Awakened, My Wife and Son Regret It

After I finally woke up, my wife and son, who always favored my childhood friend, came to regret it.

It was my birthday, but my wife, Ava, and our son, Leo, had made a brand-new robot model for her childhood friend, Ryan.

He even posted it on Ins.

I casually liked the post, and a moment later, I got a text from Ava, filled with accusation:

"We gave you one too, didn't we? Leo even baked you a cake himself! What more could you possibly be upset about?"

But Ryan's robot was clearly the latest model, and even the cake Leo made for him was a little bigger than mine.

They loved me, sure, but they loved Ryan more.

Maybe it was time I tried to let go, to love them a little less.

Ava and Leo came home just as the clock struck midnight, ticking over to the next day.

The birthday cake on the table was untouched. The little sign on it read: "Happy Birthday, Dad."

"Why aren't you eating the cake? Were you waiting for us to eat it together?"

Ava forced a smile, and she and Leo lit the candles and sang "Happy Birthday" to me.

But all I felt was a surge of irritation. I waved my hand. "I don't have an appetite. You two eat it."

Ava's face immediately fell.

"I know you're still mad about Ryan, but can't you try to understand him? He has no family here. He had a rough day at work today, so Leo and I just went to comfort him. It was nothing more than that, don't overthink it."

Leo chimed in, "Yeah, Dad, Uncle Ryan has it tough. Can't you be a little more understanding?"

Watching the two of them tag-team me, my heart felt colder than a frozen wasteland.

It was my birthday, and they had abandoned me for an outsider.

Every time I got upset or lashed out because they ignored me for Ryan, they would use the same excuse.

It always made me feel like the unreasonable villain.

Every time, they'd leave me silently crying in the dead of night, only to smooth things over the next morning with a kind word or a small gift. They'd sweet-talk me, and I'd eagerly go back to being their loyal housekeeper.

This time, they clearly thought they could manipulate me the same way.

But I was tired of these obedience tests.

"Right, right, you're absolutely right. You go spend time with him. I'll just celebrate my birthday with my buddies."

With that, I grabbed my bag and headed for the door.

They clearly hadn't expected this attitude from me; they were frozen, unable to speak for a long moment.

Seeing that I was actually going to leave, Ava rushed over and grabbed my arm.

"You're forty years old. Can you stop throwing tantrums? My company is so busy, and Leo is swamped with school. We have to make time to appease you, and it's exhausting, okay?"

Exhausting?

I looked at them, my gaze cold. They didn't feel exhausted making Ryan the latest robot. They didn't feel exhausted baking him a cake the size of a mixing bowl.

Yet for me, it was just an outdated home assistant robot and a small cake made from scraps, and suddenly they were "exhausted"?

"You're overthinking it. I'm not angry. I just want to celebrate my birthday with my friends. It's been years since I've celebrated with them."

"Dad! Haven't you had enough?!"

Leo suddenly exploded, knocking the cake off the table. The candles nearly set the tablecloth on fire.

He'd been under a lot of pressure from school lately and was always emotionally volatile. Usually, when he acted out, I'd patiently try to calm him down.

But this time, I didn't move.

Seeing that I wasn't coming to comfort him, Leo's anger intensified. He started hitting and smashing the furniture.

"What do you want to finally leave Mom and me alone? Haven't you been emotionally controlling us enough all these years? Are you going to keep pushing until we both go crazy?!"

Watching Leo's hysterical outburst, a wave of sadness washed over me.

All these years, I'd worked tirelessly, pouring my heart out for Ava and Leo. Yet, on my fortieth birthday, all I wanted was a little favoritism from them, and I was branded a control freak.

How pathetic had my life become?

I gave a self-deprecating laugh, then saw Ava comforting Leo, her face stern as she chastised me.

"Look what you've done to Leo! Do you even deserve to be a father? If you really can't stand it anymore, then let's get a divorce."

Every time I lost my temper, Ava would coldly say those words. And every time, fear would make me back down.

Only this time, I didn't care anymore.

They might love me, but they loved Ryan more.

And I, too, should try to love them less.

"Fine."

With that, I ignored their stunned faces and walked straight out the door.

It was late, but when I called my buddies, they still eagerly came out.

We grabbed some beers and late-night street food, and they grumbled that ever since I got married, I'd been so wrapped up in my wife and kid that I'd practically forgotten them.

The alcohol dulled my brain, and the days of chatting with my friends in the college dorm felt like yesterday.

Thinking back, I'd given up so much for Ava and Leo. It really wasn't worth it.

After saying goodbye to my friends, I checked my phone. There were countless missed calls and messages.

I was about to dismiss them, but among Ava's many messages, I saw one from Ryan.

