Chapter 9: Echoes

That comment lit me up inside—like someone dropped a match in my gut.

But then I wondered, maybe Rachel didn’t mean anything by it. She was never one for social media. Maybe she really was just wishing me well.

Still, my ears burned as I read her words. I wanted to throw my phone across the room. I opened her chat and messaged her.

[Rachel, can’t you speak properly? Do you know what ‘happy dad’ means? If you can’t talk, just zip it.]

She answered right away. [Of course I know what ‘happy dad’ means.]

[Then tell me, what does it mean?]

[It means you’re raising another man’s child.]

I almost threw my phone. Half a year after our divorce, on the happiest day of my life, she had to say something so cruel.

It’s true what they say—nothing is more venomous than a woman’s heart.

Thinking that, I decided to block her, but just then, she sent one last message.

[Jason, your nightmare is about to begin.]

I wanted to curse her out, but on such a happy day, I couldn’t be bothered. I blocked her and put my phone down.

But as I watched Emily and our son sleep, Rachel’s words echoed in my head. For the first time, I wondered if my luck had finally run out.