[~Song Recommendation: Because of You by Kelly Clarkson~]
"Mom… I caught him with another woman earlier. My husband is cheating on me…"
Cammy cursed herself…
She had initially planned to keep it to herself until she talked to Duncan, but talking with her mom made her resolve waver. Despite her mom being unsupportive, she felt the need for motherly warmth and affection at that moment because she felt so sad and alone. It was as if the whole universe just turned its back on her and decided to make her suffer.
"Oh, dear… Cammy, let me tell you this. Men cheat all the time; it's normal for them. The important thing is that you are the legal wife. He comes home to you and provides for you, for your son, and even for us. Men these days do not do that anymore, you are a lucky woman for having Duncan in your life.
Don't be so ungrateful dear. Can't you see that you are a spoiled wife? And I think you are already too spoiled that's why you are acting this way. It is not good to control your husband like that, men do not like being controlled you know. Your husband wants a submissive wife, can't you just do that and enjoy the luxurious life that he is providing us?
Anyway, if anything happens to him, his company and all his wealth will be transferred to you and Dylan. So don't dwell on it too much; you'll get used to it. Just let it go. Stop making it as if it's a big deal. For once, stop complaining and just be a good wife for Christ's sake!"
Cammy clenched her fist in anger and closed her eyes. She instantly regretted mentioning it to her mother, who does not care about anything in this world except for money.
"How about this, Mom… I'll come there with Dylan, so you can use my credit card to buy the things you need. We'll stay until you return from your cruise, so Dad won't be alone during his check-up.
But don't tell Duncan, he might cut off my card if he finds out that I let you use mine because yours maxed out. As long as you stay quiet about it, he will never know. He's busy with work anyway."
Cammy wanted to think first. She knows very well from experience that she must not decide on anything when her emotions are high. Visiting her parents is just the perfect excuse to be away from Duncan without him suspecting a thing in case he finds out where they went.
"Okay, I'll wait for you. Bye."
"And you hang up on me just like that…" Cammy shook her head as she stared at her phone.
Despite her mother never being a 'mother' to her, she was fortunate to have loving nannies and maids growing up who taught her that one's mother is irreplaceable. Cammy embraced this lesson, maintaining respect and love for her mother, regardless of their differences.
Cammy promptly booked a flight from an app on her phone to be with her parents as soon as possible before driving off once more. Her parents moved to Arlon City, the second-largest city in the eastern part of the country, a three-hour flight from her current location.
Duncan bought them a high-end penthouse there so Cammy's father would be near the hospital where he is undergoing therapy.
Upon arriving home, she entered quietly, not wanting to disturb anyone, as she had no intention of informing Duncan about their destination, at least not yet.
It was a simple revenge, the only thing that she could do right now. But for her, it was already a lot and something that would lessen the pain in her heart.
'I'll make him search for us even for a while... He deserves it,' she thought.
Cammy quickly changed her clothes. She only packed one small suitcase and a backpack since they already had some of their clothes in her parents' home. The most important thing is her small laptop so she can still do her part-time job which Duncan does not know of.
A year ago, before her pregnancy with the twins, she discovered Duncan's text messages to other women, which he strongly denied. They got into a heated argument, escalating into a physical fight that eventually ended in bed, and resulted in conceiving the twins.
It was at that point she decided to find a job secretly, with the help of her college friend, Ethan, so she could save up. She wanted to earn money just in case Duncan dumped her. He is her childhood crush and first love, she would never give him up on her own… not until today.
She turned off her personal phone and put it in the backpack with Dylan's medicines and necessities. She's not yet ready to talk to Duncan, and turning off her personal phone and keeping it away from her reach is the only way to stop herself from making decisions that she might regret later on.
She retrieved her work phone, provided by her employer, put it in her handbag, and made her way to Dylan's room.
"Wake up, sweetheart. We're going to visit Grandpa and Grandma," Cammy gently whispered to her sleeping little one.
