I Deleted You Traitor Even My Blade Forgot Your Name novel Chapter 13

Mom’s nothing like I remember.

When I was little, she was a housewife. Trapped at home by me. By Dad. By everything.

The day she divorced him. Dad looked at her like she was garbage.

fold me with this nasty smirk: “Just wait. She’ll come crawling back soon.”

To prove her wrong–or maybe just spite her–he married his mistress fast.

But Mom never came back.

nstead, she moved to Paris. Built a whole new life.

Made a name for herself in fashion.

When Dad found out years later, he got bitter.

tarted trash–talking her every chance he got.

Your mom’s got skills now, huh? Bet she latched onto some rich guy over there. She’ll get dumped. Just wait.”

ut at my wedding, the money came from her.

lalf a million dollars. Plus a condo in downtown Bellevue.

ad’s face went purple.

fom just flipped her freshly styled hair and called him pathetic.

1st like now.

he glanced in the rearview at Kieran still standing there. Rolled her eyes.

Men. They’re all the same. Don’t give a shit when they have you. Lose you? Suddenly it’s ‘I’m sorry, baby, I miss you. They think the world revolves around iem. Till it doesn’t. Then they cry about it. Like, who even told them they’re that important?”

efore I could answer, she laughed–sharp.

ointed at herself. Then me.

Oh. Us. We did.”

he was trying to lighten things up.

ull me out of the dark.

let her, smiled a little.

Yeah. How else would we end up this wrecked?”

During the thirty day waiting period before the divorce finalized, Mom took me everywhere.

aw the Northern Lights in Reykjavik.

Went bungee jumping in New Zealand.

Finally, she brought me to Paris where she works.

Chapter 4

Mom and I both love fashion design.

But I’d followed her old path–gave it up for family.

She didn’t.

Now she’s a world–famous designer with her own label.

She told me: “You want respect? You want people scared to mess with you? Climb. Get to the top. Make them look up.”

She enrolled me at Parsons Paris–top design school in Europe.

Fold me to go back to learning. Keep growing.

ust as I was getting used to the new city, new language, everything, she introduced me to her star student.

Iris, this is Damon Carver. He’s two years ahead of you, also at Parsons. You need help, ask him.”

looked at this tall, kinda awkward guy in front of me.

¡miled politely.

Hey. Iris Winters. Thanks in advance.”

Damon froze for half a second.

His ears turned red.

ooked everywhere but at me.

Yeah, no problem. Quinn’s helped me tons too.”

Mom caught his blush. Raised an eyebrow.

Alright, quit being weird. Add each other. Makes stuff easier.”

didn’t think much of it. Pulled out my phone, added him.

Jamon noticed my profile pic–Cole at his first birthday. Professional shoot. Big smile.

sked quietly: “Your son?”

My throat tightened.

orced a smile.

Not anymore”

The second 1 signed that termination agreement, Cole stopped being mine.

switched my profile pic right there. Sunset photo from Iceland.

That’s when I remembered something

How’d you know that was my son?”

Damon’s eyes flashed with panic.

Before he could answer, Mom laughed.

“Cole’s first birthday, I sent gifts. Damon picked them out. Got something for you too, remember?”

10.39

Chapter 4

Hearing that, it clicked.

Cole got a little gold pendant that day.

I got flowers and this gorgeous dress with a card that said “To an amazing mother.”

I’d thought it was just generic store stuff.

Didn’t think much of it.

Now I realized it meant more.

hinking back to that day… Kieran used “work” as an excuse. Didn’t show up for Cole’s first birthday.

oo busy hooking up with Margo.

howed up the next day with some last–minute gift and a half–assed apology.

Back then, I didn’t see the signs.

ast felt bad for him “working so hard.”

onvinced myself he was doing it for us.

¡ow I see how stupid I was.

fter chatting a bit, Damon headed back to campus.

ince he left, Mom said casually: “By the way, Damon’s the one who told me what happened back home. Arranged the lawyer. The flight. Everything”

he said it with this obvious smile in her eyes.

froze.

Why would he help me?”

he glanced at me, said lightly: “Who knows.”

ecause of what Mom said, I felt genuinely grateful to Damon.

and since he and Mom had this mentor–student thing, he started coming over for dinner a lot.

Ve got close pretty fast.

o when I mentioned the waiting period was almost up and I needed to fly back to Seattle to finalize everything, he said “Til come with you, been meaning ha isit my parents in Tacoma anyway,”

We flew back together.

ince he’d helped me so much in Paris, I figured I owed him at least a nice meal

Day we got back, I texted him to meet for dinner at this place in Capitol Hil

But when I walked in, I saw Kieran and Cole there too.

♡ (0)