My Husband and Son Faked Allergies to Get Rid of Me

Every summer, Ethan and Leo mysteriously became allergic to me. They'd break out in red rashes all over their bodies, and we could never find the allergen.

To protect their health, I had no choice but to pack my bags and move to the suburbs alone.

I endured the blistering heat, surviving the lonely days, only wishing for the weather to cool down so I could return to them sooner.

Until that rainy day, when I heard Leo was sick. Heartbroken and anxious, I rushed home in the pouring rain to deliver his medicine.

But as I reached the door, I heard laughter from inside.

And a strange woman's voice. "Dad, why can we only live with Vivian in the summer?" "I wish the allergy season could last longer." Vivian?

Ethan ruffled Leo's hair. "Silly boy, because it's too hot in the summer, and that's when Vivian has her vacation." "Besides, taking too many allergy pills isn't good for you.

Vivian would worry." The next second, a familiar female voice chimed in. "You only need to eat one hazelnut, and you get to see me." Leo clapped his hands. "Yay!

Hazelnuts are my favorite!" Hazelnuts. The very allergen I could never find every summer! The cold rain pelted my face. I slowly pulled my hand back from the doorknob.

When summer finally ended, I quietly moved back home. But I locked away all my concern.

Right in front of them, I ripped the list of food restrictions off the fridge. "Eat whatever you want," I said. "I'm done caring about your allergies." Leo wasn't used to this.

He froze, staring at me for a long time. After a while, he looked at me cautiously. "Mom, are you really not going to take care of us anymore?" I nodded expressionlessly.

The next second, his face lit up with joy. He couldn't wait to grab a hazelnut and eat it. The anticipation in his eyes pierced my heart.

He probably thought that eating it would send him right back into Vivian's arms. All those times I warned him, all those notes on the fridge. They were completely useless.

Ethan rushed over and slapped the hazelnut out of Leo's hand. "Elena, what is wrong with you today? You know his allergy is severe. Something could happen to him.

It's not like you just found out today." Yes, I knew. I had acted like a clown, meticulously avoiding every kind of nut. Every snack, every carton of milk.

I read every single ingredient, terrified of missing even a trace. I had warned Leo over and over. "No matter who gives you a hazelnut, you can't eat it, okay?

Otherwise, you'll end up in the hospital getting shots." I had repeated it endlessly to his teachers and classmates. "Leo is severely allergic to hazelnuts.

Please be careful." I treated hazelnuts like a mortal enemy. But in the end, it was Ethan who gave them to Leo. Hazelnuts were their golden ticket to see Vivian.

I masked my emotions. "He has hazelnuts in his hand. Shouldn't I be asking you how they got there?" Panic flashed through Ethan's eyes.

He muttered a quick excuse and took Leo upstairs. They were used to me bowing my head first, waiting for me to run after them and coax them. But not this time. Not anymore.

Ethan frowned. "Elena, what's gotten into you today?" Seeing my eyes red, he sighed with a hint of helplessness. "Are you still upset? I'll find a way to cure this allergy.

It's all because of this stupid summer allergy. It makes me miss being there for you when you need me most." My fingernails dug deep into my palms. So, he still remembered.

When I was pregnant, my mother suddenly fell gravely ill.

During that time, I dragged my heavily pregnant body to take care of her, running back and forth between the hospital and home.

But Ethan always brushed me off with "I'm too busy at work." Later, my mother didn't make it. Before she passed, the only thing she worried about was me and the baby in my belly.

Yet she still smiled to comfort me: "Elena, don't be afraid.

I can't be with you anymore, but you'll have the baby." I gritted my teeth and gave birth, but the postpartum hormone crash triggered severe depression.

I was terrified of being alone. Every time I was left by myself, the darkness crept in from all sides. I couldn't find joy in anything.

Several times, I wanted to end it all, but then I thought of Leo... To keep them safe, I practically wrapped myself in plastic every summer.

I even wore a respirator, but they acted like they couldn't even breathe the same air as me without breaking out in hives. We could never find the source.

Ethan had hurriedly packed up and left with Leo back then. "Elena, the allergy is acting up. Just hang in there.

When autumn comes, I'll bring Leo back." I couldn't understand why it kept happening. I showered constantly, scrubbing my back until it bled.

I selfdestructively thought this was God's punishment. I would lie in the bathtub, crying until I fell asleep. Those painful summers nearly broke me.

And it was all just a sick lie.

I brushed Ethan's hand away and went to my room. That night, Leo ended up in the hospital anyway. He had greedily snuck a hazelnut on his own. Kids can't hide secrets.

