Forgotten Wife: My Ex-Husband Regrets It After I Left novel Chapter 26

lenna’s POV

I didn’t regret it. I was grateful to have loved.

Grateful to have been a part of this little family, even if in the end, I was pushed out.

The front door opened with a creak, followed by Noah’s unmistakable giggle echoing through the house. I was in the kitchen, slicing strawberries–prepping a little treat for tomorrow. But his quick footsteps rushing toward me suddenly made my chest feel heavy.

[“Careful, Noah,” I called instinctively, though he hadn’t yet appeared.

A second later, there he was–standing in front of the kitchen counter, proudly holding up a large box, his face beaming with joy.

“Mommy, look! Aunt Emily got me this! It’s the Transformer X–10–the coolest one ever!” he shouted, eyes sparkling. He held the box up high like a trophy, showing off the robot toy he’d dreamed of for so long

The knife in my hand froze mid–air. My breath caught in my throat.

Transformer X–10.

The toy I had just bought earlier today. The one I’d carefully locked away in my closet, planning to give him tomorrow. The gift I had chosen to bring him happiness on my last day in this house.

But now, here it was. In his hands. From someone else.

From Emily.

I swallowed hard, forcing a smile, trying to hide the warmth gathering at the corners of my eyes.

“Wow…” I said, my voice barely a whisper. “That’s really cool, sweetheart. Aunt Emily… bought it for you?”

“Of course!” Noah beamed, hugging the box as if afraid someone might take it away. “Aunt Emily always knows what I want! Not like Mommy–you always say, ‘Maybe later, Noah, not now, it’s expensive,‘ or ‘Wait for your birthday!‘ Hmph.”

I fell silent

I slowly set the knife down, my heart absorbing every word–so innocent, so honest, yet cutting deeper than anything else ever could.

I knew I’d postponed buying that toy–not because I was stingy, but because I wanted to teach Noah about patience, about appreciation. But to a child his age… I probably just seemed cheap. Nothing compared to someone who always arrived with a smile and a surprise.

Suddenly, I heard Liam’s footsteps behind Noah. He glanced at us briefly.

“Emily knows exactly what Noah wants. Not like his mother. Good–less whining now,” he said, deliberately loud enough for me to hear, his tone sharp, indifferent.

Emily came in behind him, holding several shopping bags. “He’s been eyeing it for a while, right? I figured, why wait for his birthday? Kids like getting things now, not later.”

I forced a smile.

“Yeah… that’s true,” I murmured. “As long as Noah’s happy.”

Noah dashed off to the living room, hugging his toy, while Emily joined him on the couch. I stood alone in the kitchen, staring at the half–sliced strawberries. The knife still lay beside the cutting board, but suddenly… the world felt unbearably quiet.

Even this kitchen felt like a foreign place.

My bones ached–not from housework, but from constantly trying to stay in a space that had no room left for me.

And in that moment, I realized… tomorrow wouldn’t just be my last day in this house.

It would be the last day I held hope of still being part of their story.

I closed the fridge slowly. The cold air brushed my face but wasn’t nearly enough to cool the heat swelling in my chest. I could hear Noah’s laughter and Emily’s voice in the living room–it all sounded distant now, like echoes from a world I no longer belonged to.

My steps felt heavy as I brought the strawberries to the dining table. I listened to Emily animatedly talking about a new toy store that had just opened at the mall, complete with promotions she said were too good to pass up. Liam chimed in occasionally, laughing, offering drinks–acting as if I weren’t even in the room. As if I hadn’t once spent nights on that very couch, nursing Noah through his fever. As if I were nothing but a shadow.

I drank the rest of my water–lukewarm and tasteless. Like my final days in this house. Not because there was no flavor, but because I had become too numb to taste anything.

“Noah!” Emil

Emily called from the living room. “Let’s build your toy together! Auntie already read the manual!”

“Yay!” Noah responded excitedly, his little feet pattering toward the couch.

Without realizing, I found myself watching them through the kitchen doorway. Emily gently smoothed Noah’s hair, straightened his collar, and kissed the top of his head–the way I used to. And Noah… Noah laughed. Freely. Comfortably. As if all the silent pain I carried meant nothing. As if my presence could be replaced with one sweet kiss and an expensive toy.

Liam stood. “I’m heading upstairs for a shower,” he said. And without looking my way, he climbed the stairs.

I, too, began walking–toward the back staircase. Not to go up, but to slip out the side door.

I needed air. I needed to step away from a house that more and more felt like a museum of memories I was no longer allowed

to touch.

an

Out on the back porch, the sky had already gone dark. The night breeze carried the scent of damp earth, and the sounds of nocturnal creatures began to softly hum in the distance. I sat on the first step, hugging my knees to my chest.

And there there is where I finally cried.

Silently. Endlessly.

Like a dam that cracked… and then simply gave way.

I knew that tomorrow, I would need to be strong. I would have to stand tall, sign the documents, and officially let go of this house, this family, and all the quiet hopes I had once held so tightly.

But tonight… let me fall apart. Let me say goodbye without words. Because maybe… that’s the only thing I can still do as “Noah’s mother.”