Ghani burst into tears. The boy hugged Claudia even tighter.
“Daddy! I don’t want Mommy to come tomorrow! I’m embarrassed! I only want Auntie Claudia!” he cried loudly, sobbing.
Claudia quickly bent down, wrapping her arms around Ghani’s small body. She stroked his back gently. “Sshh, don’t cry, sweetheart. Even if your Mommy is ugly, she is still your mother. You must not talk like that. It’s impolite.”
Sheena, who stood not far from them, immediately stepped forward. Firmly, she brushed away Claudia’s hand that was caressing Ghani. “Enough, Claudia. Don’t pretend to be kind in front of my child.”
She then reached for Ghani’s arm. “Ghani, come with Mommy, let’s rest now. Tomorrow Mommy will still be the one to accompany you to school.”
But Ghani immediately struggled. He slapped his mother’s hand hard and even pushed Sheena’s body until she staggered backward.
“I don’t want to! I hate Mommy! I only want Auntie Claudia!” he shouted loudly.
Claudia instinctively grabbed the crying Ghani again. “Sshh… calm down, sweetheart. Don’t be like that.” She hugged the boy tighter, trying to comfort him.
Sheena stood stiffly, her chest rising and falling as she held back her emotions. But she still tried to remain patient. “Ghani, listen carefully to Mommy. You may be angry, you may not like me. But Mommy is still your mother. Nothing can replace that.”
Ghani covered his ears with both hands. “I don’t want to listen!” He buried his face once again in Claudia’s chest.
Sheena clenched her fists. She still restrained herself, though her heart felt as if it were being crushed.
Suddenly, Gevan’s voice exploded. “Sheena! Don’t make things worse with your behavior!” he shouted harshly.
Sheena turned, glaring at her husband. “I am only standing up for my rights as a mother, Gevan.”
“Your rights?” Gevan scoffed mockingly. “Your only rights are in the kitchen, Sheena! You are no longer worthy of being my wife or Ghani’s mother. Look at yourself! With your fat body, dull face, messy hair, thick glasses—you are humiliating! Ghani has made it clear enough that he rejects you.”
Sheena drew a deep breath. “Gevan, you can insult me as much as you want. But don’t teach your own son not to respect his mother. That is a huge mistake.”
“Enough, Sheena!” Gevan pointed harshly toward the bedroom door. “Go back to the room right now. Don’t make things worse. And tomorrow, after the school event, I will call a lawyer to file for divorce!”
Sheena stood tall. “So, you really want to divorce me?” She let out a bitter laugh.
“Yes, it’s better if we get divorced!” Gevan raised his voice even louder. “You’re nothing but an embarrassment! Claudia knows far better how to calm Ghani than you ever could.”
The room suddenly fell silent. Only Ghani’s sobs remained. The boy clung tightly to Claudia, refusing to go near his mother.
Sheena finally took a deep breath. She lowered her gaze briefly, then looked again at her son. “Ghani, Mommy only wants you to understand. Tomorrow Mommy will still come. No matter what you say, Mommy will not abandon you.”
“No!” Ghani screamed again, tightening his hold on Claudia.
Gevan snorted in satisfaction, then pulled Claudia closer. “You hear that, Sheena? Even your son prefers Claudia over you. That is clear proof of who truly deserves to stand by my side and by my son’s side.”
Sheena straightened her shoulders. “You may betray me, Gevan. You may blind our son with appearances alone. But one day, Ghani will realize who was truly there for him. If you think I am no longer worthy of being your wife, fine! Tomorrow I’ll be waiting for the divorce papers. But remember, tomorrow I will still be at Ghani’s school. Whether you accept it or not, that is my right as a mother.”
After saying that, Sheena turned toward the stairs. Not to cry, but to calm herself.
The night was silent. The clock had already struck two in the morning. Sheena awoke, her eyes heavy but her mind restless. She turned to the side of the bed, and it was empty. Gevan was not there.
Sheena rose slowly, her feet carrying her out of the bedroom. The corridor was dark, only dim light from a small lamp at the end of the stairs. A faint sound drifted from the living room below.
Sheena’s heartbeat quickened. Carefully, she descended the stairs. When she reached the bottom, she stopped. The living room lights had been deliberately turned off, only faint light from outside the window slipping in.
But her eyes could see clearly enough what was happening. On the sofa, Gevan was pressing down on Claudia. Their lips locked in a long, passionate kiss. Small moans occasionally escaped from Claudia.
Sheena stood frozen behind the wall. Her chest felt crushed, but she did not move.
“I can’t stop, Claudia…” Gevan’s low but clear voice echoed. His hand stroked the woman’s back. “Your body… it smells so sweet, so delightful. Completely different from Sheena.”
Claudia giggled softly, biting her lower lip. “Not so loud, she might hear.”
Gevan brought his lips to hers again. “Let her. I don’t care anymore. She means nothing to me now.”
Their kisses continued, deeper and deeper, making Sheena’s stomach churn. She could no longer bear to stand there.
Silently, Sheena turned around. She walked quickly up the stairs, returned to her room, and shut the door tightly.
Her body trembled, not out of fear, but from anger mixed with disappointment. She approached the dressing table. In the large mirror, her reflection was clear.
Sheena stared intently at her own face. Her hair was messy from always being tied carelessly. Her skin dull, pores enlarged, dark circles under her eyes. Thick glasses that made her look older. Her body plump, her belly protruding beneath her house dress.
“Am I really this ugly now?” she whispered faintly.
Her hand touched her own cheek, then traced her jawline that had lost its firmness. Tears almost fell, but she quickly shook her head. “No. I must not cry. I already know what Gevan is like. He has chosen his own path.”
But the longer she stared at the mirror, the sharper the pain pressed in her chest.
Soft laughter from downstairs faintly echoed again, tearing her heart even more.
“Sheena, look at yourself,” she spoke to her reflection. “Am I really no longer worthy of my husband? Has everything I’ve done been in vain? From early morning until midnight, all I do is take care of this house. I’ve never even had time just to take care of myself…”
She drew a deep breath, trying to calm her restless heart. Then she clenched her fist on the dressing table. “If I am truly no longer worthy, fine… I will leave. But I will leave taking my child with me!”