"I'm so sorry, Liam. Ava and I really don't have that kind of relationship. I was just feeling down yesterday and wanted Ava and Leo to cheer me up. I completely forgot it was your birthday. I'm truly sorry!"

I'd had too much to drink. Maybe it was that text that disgusted me, because I stumbled to the roadside and started violently throwing up.

After a while, I replied, "It's fine. I don't care."

It showed 'typing,' but no new message appeared for a long time, so I headed home.

The house was a mess, even worse than when I'd left.

I pretended not to notice and was about to go into the bathroom to wash up when Ava walked out. Seeing me reeking of alcohol, she frowned.

"Finally decided to come back? Why did you drink so much? Clean this up, then go shower and sleep."

"Whoever made the mess should clean it up."

I collapsed onto the sofa, feeling drowsy. Suddenly, something poked my butt. It was Ava's phone, unlocked, displaying her chat history with Ryan.

"Ava, you and Leo spending time with me upset Liam. It's all my fault for being so thoughtless. Maybe we should see each other less from now on."

"Don't say that. He's just narrow-minded and can't stand it. Birthdays come every year; we can always celebrate it again later, right? Who knew he'd throw such a fit? He's just getting worse with age."

"Ava, don't talk like that. Liam has every right to be angry. Don't let it bother you too much; you'll make yourself sick."

"Hmm, thanks for your concern. If only Liam were half as understanding as you."

Ava rushed over and snatched the phone back, yelling furiously, "Why do you always snoop through other people's privacy? I told you, there's nothing going on between us!"

"Whatever. I'm going to rest."

My demeanor left her speechless. She opened her mouth as if to say something but held back.

Suddenly, she remembered the robot she'd given me and exclaimed, "Perfect! This guy can come in handy. Let me show you how to use it."

Hearing that, I opened my eyes and stared at Ava coldly.

She prattled on, introducing how to turn the robot on and off, completely oblivious to the shift in my gaze.

"Ava, have you forgotten? This model of robot? I was part of its development team."

That sentence froze Ava in her tracks.

Then, she glanced at the model number on the robot's back and gave me an awkward smile.

"Oh, right. Well, then I don't need to teach you. That's good."

Ava and I had both been R&D staff at the same tech company. But no one could help us with childcare, so I quit my job to stay home and raise Leo.

Now, I regretted every single thing I'd given up for my family.

We sat in silence, the only sound in the room the whirring of the robot vacuum.

"You should go to bed. I'll just sleep on the couch."

With that, I closed my eyes.

"Oh, I'm working late tomorrow night, so I won't be back..."

"Got it," I replied, a hint of impatience in my voice.

Ava hesitated for a moment, then returned to the bedroom.

I didn't sleep long before I was awakened by a shove. Opening my eyes, I saw Leo already dressed in his school uniform, standing in front of me with an unhappy expression.

"Why didn't you wake me up? I'm going to be late! And breakfast? You didn't make that either?"

Every day, I'd wake Leo up on time, prepare a hearty, warm breakfast for him, sacrificing my own sleep.

Because of the lack of sleep, I had heavy dark circles under my eyes, and my skin was sallow and dull. At forty, I looked fifty.

"From now on, you'll set your own alarm. And you can grab breakfast outside. Do you have money? I can transfer some."

Leo's eyes widened. He clearly hadn't expected his formerly devoted father to become this "irresponsible."

"I don't need your money. Uncle Ryan wouldn't be as lazy as you..."

He mumbled the last part, but I heard it.

Yet, my heart didn't stir an inch.

Leo stormed out, slamming the door. A small toy fell from the shoe cabinet in the entryway.

I walked over and picked it up. It was a toy car, one I'd customized. It could transform into a robot and play various cartoon theme songs.

Leo had been sickly after he was born, always gloomy when he was ill. But when he saw this little car, he'd giggle with delight.

Seeing his happy face, I'd submitted a proposal to my company: to produce more toy robots that could provide emotional value.

However, Ava had opposed the idea. She believed robots should serve humans with practical functions, not be mere "vases" that just transformed or played songs.

Later, the proposal was shelved. My Leo also grew older, and he'd long since disdained this childish toy.

I picked up the robot and pressed the button. It still worked perfectly. A thought suddenly struck me, and I took it over to the neighbor's child.

The child's nickname was Finn. His parents were divorced and had left him with his grandmother. He had no friends and always played silently by himself in the sandbox downstairs.

When he received the little toy, he examined it from all angles, his small face beaming with joy, playing with it enthusiastically.

Seeing him like this, I couldn't help but think of Leo when he was small, and that proposal from years ago.

