Chapter 2: Our Relationship Shattered. Don't You Dare Call Her "Mom"!

Adeline Scurr kept her head down, not daring to meet Emily Looske's eyes. Ever since Adeline married Uriah Greaves, Emily, her mother-in-law, had taken care of her. She had raised her like a real daughter, treating her better than anyone else ever had. Adeline regretted it, just a little. If she had known it would come to this, she would never have listened to Alvin Yale and insisted on making Uriah sign the divorce agreement today. "Adeline, don't be afraid." Alvin's voice turned gentle, coaxing. "I'll stand behind you and support you no matter what. Some people love playing the guilt card. Don't go soft, okay? This is for your happiness!" As he encouraged her, he shot Uriah a smug look. There was bad blood between them. Back at Riverhold University, Alvin had been the campus heartthrob, until Uriah had beaten him down over an incident and made him lose face in front of everyone. On top of that, Alvin hadn't expected Adeline, whom he hadn't seen in years, to have become this stunning. How had he missed it back then? If he hadn't, Uriah wouldn't have gotten to "benefit" from her. But it wasn't too late. The woman meant for him would still be his. And Adeline had money now. He was going to get his hands on it, one way or another. He would take everything that belonged to Uriah. The thought alone made his blood hum with excitement. "Adeline," Emily pleaded, voice trembling, "if Little Uriah did something wrong, tell Mom. I'll scold him properly. But divorce isn't something you throw around!" "Mom, I…" Adeline's throat tightened. The words wouldn't come. "Mommy, don't divorce Daddy… w-waah…" Cici's eyes reddened. She clung to Adeline's leg with both hands and burst into sobs. Hearing her daughter cry, Adeline hesitated. A memory surfaced, sharp and vivid, of the first time she met Uriah. She had been working part-time at a bar when a drunk man started harassing her. Uriah had appeared like a god descending, then beat that greasy creep into the ground. After that, no one dared bully her again. Her life had felt like it had flipped into easy mode, smooth sailing all the way until she sat on a fortune worth billions and became one of Riverhold's power players. And yet, Adeline had never truly respected Uriah's rough, underworld background. The one she kept longing for, the one who never faded in her heart, was always her first love, Alvin. She even believed that meeting Uriah had stolen a piece of her youth. Back then, she had married Uriah more out of gratitude than love. "Oh, so that's how it is, Uriah Greaves!" Linthia's voice cut in, sharp as a blade. "You even use a child? No wonder you've been poisoning Cici's mind all this time. How can you be so vile?" Brennan Scurr sneered. "Sis, don't fall for it. Uriah used to run with street trash. His tricks are filthy. Marrying someone like him is a stain. Cut ties immediately." "Adeline, you're just too kind," Skye Lyson pressed, then shoved Clayton Scurr's arm. "This time, you have to listen to Mom. The divorce agreement must be signed today. Your career is only just starting. You can't let this kind of man drag you down. Hurry and talk some sense into your daughter!" Emily's voice cracked into a sob. "Clayton, you were the one who pushed for Little Uriah and Adeline to be together. They're just acting on impulse. Please, talk to her…" Clayton adjusted his glasses, his tone cool and distant. "That was then. This is now. Our family didn't refuse Uriah chances. It's just that they're no longer on the same level. This relationship has reached its end." His voice hardened. "Adeline. If you can't cut cleanly, you'll only invite more trouble." "Adeline, you have to listen to your uncle and aunt," Alvin urged, practically vibrating with excitement. "Don't hesitate!" "Adeline!" Emily's knees buckled. "Mom will kneel for you! For Cici's sake, don't divorce him! Little Uriah truly loves you. I'm his mother. I know better than anyone. He's given you everything he has!" "He told me being able to marry you was the greatest honor of his life. He said he could give up anything for you. He said all he wanted in this life was to guard this little home, you and Cici. He said he could want nothing else!" Emily's knees were about to hit the floor when Adeline and Uriah both caught her in time. Skye's face twisted with hatred. "Like mother, like son. Adeline, you see their true colors now, don't you? They're doing everything they can to morally blackmail you! If you go soft, you'll fall right into their trap. Our family will be bled dry by these vampires for the rest of our lives!" Alvin seized the moment. "Adeline, don't be scared. I'm here. I'll protect you with everything I've got. I won't let that mother and son bully you!" Clayton's voice turned commanding. "Adeline. Take out the divorce agreement and have Uriah sign it." Brennan piled on. "Sis, there's nothing to think about. Uriah's a toad reaching for a swan. He never deserved you. He should've been kicked out of the Scurr family a long time ago!" "Brennan Scurr, shut up!" The voice came from the side, urgent and shaken. Quinn Scurr, who had been frozen in shock, finally snapped back to herself. "Sis, why are you so determined to divorce him?" Quinn blurted. "Uriah is so good to you! What he's done for you these past years, no one else could've done! Don't be impulsive. Some mistakes can't be undone. By the time you regret it, it'll be too late!" Quinn kept going, words tumbling out. "Sis, you're too close to see it. You don't know what he's paid for you. You don't know how much you rely on him. And this so-called first love of yours? He isn't even worth one of Uriah's fingers!" "Quinn!" Adeline snapped, her eyes flashing. "How can you talk about Alvin like that? How could he be worse than Uriah?" Slowly, Adeline exhaled a long, shaky breath. The struggle in her eyes faded, replaced by a brittle calm. She took out the divorce agreement she had prepared long ago and held it out to Uriah. "Let's leave each other with some dignity." Her voice was steady, but her fingers were cold. "Sign it. I'll give you five million dollars. You'll never have to worry about food or clothes again. Cici will stay with me, but I won't stop you from seeing her." The four words, "divorce agreement," looked scorching on the page, searing and cruel. "How… how could this…" Emily's legs gave out. She collapsed to the floor, her eyes empty, and fainted on the spot. "Mom…" Uriah's chest clenched as if something were drilling straight through him. Hatred surged, wild and uncontrollable. He called an ambulance immediately and laid his mother flat. Then he forced his breathing to steady, pressed two fingers to her pulse, and only loosened his grip on panic after confirming she wasn't in danger. "Mom…" Adeline stepped forward, but Uriah shoved her away with a cold, reflexive motion. She stumbled, nearly falling. Adeline stared at him, stunned. In all the years she had known Uriah, this was the first time he had ever looked at her with such indifference. It was also the first time he had ever pushed her away. The distance between them was suddenly unmistakable. It yawned like a chasm, tearing their relationship clean in two. "Uriah, I didn't mean it," Adeline said quickly. "I know specialists at First Hospital. I'll arrange for one to treat Mom right away." "No." Uriah's eyes didn't soften. His voice carried no emotion at all. "And from this moment on, you're not allowed to call her 'Mom.' You're not worthy." The instant his mother collapsed, something inside him had died for good.