Chapter 3

3.

When the sun started to rise, I realized I had been sitting at the diner all night.

My head was spinning from the lack of sleep and the booze.

Then, I noticed a little boy crying on the sidewalk.

I stumbled over to him and asked if he was lost.

The boy wasn't afraid. He wrapped his arms around my neck immediately.

"Mister, I want my mommy and daddy."

His sweet voice softened my heart.

I used to dream about having a child with Clara.

But that dream was dead now.

I sighed and picked him up. "I'll help you find them."

I took him to the police station. We sat with an officer to get his parents' info.

"What's your name, buddy? Do you know your parents' names?"

"My name is Leo. My daddy is Liam Sterling, and my mommy is Clara Vance."

The boy's innocent words turned my blood to ice.

I froze for a long time. Then, I grabbed his shoulders. "Who did you say your mother is?"

My stern face terrified the poor kid. He burst into tears.

The police officer pulled me back and told me to calm down.

But I couldn't. I looked at his eyes and nose―they were identical to Clara's.

With trembling hands, I called her.

"Hello? Ethan... what is it?"

I heard Clara's heavy breathing on the other end. I knew exactly what she was doing.

I gripped the phone tight. My voice was hoarse. "Come to the station. Your kid is lost."

Clara's voice instantly snapped into focus.

"What? Leo is with you?! I'm coming now. Don't you dare touch him!"

She sounded like she thought I would hurt the boy to get back at her.

I laughed bitterly. I wasn't a monster who would hurt a child.

When Clara rushed in, she saw a crying Leo and a cold, silent me.

"Ethan, you've gone too far! Leo is just a kid. If you have a problem, take it out on me!"

She protected that child with everything she had.

She never hated kids. She just hated the idea of having mine.

I didn't even need to ask questions. The truth was screaming at me.

I looked at her and felt like the world's biggest joke.

My nails dug into my palms. I forced a smile.

"So, you had a kid with Liam before we even got married. And you kept it a secret?"

My voice was dry. My eyes were empty.

She told me she wanted to be child-free. She lied about her trauma.

But here she was, showering a child with the love she denied me.

Clara realized there was no point in lying anymore.

"Yes, Liam and I have a son. I had him before I married you. I just didn't want you to overthink things."

I laughed out loud at her logic.

"So I should thank you for not making me raise another man's kid?"

Clara held the boy tightly, looking annoyed.

"Since you want a divorce, let's just end this quietly. I know I messed up. I won't fight you for the assets. I'll walk away with nothing."

She thought I would use my lawyer skills to ruin her reputation.

My eyes grew dark.

"Fine. Let's go file the papers right now."

I didn't want to look at her for another second. I just wanted her gone.

She took the kid home and met me at the courthouse.

Even with both of us agreeing, there was still a thirty-day waiting period.

When we walked out, Liam Sterling was waiting by the door, holding the boy.

The little boy ran to Clara. "Mommy! Daddy said let's go home."

"Okay, baby. Let's go home."

Clara picked him up and didn't even glance at me.

Liam walked up to me, mocking my tired appearance.

He blew cigarette smoke right into my face.

"Ethan, I told you. You have nothing to fight me with. No money, no family. You really thought a pathetic lawyer could compare to me?"

He looked me up and down with disgust, then led Clara to his sports car.

I watched them drive away. The sky was grey and heavy, just like my heart.