1.Chapter 1 You Crossed The Line Evelyn Rivers had barely survived a plane crash. Covered in dirt and bruises, she rushed straight to her son Noah Rivers's kindergarten without even stopping to clean herself up. Today, Noah's school would hold a parent-child activity. Evelyn looked at Noah, already dressed in his mascot costume, and said with eyes full of guilt, "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I didn't mean to be late. Look, Mommy brought you a gift. Can you forgive Mommy?" Noah was only five, but his face already carried the sharp, defiant look of his father, Adrian Rivers. Without hesitation, Noah smacked the exquisitely wrapped gift box straight to the ground. "I never said I want you to come," Noah said while staring at Evelyn, his eyes full of disgust. "I already said I only want Claire with me. Do you know what you look like now? You're only embarrassing me. Get out of here." Evelyn stared at the shattered ceramic doll on the ground, her face turning pale. It was something she'd made piece by piece over two weeks during a shoot in the wild. On her way back, she suffered a plane crash. She even wrote her own goodbye letter, thinking she might never see her family again. The only thing that kept her alive was the hope of coming home to see her husband and son. However, after all the hardships, she only got the cold shoulder from her son. Evelyn forced herself to ignore the tight, suffocating pain in her chest. She crouched down to Noah's level and said, "It's my fault, honey. I should've arrived earlier. Can I at least stay and finish the games with you?" Evelyn knew she didn't look great now, but the games required everyone to wear mascot costumes anyway. She just wanted to play a few games with her son, then she'd leave if he insisted. Noah reacted even more strongly now. He stormed up and shoved her hard. "I told you already, I don't want you. Claire will stay with me." Evelyn fell to the ground, her hand scraping the cement floor, the sting of it making her suck in a sharp breath. Just then, two people walked over, both in matching mascot costumes like Noah's. They were handsome and elegant, looking perfectly matched. Just standing there and doing nothing, they turned heads. Adrian Rivers stood there with a blank expression, looking down at Evelyn without even trying to help her up. Clarissa White, meanwhile, stepped beside Noah with a gentle smile. "Noah, sweetie, what did I always tell you? You need to be polite." Then Clarissa turned to Evelyn and said, "I'm really sorry, Evelyn. Noah's been with me when you were away. I must've been a bad influence. If you're upset, you can blame me." She was apologizing, but every word carried a smug jab. From Evelyn's spot on the ground, Clarissa looked more like Noah's mother. Evelyn pushed herself up, brushing the dirt off awkwardly. "That won't be necessary. I'll teach my son myself." She pursed her lips and held out her hand toward Noah. "Noah, come here. Come to Mommy." Without even glancing at her, Noah turned and ran into Clarissa's arms. "No, I want Claire to play games with me." Clarissa gave a helpless smile as she stroked Noah's hair, but her eyes were on Evelyn. "Look, Evelyn, the game's about to start. Why not just let Noah finish it first?" Before Evelyn could respond, Noah shouted even louder, "Just leave. I want Claire to play the games with me." Evelyn had never realized how sharp words could cut until now. Those simple words hit her like a blade, shattering her heart. Her own son, the son she carried for ten months, looked at her like she was the enemy. The man she'd loved for six years just stood there, watching it all unfold with cold eyes. Standing there, Evelyn felt like the punchline to a cruel joke. A chill crept up her spine, wrapping around her lungs, making it hard for her to breathe. Just then, the kindergarten teacher spoke loudly into the microphone, "All parents who are ready and dressed, please come to the game area. We're about to start the games." Noah beamed with excitement, grabbing Adrian with one hand and Clarissa with the other. He urged, "Let's go. We're totally gonna win this. I'm getting first place today." Clarissa followed along, her expression helpless but full of affection. Just as she turned to leave, she glanced back at Evelyn, her eyes flashing with open provocation. The look seemed to say, "See? Your husband and your son both want me." Evelyn stood still, squeezing her eyes shut for a moment. She didn't watch them anymore. She simply turned around and walked home. The moment she stepped into the living room, her eyes were stung by a large framed photo on the table. In the photo, the three people were smiling brightly, huddled close like a perfect family. Noah's arms were wrapped tight around Clarissa's neck, while Adrian looked at them with warmth in his eyes. Every face in that photo radiated happiness. Evelyn's gaze moved to the empty wall across from her. When they first got married, she begged Adrian to take wedding photos. Adrian rejected her, saying he didn't like taking photos. Later, when Noah got older, she asked to take photos with him. Again, she was turned down with the same excuse. Back then, Evelyn believed them and didn't push further. But now, staring at that framed photo, the truth hit her like a gut punch. They never hated taking photos. They just hated taking them with her. Noah had always been averse to her touch. But in the photo, he cuddled up to Clarissa like they were real family. In their eyes, Evelyn wasn't family. She wasn't even a supporting role. She was just... no one. The delayed realization and the raw, stinging truth came crashing in, tearing right through her chest. Evelyn trembled all over, barely able to breathe as pain twisted under her ribs like some invisible hand squeezing her heart. She thought bitterly, 'I don't even deserve to be in a family photo with them? Why do they hate me like this?' She slowly bent down, hugging herself tightly, the weight of everything pressing in. 'After all these years of pouring myself into this family, is it even worth it?' she wondered, feeling suffocated. Just then, the front door flew open. The laughter she'd just heard outside vanished in an instant, replaced by Noah's angry voice. "What are you doing?" Noah stared at her, his eyes showing not a trace of warmth. Evelyn looked at them, her eyes blank and dull. Adrian was holding Clarissa's purse. Clarissa had Noah's medal in her hand. The three of them stood together, effortless and easy, like a real family. Evelyn pushed through the pain pulsing in her chest and pointed at the framed photo, trying to keep her voice steady. "Care to explain this photo?" Noah ran over, grabbing the frame and hugging it like it was treasure. "Dad and I just took a photo with Claire. What's the big deal? Don't make a fuss over such small matters, okay?" Evelyn forced a bitter and self-mocking smile. "A photo of my husband and son with another woman sitting in my living room isn't a big deal?" Adrian's face was cloudy, annoyance creeping in. He snapped, "Evelyn, don't be dramatic." Something inside her snapped. She raised her voice, sharp and furious. "You're the ones crossing the line. You even have the nerve to shout at me?" Title: Contracted CEO Husband Regrets On Divorce Eve In "Contracted CEO Husband Regrets On Divorce Eve" by CrushReel, a unique romance unfolds between two individuals bound by a marriage contract yet estranged for years. Just as divorce seems imminent, unexpected connections spark between them, leading to a twist of fate. 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