Dylan rubbed his eyes and smiled. The boy just loves visiting her parents and enjoys taking care of her dad, who can no longer stand up on his own due to a stroke. She quickly dresses up Dylan and puts his inhaler into his pants pocket.
"Let's walk slowly and quietly outside, okay? We don't want to wake everyone up; they're very tired from their day's work," Cammy whispered to Dylan, who happily nodded despite his sleepy eyes.
As they stepped out of the mansion's gate, Cammy briskly walked toward the end of the street, pulling her son, who appeared utterly confused.
"Mommy, why aren't we taking your car?" Dylan questioned.
"Well, Mommy wants to hug you on our way to the airport. So, I booked a taxi, and it's already waiting for us at the bus stop."
"Okay, I'll hug you too," Dylan replied innocently with an adorable smile.
**********
Two hours later…
Cammy and Dylan finally boarded the plane, and just when she believed everything was in order, it wasn't…
"Mommy! I left my inhaler on the bathroom counter when I peed. It's just outside, wait for me…" Dylan hastily exited the plane, squeezing his tiny body into the long line of boarding passengers of their busy plane unnoticed by the flight attendants.
"Dylan, wait!" Cammy quickly grabbed her handbag and excused herself from the passengers settling into their seats and placing bags in the overhead cabin.
"Ma'am, you cannot leave the plane," one of the cabin crew by the door insisted.
"Sorry, my son just ran out, he's small and perhaps you didn't notice him; he left his inhaler in the toilet in the waiting area, I will be quick," Cammy pleaded.
"Alright, ma'am, please hurry; we are closing the door in ten minutes, with or without you."
"Got it, I won't take that long. Thank you!"
Cammy sprinted as fast as she could and accidentally bumped into another woman boarding their plane.
"Ouch! Watch where you're going!" the woman exclaimed angrily.
"Sorry, I am running after my son," Cammy tersely explained.
"You dropped this, Miss."
Cammy heard a tiny voice and looked down.
"Oh, thank you," she said to the little boy about the age of Dylan, who handed her boarding pass back. "You have such a sweet son. But I have to go," Cammy addressed the woman she bumped into and waved to the little boy before hurrying off to find Dylan.
"Dylan?!" she called loudly in the men's toilet where Dylan was in earlier.
"Dylan? Are you in there?" She called once more, but there was still no answer.
Cammy panicked and went inside, not minding the men staring at her judgingly.
She started apologizing and asking everyone, "I'm sorry. Have you seen a seven-year-old boy, dark blonde, almost brown hair with green eyes?"
"The one looking for his inhaler?" a man by the sink asked Cammy.
"Yes! That's him. Do you know where he went?" she exclaimed feeling relieved that someone had seen her son.
"He took off with a man, I think. I didn't see what he looked like since I was in the cubicle; I just heard their voices. The man said he had his inhaler and offered the boy to come with him. The boy said 'Okay.' That's all I heard."
"Thank you!"
Cammy swiftly left and searched for Dylan, looking in the waiting area and beyond, but there was no sign of him. She wanted to cry but she knew that crying would not solve anything. She continued searching and asking people if they had seen a little boy. She also asked the guards who immediately reported it to their station via their radio.
Cammy kept cursing while scanning the airport. It was the first time Dylan had done something like that, but she could not blame the boy. Being asthmatic, the doctor always reminded him not to go out without his inhaler in his pocket, as his life depended on it.
Cammy then heard the airport staff announcing the departure of the flight they were supposed to be on. Her skin chilled with cold sweat, and her heart raced even faster than before. There was still no sign of her son.
She rubbed her forehead with one hand while the other rested on her waist, already feeling a headache coming on. "Damn it! Where the hell are you, Dylan? Of all times, why now?!"
"Hello…"
Cammy's heart jumped after hearing the deep voice of the man behind her. She quickly turned and stared into the man's eyes worriedly as she held her breath waiting for him to speak first.