Even halfunconscious from the reaction, he muttered: "I want Vivian. I don't want to go home." Every word felt like a knife.

I had just finished asking the doctor about his care instructions and could barely stand. I handed my notes to Ethan and let out a long sigh. "Let's get a divorce.

Let Vivian take over." Ethan laughed it off. "He's just babbling. You actually believe a kid?" He looked into my eyes, offering a halftruth explanation. "You know Vivian.

Since we got married, I haven't had any contact with her. I only took Leo to see her once recently. The kid probably got his memories mixed up.

It's normal for him to crave excitement after not seeing her for so long." Before I could react, Vivian rushed in and threw herself at Leo.

She held him tightly, turning to glare at me in accusation. "Elena, how could you let him eat hazelnuts? He's such a good boy. Why make him suffer like this?

He was so healthy and chubby when he was with me just two days ago." The people around us stopped to stare and whisper. "The stepmother looks more like the real mom.

Some birth mothers just don't care. Poor kid. That's why people shouldn't get divorced." Perhaps noticing my burning gaze, Vivian quickly explained: "Elena, don't get me wrong.

I didn't mean anything by that. I'm just so worried about Leo. Why does he always have to suffer?" I turned and walked to the restroom, splashing cold water on my face to calm down.

He suffered because he wanted to escape me and see his precious Vivian. From when he was three years old until now...

When I walked back, I was about to enter the room when I heard laughter from inside. "Dad, I want to stay with Vivian for a few more days." He called her so affectionately, and Vivian looked full of expectation.

Ethan rejected it without a second thought. "No, it was risky enough for you to come here today.

I told you we can't let Elena find out." Vivian bit her lower lip, acting spoiled. "Just this once, Ethan. We'll just avoid Elena. Once I'm sure Leo is fine, I'll leave.

I only get to see him for three months a year anyway. Just a few more days." Ethan stared into her eyes and finally relented. "Only this once." I laughed mockingly at myself.

I looked like the homewrecker trying to tear their happy family apart. The doctor walked in and asked Ethan about Leo's medical history, but Ethan knew absolutely nothing.

The doctor grew annoyed. "What is the child's past allergy history? What medication did he take before? What is his most severe symptom?

As parents, haven't you paid attention to any of this?" Vivian twiddled her thumbs guiltily. Ethan awkwardly messaged me on Snapchat.

Right then, I pushed the door open. "Talk to me. I'm..." Never mind. I gave the doctor a detailed account of Leo's history.

I carried him for nine months; I couldn't bear to watch him suffer. Back in the room, Vivian made a show of getting ready to leave. Leo burst into tears, glaring at me. "No! No!

I want Vivian!" The piercing cries echoed in the ward. I knew they were putting on a show. They wanted me to leave so they could have their space.

Tears welled in my eyes, but I forced them back as I looked at Leo. "Fine. I won't come back."

That night, my head throbbed painfully. In my dazed state, I accidentally called Ethan. He actually came back to pour me water and give me my medicine. "Don't blame Leo.

Kids just crave novelty. In a few days, he'll be crying for his mom again. Take this chance to rest.

You've lost so much weight." Once he saw I was feeling better, he went back to the hospital. But over the next few days, I became incredibly lethargic.

Whenever I woke up, my mouth tasted bitter, and my stomach cramped in waves. I went to the hospital alone. The doctor looked at me, confused. "Did you change your medication?

Your previous prescription worked great. Don't switch it up for no reason." I shook my head. My meds were always with me, in the same packaging.

But when the doctor ran a quick test on the pills, his face fell. "This is a strong sedative, similar to sleeping pills. Aren't you intolerant to this?

I only prescribed it before when you couldn't sleep, and it gave you a bad reaction. Now that your sleep is fine, who has been giving you this?" I went cold.

The image of Ethan handling my medicine flashed through my mind. I couldn't believe it. Ethan thought I was too much of a nuisance that night.

Fearing I would disturb him again, he drugged me with sedatives! Just recently, Ethan had warned me: "All medicine has side effects.

Don't take the wrong ones." And now, his best way to keep me quiet was to keep me asleep. I let out a bitter laugh. My heart was being carved out, piece by piece.

I went home to pack. I didn't want to delay the divorce any longer. While searching through files, a piece of paper fell out.

It was a school essay with a perfect score and a teacher's comment: "Genuine love is meant for Mom. Excellent!" For a moment, I was dazed.

I remembered when Leo was in preschool, the first song he learned was about mothers.

I had held his hand as we walked home, and he babbled: "Mommy, I'll buy you a big house when I grow up.

