Chapter 3

"You guys are insane!"

"I seriously want to ask Tyler what kind of vitamins he's taking to have that much energy!"

"No wonder Chloe looks so glowing lately. Ethan is the ultimate fool, raising another man's kid without even knowing it."

Chloe's friends filled the room with mockery and disdain directed entirely at me. Not a single one of them found Chloe and Tyler's behavior disgusting.

Birds of a feather really do flock together.

Even though she hadn't explicitly detailed her encounters with Tyler to me, I already knew.

They had left their traces of lust all over our house.

On the surface, Chloe would act guilty and apologetic in front of others. But behind closed doors, she would let Tyler drain all her energy and then fall fast asleep, showing absolutely no genuine remorse.

Waves of dull pain washed over my chest, nearly breaking me.

Finally, I took heavy steps away from the door, choosing not to confront her right then and there.

When I walked out of the bar, the night wind was freezing.

Just then, my phone rang. It was my business partner.

"Ethan, does Chloe understand you like I do? Is she prettier than me?"

"Does she have my wealth? You are so heartless. GC Group just made the Fortune 500 list, yet you abandoned us to go back and marry her."

Victoria sounded drunk. She was usually quiet, cold, and professional.

If she weren't deeply hurt, she would never have let her guard down like this.

"Victoria, wait for me," I said softly.

"I will cut ties with Chloe as soon as possible. Once I settle things here, I'm coming back to you."

The drunk woman on the other end instantly seemed to sober up.

After hanging up, I walked along the sidewalk.

A fiery red Ferrari sped past me.

It was Tyler's car. He was probably on his way to see Chloe.

I didn't care anymore. Nothing they did could trigger any emotion in me now.

When I got home, my mother was waiting for me in the living room.

"Ethan, where have you been so late?"

I stared coldly at my seemingly warm and loving mother. Remembering what Chloe had said in the lounge, the last shred of familial affection I had for her turned to ash.

I was her biological son, yet she always favored Tyler.

During our poorest year, I wore patched-up hand-me-downs while Tyler got brand-new clothes.

He got a fancy cake for his birthday; I only got two boiled eggs.

And now that we were adults, she was still helping Tyler, conspiring with outsiders to deceive me.

Knowing all this, I had no intention of being polite.

"Drink this," she said, pointing to a pot on the counter.

"I thought Chloe was home, so I made some chicken soup. Since she's not here, you drink it."

I grabbed the pot and smashed it onto the floor. It shattered into pieces.

My mother looked at me in shock, startled by my sudden rage.

"What is wrong with you? Are you still upset about what happened at the wedding...?"

"You already know she's pregnant with Tyler's baby, don't you? That's why you brought over this soup—to nourish her."

I cut her off.

Panic flashed across her face, followed by disbelief.

"How... how do you know?"

I didn't answer. I stepped closer, my anger radiating.

"I've always wondered why you were so biased. I am your flesh and blood, yet you love a foster son who shares no blood with you. Now I know."

"Tyler is the son of your first love. You projected your obsession with his father onto him."

"Even if it meant destroying your own son's life, you didn't care."

Having her deepest secret exposed, my mother choked on her words, unable to speak.