Theo froze. The worst he’d imagined was not having his wolf—he had never thought his family might fall apart. 

But he quickly came to his senses. His voice trembled with fear as he asked, “Mom, you’re not going to leave me, are you?” 

“My silly pup, I would never leave you,” I thought. 

I pulled his small body into my arms, my voice strained. “If you want to live with your dad, maybe life will be easier.” 

Theo looked at the picture of the toy. He whispered, “Mom, let’s just wait a bit longer. Half a month… No, just one more week. Please?” 

I understood. He was still hoping Ethan would keep his promise, even if just once. 

I nodded. I couldn’t bring myself to say no. 

… 

The next day, after dropping him off at school, I went to work as usual. 

That award-winning restaurant never got back to me. When I followed up, the position had already been filled. 

With no other choice, I started working at a small diner. Since I was a part-timer, the pay was low. 

I wasn’t without ability—my first job out of school paid me well. 

But after getting pregnant, I stepped away for several years. When I returned, the world had changed faster than I ever expected. 

I was an orphan. Without a family to lean on, my life had ended up scraping by in poverty. 

“Cheryl, there are customers at table six. Go take a look.” 

Snapping out of it, I gave a quick reply and walked over. The moment I reached the table, I met Ethan’s eyes. 

His expression stiffened immediately. Sitting beside him was Mira Alstone, his childhood sweetheart. She was dressed head-to-toe in designer brands, looking poised and elegant. 

Although we were the same age, I looked utterly worn out compared to her. My clothes were old, my face pale, and there were dark circles under my eyes. 

However, I wasn’t sad at all. On the contrary, I was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. Sitting next to Ethan was the toy Theo had been dreaming of for weeks. 

Was he finally keeping his promise? 

Mira glanced at the menu and ordered several dishes. 

I noted them down. Just as I was about to leave, Ethan suddenly called out to me. 

He looked at me with a hint of concern, though his tone carried a hint of helplessness. 

“The full moon’s coming soon. Mira’s been having trouble sleeping lately, so she can’t have coffee. You can have the coffee from the set menu. No need to serve it.” 

Mira pouted playfully. “Alright, let’s do what he says. He’s always fussing over little things. He’s been like that since we were kids.” 

She made it sound like a complaint, but the sweetness and reliance beneath were unmistakable. 

My grip on the menu tightened. It felt like a slap across the face. 

Mira noticed the way I forced back my emotions. She raised a brow and asked if something was wrong. 

I didn’t answer. Flustered, I turned away as I saw her provocative gaze. 

She clearly knew who I was, and she was doing this on purpose to humiliate me. 

My steps faltered. Lost in thought, I walked right into a coworker carrying a tray. The food spilled all over me. 

The very next second, the boss’s furious voice rang out. “Cheryl, are you blind? If it weren’t for your pup, I would’ve fired you long ago!” 

Ethan stood up at once, frowning as he walked toward me. 

But just then, Mira suddenly clutched her head and cried out. 

Ethan froze in his tracks. He quickly turned back and scooped her into his arms. Panic was written all over his face as he rushed out. 

I stood there, watching them. The two of them had grown up together. Every little interaction between them was natural and full of quiet understanding. It was like a bond weathered by time. 

Mira clung to Ethan’s arm. Over his shoulder, she gave me a smug, triumphant smile. 

In this silent battle, I had lost completely.