Forgotten Wife My Ex-Husband Regrets It After I Left (Clara and Liam) novel Chapter 264

Sienna’s POV

From the living room, the sound of tape being slowly pulled echoed, then stopped.

“Mommy,” Noah called again, this time more softly. There was a hint of hesitation in his voice that made me turn right away.

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Is one card enough?” He appeared in the doorway, holding a small card with Bam’s name written on it in slightly crooked letters. “I’m afraid it might be too much.”

I crouched in front of him, bringing my eyes level with his.

“One is enough. What matters is the intention.”

He nodded, relieved. “Should I write ‘hope you like it’ too?”

“You can,” I said. “That’s sweet.”

Noah went back to the living room, his steps light. I stood up again and wiped the dining table, even though it was already clean. My hands kept searching for something to do, as if stopping for even a moment would send my thoughts running to places I didn’t want to visit tonight to exhausting meetings, to people’s too-quick judgments, to guilt that often appeared uninvited.

Outside the window, the drizzle grew more audible, tiny drops tapping the glass in a steady rhythm. I pulled the curtain back slightly, letting the glow of the streetlights spill in softly. The rain made the city seem to slow its pace, and I was grateful to be drawn into that slowness.

I poured drinking water into glasses and lined them up on the table. Three glasses. By reflex. I smiled faintly at the old habit that hadn’t gone away. So much had changed, yet some things remained quietly faithful.

In the living room, Noah hummed again, this time a children’s song he often listened to before bed. His voice rose and fell, sometimes off-key, but full of enthusiasm. I leaned back against the kitchen counter and closed my eyes for a moment. It felt like a gift, a night without démands, without having to be strong all by myself.

I opened my eyes and glanced at the clock. There was still time before dinner. I took a cloth napkin and folded it neatly. Then I stopped. Why was I trying so hard to make everything perfect?

I shook my head slightly, smiling at myself. It was okay if the ribbon was crooked, if one donut went missing, if the soup was a little too thick. Perfection wasn’t the goal tonight.

“Noah,” I called warmly. “After dinner, how about we read a book for a bit?”

“Yesss!” he replied right away. “The one about the forest!”

I laughed. “Alright.”I returned to the stove and reheated the soup briefly. Thin steam rose, dampening my face. I stirred slowly, making sure it didn’t stick. In between the motions, my thoughts drifted to Liam to the way he had touched my arm earlier, brief but full of meaning. Some things didn’t need to be said, only felt. And tonight, I chose to trust that feeling.

I turned off the heat, covered the pot, and arranged the bread in a small basket. The sound of rain became a steady backdrop, like a promise that the night would take care of us.

I glanced toward the bathroom. The door was still closed, the faint sound of running water drifting out. I took another breath, waiting without hurry.

A few minutes later, Liam came out, his hair still damp, his face refreshed. He walked over and placed a light kiss on my cheek. Such a small gesture yet it meant so much.

“Noah,” he called, “wash your hands. Dinner’s ready.”

I set the bowls of soup on the table, then sat down and watched the two of them. Noah with his wide smile, Liam with that gentle look he directed at me.

In my chest, I felt full not because of the food, not because of the donuts, not because the day had been perfectly wonderful. But because of this small space, this small home, this small family it felt whole again.

Noah nodded again, still looking down. “He took it without asking. I saw it myself when Bam opened his desk drawer earlier. My pencil case. was there.”

A brief silence settled over the table. I could see Noah trying hard to hold back tears that were close to falling not out of anger, but confusion.

“I didn’t want to ask Bam about it,” he continued softly. “I was afraid l’d embarrass him. The other kids already tease him a lot. And Bam is my friend.”

His small voice sounded so sincere, so pure.

I swallowed, my throat suddenly tight.

“Noah chose to buy a new one for Bam,” I explained gently to Liam. “He said Bam probably needed a pencil case too.”

Liam Looked at Noah, his eyes glistening, then smiled proudly. “Noah,” he said softly. “That was a big decision.

Are you angry at Bam?”

Noah shook his head quickly. “A little but I feel more sorry for him. Because Bam often doesn’t have nice things.”

Liam rose slightly from his chair and reached out to ruffle Noah’s hair. “You’re a very good boy. Daddy is so proud of you.”Noah blushed, then went back to eating with renewed enthusiasm.

1 looked at Liam, and Liam looked back at me. Something warm flowed quietly between us gratitude, pride, and a love that grew silently from moments as small as this.