My mommy is the best." I picked up the essay and read it. "My mom and I are like frost in winter. We can only meet in the summer. When the weather gets warm, we melt away.

I keep wishing for summer to come early." Every line was filled with love. But it wasn't for me. A crushing wave of defeat broke my spirit. I sat alone for a long time.

Finally, I stood up, wiped the dust off my mother's photo, and held it to my chest. Mom, the gift you left me turned out to be a curse. I'm taking you with me.

I don't want any of them anymore. The lock clicked. Ethan entered, bringing Leo home from the hospital.

Leo was still too young to hide his thoughts, talking about the same topic. "Dad, we have to wait another nine months.

I have to sit straight, stand straight, and I can't eat this or that. It's so painful." Ethan tapped him on the head. "Stop talking nonsense.

Elena does it for your own good." Leo pouted. "But I'm miserable. Vivian would never treat me like this." So that was it. Hearing this now, I felt strangely calm.

The nine months he found so miserable were the months I treasured most, fighting tooth and nail to keep him safe.

I lived in constant fear, terrified that their threemonth "allergy season" would extend. But to them, my care was a prison. Seeing me in the bedroom, Ethan assumed I hadn't heard.

After scolding Leo, he walked over. "Elena, this little guy is just being mischievous.

It's a good thing you didn't come to the hospital, or the stress would have ruined your health."

I gave a quiet nod and slipped my mother's photo into my bag.

Using a fake excuse, I took our marriage certificate to a lawyer, only for the young lawyer to recognize the document immediately.

He offered a sympathetic look. "This marriage certificate is a forgery. We've seen a few of these lately. You don't even need a divorce.

You can actually sue him for fraud and forgery." I was utterly exhausted. My shadow looked incredibly lonely. All these years... I felt like the biggest fool.

I didn't even have the right to demand a divorce. The family I cherished wasn't mine. I even started questioning my sanity.

The child I had nearly died giving birth to wasn't legally mine. He only looked a bit like me. How could Ethan do this to me?

Before my mother died, I had unknowingly become a mistress, giving birth to a child under a fake marriage. When I got back home, Vivian was there again.

She quickly stood up. "Oh, Elena, you're back. I was just about to leave. I was passing by and wanted to see how Leo was recovering." I blocked her path. "No need to leave.

We need to clear some things get straight." I pulled the forged marriage certificate from my bag.

My voice was calm, yet shattered. "I want an explanation." Like a selfdestructive lunatic, I hoped for some misunderstanding, even though I knew the truth.

He had deceived me for six years. But I just wanted to hear him say it. I wanted him to spin another lie, to tell me the lawyer was wrong, that I was his real wife.

That our love over the years was real, simple, and happy. That the allergy was just a curse, one I had spent years praying to lift. Ethan looked uncomfortable under my gaze.

He sighed helplessly. "Elena, Vivian went through some trouble back then. She needed constant medical treatments, and it was hard without a guardian's signature.

I had no choice but to... but you're overthinking this." My ears started buzzing. I couldn't hear him anymore. Stop. Don't listen. So, I didn't even have a legal status.

I didn't even have the right to scream at them. Ethan touched my shoulder. "Elena, calm down." But I was perfectly calm. I didn't know what he wanted.

I didn't even dare to raise my hand or scream "get out," because in the eyes of the law, I was the intruder. Suddenly, I wanted to laugh. I was the only outsider in this house.

I recalled how shortly after our "marriage," he was always away on business. Thank goodness I had a child.

It gave them the perfect excuse of an "allergy" to go away for three whole months every year. How hard they must have worked to pull it off.

Ethan stared at me blankly. "Elena, don't be like this. My marriage with Vivian is just on paper. It can be annulled.

It's just that her health has been bad these years, so I didn't get around to it.

I'll go annul it in a few days." Vivian stepped forward to apologize, but her arm brushed against a shelf. The shelf tipped over.

Ethan's first instinct was to grab me, but the next split second, he let go to shield Vivian. The heavy shelf crashed onto me, knocking me to the floor.

A sharp edge tore through my arm, and blood began to gush out. Yet the father and son rushed to crowd around Vivian. "Are you hurt? Does it hurt?

Your health is fragile, come on, let's get you to the hospital." Amidst their frantic concern for her, I pushed myself up alone.

Holding my bleeding arm, I walked straight out the door. I started humming the love song we played at our "wedding." Back then, we only had eyes for each other.

Let's never meet again. By the time Ethan looked back, Elena was gone. Only a trail of blood remained on the floor. He bolted out the door. But the hallway was empty.