Almost instinctively, I picked up my phone and called my old boss. Realizing what I was doing, I tried to hang up, but he'd already answered.

"Liam? Why the sudden call?"

"Ah? Nothing... just wondering, are you still hiring?"

I nervously rubbed my nose. A stay-at-home dad who had been out of the workforce for nearly a decade trying to return to a high-tech industry was surely a pipe dream.

But to my surprise, Mr. Harrison was delighted.

"Really? It's wonderful that you've changed your mind. My new company needs exactly your kind of talent. However, you've been out of the industry for a long time, so you'd have to start from the ground up."

"I can do it! I'll prove my worth!"

Hanging up the phone, I was so happy I almost jumped. I played with Finn until evening.

"Uncle Liam, you're so nice. I wish you were my dad."

Finn blinked at me, his eyes full of longing.

I didn't know what to say, so I just stroked his head.

Just then, the front door was kicked open, and a drunken man stumbled in.

"Who are you? Where's my mom?"

The man had barely finished speaking when Finn's grandmother rushed out, shouting warily at him:

"What are you doing back? I'm not giving you another dime!"

"Damn it! You're my mother! Whose money do you think it is if not mine? If you don't hand it over, I swear I'll make this little brat regret ever being born!"

With that, the man pulled out a knife and lunged at Finn.

In that split second, I could only throw myself in front of Finn, taking the blade for him.

Instantly, blood streamed onto the floor.

The man was restrained by neighbors, and I was rushed into an ambulance.

The knife had carved a huge gash in my shoulder, and the pain made me break out in a cold sweat.

It all happened so suddenly that I was still trembling, submerged in fear.

At that moment, I desperately needed some comfort, even just a little.

So, I called Ava.

"Ava, I'm at the hospital. Please come quickly."

"What happened? I'm working late right now." Ava's tone was clearly impatient, and her background noise was too loud, sounding more like a restaurant than an office.

"I was stabbed. I'm covered in blood, and it hurts so much. Please come."

Hearing Ava's voice, tears suddenly streamed down my face, pouring out all the grievances I'd suffered.

But in the next second, Ava's words plunged me into an abyss.

"Liam, can you stop joking around? You're perfectly fine at home, how could someone suddenly stab you? You're forty years old; can you stop being so childish?"

"I'm not joking! I really was stabbed, and I'm at the hospital right now!"

My voice became rushed and agitated, my volume significantly higher.

But to Ava, I sounded just like my old "unreasonable" self.

"I know you're still mad about us not spending your birthday with you, but you don't have to make up such a lie, do you? I've been really tired lately. If you keep this up, we might really have to get a divorce."

"Forget it. I shouldn't have said anything. I still have to work. You get some rest."

With that, Ava hung up.

I stood there frozen for a moment, then called Leo.

"Leo, Dad's at the hospital. Can you..."

Before I could finish, Leo's impatient voice cut me off.

"Oh, great. Mom said you lied about being stabbed, and I didn't believe it, but I guess you really can pull off such a crazy lie. Dad, please just leave us alone, okay?"

"What do you mean? You're with your mom? Isn't she supposed to be working late?"

Before I could ask more, Leo hung up.

At that moment, I felt as helpless as a leaf adrift in a vast ocean.

Suddenly, something clicked. I frantically opened Ryan's Ins profile.

Sure enough, he'd posted a video. He was smiling at the camera, with a luxuriously decorated upscale restaurant in the background.

The caption read: "Striving alone in a strange city, glad to have you all by my side."

I knew that upscale restaurant well; it was where Ava and I had our first date. But after we got married, whenever I wanted to revisit it, Ava would always refuse, citing the high prices.

In the video, although only Ryan was visible, I still heard Leo's voice.

It was a fleeting sound, but I heard it clearly. I couldn't possibly mishear it, because it was a word I knew all too well:

"Dad."

My phone slipped from my grasp.

Ava, with whom I had shared thick and thin, and Leo, whom I had painstakingly raised, had now given their devotion to someone else.

Though I tried not to care, the pain in my heart was uncontrollable. My breath hitched.

"Uncle, aren't Auntie and Leo coming?"

Finn, who had been quietly watching over me, asked cautiously.

"No, but it doesn't matter anymore. Will you stay by my side?"

I gently stroked his head and asked. He nodded like a woodpecker, eagerly promising:

"I will! I'm just afraid you'll blame me since it was my dad who did it."

His little head slowly drooped, and I felt a pang of sympathy.

"No, it's not your fault. You did nothing wrong, and neither did I."

I hugged him, both of us seeking comfort in each other.

Years of love couldn't be completely severed in this moment.

But from now on, they would no longer be my top priority. There were more people and more things in the world worth loving.