Shadows Drift Beyond Memory by Xarin Vale novel Chapter 10

Hearing that, Callum wanted to call Sienna and scream at her all over again.

He didn’t say anything. His mom kept talking.

“Someone told me Rory cheated. Is there some kind of misunderstanding?”

“I don’t think Rory’s that kind of person. Your daughter’s still so young. Whatever’s going on, work it out, okay?”

“You’re a father now. Don’t be as reckless as you used to be. Don’t forget your responsibilities.”

Callum’s mom had worried herself sick over him.

Ever since college, when he jumped off a bridge after a breakup and nearly killed himself, she knew her son wasn’t exactly stable.

Callum was fuming. He decided he was definitely going to punch Sienna later.

“Rory didn’t cheat.”

His mom paused. Then she said, “Then it’s your fault.”

“I just saw the photo Sienna posted. Callum, your father and I didn’t raise you to mess around with other women.”

“You were head over heels in love back then. Now you’re out here playing around and destroying your family. I’m so disappointed in you.”

Callum felt completely wronged. “She had another man’s kid! Don’t blame me!”

His mom sounded confused.

“Another man’s kid? You mean the baby?”

Callum sighed weakly. “Yeah.”

His mom went silent. Then she said:

“Have you lost your mind? I was there when she was born!”

“That nose, those eyes–she’s your spitting image as a baby. How could she not be yours?”

Callum shot back, “I got a paternity test done. And Rory admitted she cheated!”

His mom confused, “What did you use for the test?”

“Blood. Why?”

His mom was silent for a long time. Finally, she said:

“Callum, you’re so ignorant it’s almost funny.”

“Did you forget you had a bone marrow transplant? Using blood for a paternity test–of course it wouldn’t match! Your blood carries the donor’s DNA now, not your own genetic markers!”

Callum’s face instantly went white.

10.14

Efla Plal Nam 1 11t

THAYA

Die Dal… 10 TIAL

17.002

Chapter 10

“Mom… are you serious?”

His mom would never lie about something like this.

His mom didn’t want to deal with his idiot son anymore.

She just told him to go apologize to Rory.

And made sure to stay away from Sienna and the rest of them.

“I told you not to hang out with them.”

“Think about it–how many of your ‘bros‘ have happy marriages? They all orbit around Sienna. What woman would put up with that?”

“Oh, and I just remembered–didn’t Sienna flip a table at one of your buddy’s weddings last month?”

“Now you’re the only one in that crew who’s still married.”

“And look, you almost lost her too.”

“I’m telling you, you need to cut ties with them.”

Callum thought to himself-

“I want to kill Sienna. There’s no way I’m hanging out with her again!”

The whole college breakup thing had been Sienna’s fault.

If he hadn’t jumped off that bridge, the paternity test wouldn’t have been messed up.

Thinking about how he’d screamed at Rory and called their daughter a bastard yesterday, Callum wanted to fucking kill himself.

Realizing Rory hadn’t cheated, that the baby was still his baby–all the rage in his head melted away.

He rushed home and burst into the bedroom, ready to apologize.

But all he found was a divorce agreement.

Rory and the baby were gone.

We fought in court for over a year.

Custody battles, asset division, endless mediation sessions.

He kept crawling back, swearing he never touched anyone else.

“Rory, babe, it’s only ever been you. Always.”

I didn’t believe a word.

As for Sienna, she got beat up right around the time we started the divorce proceedings.

She’d flipped that table at someone’s wedding. The bride stewed on it for months.

n… Nahe TC Hiel.

7.29%

Chapter 10

Finally snapped–divorced her husband, hired some guys to catch Sienna outside a club.

She ended up in the ER with a broken nose.

When the story got out, the whole thing about Sienna and the “bro crew” blew up.

The group of twice–divorced men became infamous.

No decent woman from a good family would agree to go on a blind date with any of them.

“With a ‘girl bro‘ like that? Dating one of them would be like diving headfirst into a dumpster.”

After the divorce, I got primary custody of our daughter.

Callum got visitation rights–every other weekend.

Every time he came to see her, he’d hover around me.

I couldn’t stand it anymore.

I’d had enough of his pathetic puppy–dog eyes, the way he’d just stand there not saying a word.

I slapped him. Hard. A few times.

“If you don’t want to spend time with your kid, then get lost. Don’t come back!”

After I hit him, he finally backed off.

Every visit after that, he’d quietly take care of our daughter, looking at me like a kicked puppy, not daring to say a word.

I was so fucking done with his shit.

I packed up, took our daughter, and moved to a different city.

Time for a fresh start.

♡ (0)

836

(0)

7.500