When She Walks Away (Teresa) novel Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Bad Mommy

The car door opened. Charles held it with one hand and reached out to Naomi with the other. Their hands touched just as Teresa turned around. She should have felt hurt seeing this, but instead she was calm.

Perhaps she had finally understood everything. That was why she could stand there so quietly now. She would’ve cried her heart out before. But now, all she could think was confronting Charles. “Charles,” she said, her lips trembling, voice unsteady, “what exactly did you mean by that?”

Naomi stepped out of the car, her hand still tucked in Charles’s arm. Their long shadows blended together under the moonlight. Charles acted as if he hadn’t heard Teresa, leading Naomi toward Joyacre Villa instead.

Teresa had lost track of how many times she had been ignored like this. Her heart had taken too many blows already. But when it came to her daughter, she couldn’t back down. Before she knew it, she had grabbed Charles’s wrist with surprising force. “Charles!” Her voice cut through the night. “You owe me an explanation.”

Charles finally stopped and turned, his gaze icy. With a quick twist, he freed his wrist effortlessly. “You’re busy with work,” he said coldly, “and Yolanda’s still young. She needs care. When you’re pregnant again, Naomi will take care of Yolanda.” That was Charles, always deciding things alone, declaring them like orders, not discussions.

But this time, Teresa refused to accept his unilateral decision. When she had first planned her training in the neighboring city, she had personally chosen a nanny for Yolanda. Only last month did she learn Charles had fired the nanny a long time ago. During her half-year absence, Naomi had moved into Joyacre Villa, where the three of them had been living together as a happy family.

Teresa had always avoided making scenes, clinging to the faint hope that Charles still respected her as his wife. But now, even her daughter was being taken from her. She couldn’t simply walk away.

When it came to Yolanda’s care, Teresa’s calm finally broke. “I can raise my own child,” she said, her voice shaking. “We don’t need any outsiders.”

Charles brushed aside Teresa’s protests like they were nothing. “The matter is decided,” he stated flatly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Teresa’s patience finally snapped. “I said I’ll take care of my own daughter!” Her voice rang out, sharper than she had ever allowed herself to sound before.

The air grew thick with tension. Noticing the rising conflict, Naomi, who had been quietly standing behind Charles, gently stepped in, “Charles, maybe you two should talk this out? I’ll go see how Yolanda is doing.” She waited for Charles’s approving nod before heading back toward Joyacre Villa.

Just then, Teresa’s sharp command stopped her, “Naomi, stay right there.” The instant Naomi glanced back, Teresa’s hand flew out, a loud slap landing across her face.

Charles immediately pushed Teresa away and wrapped Naomi protectively in his arms. “Did she hurt you?” he asked urgently, examining the red mark blooming on her cheek.

Naomi covered her stinging face, tears springing to her eyes with picture-perfect timing, the very image of wronged innocence.

Charles was worried about Naomi. But Teresa felt no guilt. No decent woman would meddle this deeply with a married man. Then again, it took two to tango. Charles bore equal blame. Just as Teresa opened her mouth to say something, a small figure came sprinting from Joyacre Villa.

Yolanda came running in a hurry, her small feet bare on the ground. The moment she got close, she threw herself at Naomi, wrapping both arms tightly around Naomi’s legs. Her wide eyes brimmed with concern as she looked up. “Miss Naomi, does it hurt?” she whispered, voice quivering.

She walked away from Joyacre Villa alone, step by step replaying the past five years in her mind. Somewhere inside, she had always known this relationship was eating her alive. She just couldn’t admit it. But now her eyes were open. From this moment on, she would put herself first.

Teresa took a cab back to Brocade Villa. In the study, she prepared a new divorce agreement, stating that all assets would be divided equally and that she would not seek custody of their daughter. She placed the signed papers neatly on the desk, and then drove through the night back to the neighboring city.

*****

After a night’s rest, Teresa went to the hospital early. The doctor on duty was her old college friend, Sylvia Morris, who knew some of Teresa’s marital troubles.

When Sylvia heard Teresa’s decision to end the pregnancy, she was shocked. “This baby didn’t come easy,” Sylvia said. “Why let go now? Even if things are bad between you, you can keep the baby without the man.”

Teresa met Sylvia’s gaze steadily, her voice firm. “Sylvia, a woman’s true strength lies in making responsible choices about motherhood. What’s more, my life matters too. The surgery will be this morning. This is my final decision.”

The Teresa of the past no longer existed. From this moment forward, she would reserve her love for herself and those who genuinely cared for her. Those who failed to love her deserved no place in her life.