegetable juice, and fruit juice. He loves them."
"Alright," Cecilia nodded, looking down at her son. Though it was only a few days, she couldn't bear to leave him.
Thaddeus was eight months old, and the longest Cecilia had been away from him was a few hours. Now, just thinking about leaving him for several days made her heart ache. Was this the bond between mother and child?
While Freya cooked in the kitchen, Cecilia sat at the dining table holding Thaddeus, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
Though she wanted to finalize the divorce with Daryl quickly and hoped they would never cross paths again, it also meant Thaddeus would grow up without a father. Was that fair to him?
But Cecilia had no choice. If Daryl found out about Thaddeus, it would mean separation from her son, which she couldn't bear. So, Thaddeus was to choose between his mother and father.
Cecilia looked sorrowfully at her innocent son and thought to herself, 'From now on, I'll be both his mother and father, and I'll love him with all my heart.'
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