Chapter 3

A nameless rage surged up in my heart.

Without a word, I raised my hand and shoved the little boy away, but the next second Sabrina reached out and stopped me:

"Didn't you hear him?"

"Justin said he wants to ride the big horse."

We stood there deadlocked.

Joseph was the first to break the impasse, stepping forward and slowly bending down as if to get down on the ground:

"Justin, your godfather's very tired today. Daddy will play with you..."

But the next second.

The man let out a muffled groan, and when he spoke again there was a suggestive note in his voice:

"Rina, we really overdid it last night. My back's a little sore now."

At that.

A shy flush crossed Sabrina's face, a shyness I had never seen before.

She reached out and helped the man up, then turned and grabbed hold of me just as I'd started to step away again:

"Joseph wore himself out last night. You come and play with Justin."

Then the woman waved her hand carelessly, and several bodyguards closed in around me.

"Friendly system reminder: six hours left on the countdown."

Watching the bodyguards itching to move in, and with time running short, I curved my lips slightly into a very faint smile:

"Sure."

The next second.

Joseph had already set the little boy on my back, an expectant note in his voice:

"Then let's get started!"

The little boy laughed and squirmed and shouted nonstop on my back:

"Giddy up! Giddy up! Giddy up!"

"Faster, horsey, faster!"

We wove through the crowd, and all at once everyone turned to look.

When they saw me.

People fell to gossiping without the slightest restraint:

"Oh my God, isn't that Wilfred Rowe? Isn't that kid on his back Sabrina and Joseph's?"

"Yeah, can a grown man really be this shameless? Joseph and Sabrina are such a loving couple—don't tell me he's throwing himself at them to be the third wheel?"

Nothing but jeers and insults filled my ears.

I swayed, my body stumbling, and the next second a little boy's scream came from behind me:

"Ah!"

"Help!"

By the time I came to my senses, I'd been pushed to the ground, and the drinks beside me went down with me, splashing all over me.

In an instant.

Liquor mixed with filth, and I was a wretched mess from head to toe.

When the slap landed on my left cheek, a burning pain shot through me and wouldn't stop.

I looked up.

I met Sabrina's furious eyes, as if I were some unforgivable villain:

"Wilfred Rowe, how dare you?"

The woman took a deep breath, seeming to fight hard to hold something back:

"You've made a complete mess of Justin's first-toast celebration!"

"Apologize to Justin!"

She was ordering me to apologize to her and Joseph's child.

Seeing me stay silent, the woman seemed even angrier:

"Wilfred Rowe, do you think that just because your mother is dead, the whole world has to grieve along with you? Does your mother deserve that?"

"Do you deserve that?"

"Don't imagine that just because I have you in my heart, you can provoke Joseph again and again! Let me tell you, my patience has its limits too!"

"Rina, it's fine. Justin only got a scrape. It hurts me to see it, but I don't want this to come between the two of you."

"Let's just let this go."

At that.

Sabrina turned her head and looked with aching tenderness at the father and son a little way off, her voice full of guilt:

"Baby, I won't ever let you two be bullied."