Goodbye Forever Ex-Husband (Olivia and Adrian) novel Chapter 177

Chapter 177

OLIVIA’S POV

I let out a small breath as I watched Charlie finish the last spoonful of his meal. Even though a part of me wanted to protect him from the truth, I knew I had to tell him. Sooner or later, he would notice my absence, and I didn’t want him to feel abandoned.

“Did you enjoy your meal?” I asked, brushing a strand of hair away from his forehead.

He nodded eagerly, placing his spoon down on the plate. “Yes, Mommy. It was yummy. The rice had carrots in it today–I like carrots now.”

I smiled at his enthusiasm and leaned forward slightly, my hand resting gently on his small one. “Alright, sweetheart. So… Mommy wants to tell you something. And I want you to listen really well, okay?”

He nodded again, his big curious eyes staring at me with full attention.

“So…” I paused, choosing my words carefully, “a few days from now, I’m going to be going somewhere very far. Just for a little while. And that means you won’t see me for a few days, alright?”

I watched the smile on his face slowly fade, confusion replacing his earlier joy. His eyes blinked rapidly as if trying to process what I had just said.

“Why? Where are you going?” he asked, his small voice tinged with concern.

“I have to go take care of some very important business,” I replied softly, trying to keep my tone calm and reassuring. “It’s something that only Mommy can do.”

He frowned. “Can’t I come with you?”

I gently lifted him from his chair and set him down on the floor beside me. I took his tiny hand in mine, and together we walked slowly toward the living

room.

“Oh, darling,” I said, sitting on the couch and pulling him into my lap. “If I could take you with me, I would. You know I love having you around. But this trip is really serious, and it’s not safe for little boys. And you also have school–you can’t miss too many classes, remember? You said you want to be smart like Mommy one day.”

He was quiet for a moment, resting his head on my shoulder. I could tell he was still processing it all.

“Aunt Clara won’t be around either,” I continued, “so I want you to be a good boy and listen to the maids, okay? They’ll be taking care of you while I’m away. And you’ll still have your bodyguards here to protect you–just like always.”

He lifted his head slowly and looked at me with a slightly pouty face. “Does that mean you’re not going to keep your promise?”

I raised a brow. “What promise?”

“The toys. You said if I got an A, you’d get me more toys,” he said seriously, arms crossing like a little businessman.

I let out a small laugh and kissed his cheek. “Of course, I’m keeping my promise. In fact, we’re going out in the next few minutes. You get to pick any toy you want. You did a wonderful job getting an A today I’m so proud of you.”

That put the smile back on his face. His eyes lit up as he nodded excitedly, already daydreaming about shelves of toys and new action figures.

He leaned into me and whispered, “Can I get one of those superhero robots with the light–up eyes?”

1 grinned. “You can get two.”

I held him close, soaking in the warmth of his small embrace. These were the moments I cherished the most before life got too complicated and belo he grew up into a man who would no longer fit into my lap like this.

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Chapter 177

“Mommy?”

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“When are you coming back from your trip?”

That question hit me harder than I expected. I looked down at him, brushing my fingers gently through his curly hair.

“In seven days,” I began softly, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead, “you’ll still be seeing me, but you just won’t be able to touch me.

I turned to the table and picked up my tablet, then held it out toward him. “Here, hold this,” I said, placing it gently in his hands. He took it curiously, his fingers wrapping around the edges of the sleek screen.

Then I picked up my phone and quickly tapped to initiate a video call–my tablet and phone were synced, so when the call came through on the tablet, I answered it immediately.

I chuckled. “Yes, baby. That’s me. And this is called a video call.” I leaned toward the screen and struck a few playful poses, then blew him a kiss through

I continued, “This tablet will stay with the head maid while I’m gone. If you ever want to talk to Mommy, just ask her and she’ll call me right away. And,” I paused to lower my tone just slightly, “if anyone gives you any trouble–if any of the maids don’t listen to you–you tell me immediately, and I’ll fire

“Okay!” he said with a proud little puff of his chest, clearly loving the idea of being in charge.

“Clara!” I called out, raising my voice slightly.

Within seconds, Clara appeared by the doorway. She rushed to my side the moment she heard her name. “Yes ma’am?” she asked.

“Take him upstairs and get him ready. We’re heading out soon,” I said firmly, brushing Charlie’s hair with my fingers one last time before giving Clara a quick nod.

She smiled and reached down to lift Charlie into her arms. The tablet was still clutched tightly in his small hands, and the video call was still on. As they began walking upstairs, I picked up my phone again and waved at him through the call.

He waved back with a wide grin, his voice echoing faintly from the tablet’s speaker. “Bye Mommy!”

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Chapter 177

“Not bye,” I reminded him with a laugh. “Just see you soon.”

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As they disappeared up the stairs, I ended the call and placed my phone gently on the table, sighing with a deep mixture of emotion–love, anxiety, and pride.

That boy was my whole world. He wasn’t just my son. He was my best friend, my purpose, and the only thing that reminded me to keep going, no matter what the world threw at me. Every move I made, every decision, every sacrifice–it was all for him.

And even though I’d be miles away in New York, I promised myself I’d still be there for him every single day.

Even if only through a screen.