The Third Time My Alpha Accused Me Of Cheating I Left Chapter 06
Grayson’s POV
I crouched down and touched Asher’s forehead—still warm.
“Mommy’s busy.”
“No!”
Asher stomped his foot hard, his eyes instantly red-rimmed.
“I have a fever! I want Mommy! She always stays with me when I’m sick—she tells me stories, she makes me herbal broth, she holds me the whole time…”
Mid-sentence, he suddenly spat with fury. “Bad woman! Why won’t she come back!”
But the moment after the words left his mouth, he started to sob. “Mommy… I want Mommy…”
I stood frozen. Only in that moment did it finally hit me—the “bad woman” and “Mommy” Asher talked about had always been the same person.
Before, whenever Asher got sick, Esme would drop whatever she was doing and rush back. She’d sit by his bed all night, tell him stories, brew herbal broth, press her hand to his forehead again and again.
Asher had long since taken it for granted. When he was happy, he wanted Naomi. But when he was sick, hurting, having nightmares—he always called for Mommy.
But now, Mommy was gone. I picked Asher up, murmured a few words of comfort, then handed him to the servants.
I walked into my study alone and shut the door.
On the desk, the banishment report still sat there. Esme had signed it.
The space for the Alpha’s signature remained empty.
I’d never intended to sign it. In fact, when she’d written her name without a moment’s hesitation, it had made me so angry my chest ached.
How dare she?
She was the one who’d cheated.
She was the one who’d wronged me.
How dare she be more decisive than me?
The first two times, whenever I mentioned banishment, she’d cry and beg.
Beg me not to send her away.
Beg me for one more chance.
Why was this time different?
She’d actually signed it.
Left without looking back.
Abandoned even Asher.
And now…
She hadn’t even come back to deal with her mother’s body.
She’d left so lightly.
As if in four years, she’d gained nothing—and wanted to take nothing with her.
I stared at the name on the report—Esme Hale.
I didn’t know why, but the longer I looked, the more it stung.
…
I closed my eyes and tried to reach her through the Mind Link.
The next second, my eyes snapped open.
Nothing.
A complete blank.
I couldn’t feel Esme.
The Mate Bond between us was gone. Completely.
My hand clenched, slowly.
Impossible.
I immediately picked up my phone and opened our chat.
[I’ve handled Linda’s funeral.]
Sent.
No reply.
I stared at the screen for several seconds, then sent another message.
[Your son has a fever. He keeps calling for you.]
Still no reply.
The study was oppressively silent.
Just then, a servant’s panicked scream came from outside the door.
“Alpha! Something’s wrong! The young master’s convulsing from the fever!”
I shot to my feet and charged out of the study.
Asher lay on the bed, his small face burning crimson, body still twitching slightly. Incoherent words tumbled from his lips.
“Mommy… Mommy, don’t go…”
I scooped him up and ran downstairs.
On the way to the hospital, Asher curled in my arms, his body frighteningly hot.
His eyes were shut. Fragments of feverish rambling drifted from his lips.
“Auntie Naomi said…”
“Said Mommy is a bad woman…”
“Told me to pull… pull that tube out…”
My arms went rigid.
I looked down.
“Asher, what did you say?”
But he couldn’t hear me at all.
“She said… pull out the tube… and the old hag dies… then Mommy will leave…”
My breathing stopped.
“Linda’s not an old hag…” Asher was still murmuring. “Grandma Linda sewed me a little padded jacket…”
“Mommy… Mommy, I’m sorry… please don’t leave me…” His voice grew fainter and fainter, yet tears kept streaming from his tightly shut eyes.
Even delirious with fever, he was still crying.
I looked down at the boy in my arms. Something seized my chest like a fist.
Pull a tube?
What did that mean?
The next second, a memory slammed into my mind without warning.
Linda had nearly died once before.
Her oxygen tube had been disconnected. She’d nearly died before they revived her.
That day, Esme had cried at the hospital until she could barely stand.
It was because of that incident that I’d finally agreed to send Asher back to her temporarily.
To let her look after him for a while.
But not long after…
The third time happened.
Then Esme suddenly gave up the child.
Yesterday, Asher had spat in her face.
She hadn’t gotten angry the way she used to. Hadn’t scolded him.
She’d simply looked at him.
Then walked away.
Spat in her face…
I pressed my brow tight.
A thought flashed through my mind.