Chapter 2

02

The next morning, Nellie ran to my bedside and kicked my headboard repeatedly to wake me up.

In the living room, Brianna was slumped on the sofa, smelling like a brewery. Her neck was covered in red marks.

"Hey, Zach. I brought you breakfast. Eat it, take Nellie to school, and then take the day off to deep clean the house."

She tossed a half-eaten, cold breakfast burrito into my lap like she was feeding a dog.

I looked at the bite taken out of the burrito and dropped it into the trash without a word.

"What were you doing last night?"

I hit a nerve. Brianna's face went cold.

"Working overtime, obviously! What's with the attitude? If you weren't so useless, would I have to work this hard?"

I didn't bother calling her out. Instead, I looked at her hand where her wedding ring should be.

Years ago, after she claimed Nellie was mine, I gave her my mother's heirloom diamond as an engagement ring.

I needed that ring back.

But it was gone from her finger.

In its place was a cheap, tarnished bracelet.

That was the only gift Lucas had ever given her.

She didn't know that Lucas had only given it to her because he failed to impress his boss's daughter with it.

I laughed at myself and pulled Brianna up from her daze.

"The ring. Give it back to me."

Brianna instinctively looked away, but then she started acting tough.

"What ring? What, you want to take back a wedding ring now? I can't believe I married someone like you!"

【Poor guy. He doesn't know she used the ring to pay for Lucas's bar tab last night.】

To change the subject, she started barking orders again.

"Take the kid to school first. I'll look for it later."

I stared deep into her eyes. "Fine."

To help her secret lover succeed, Brianna wouldn't hesitate to destroy my reputation.

Before I left, I had to get a DNA test with Nellie to clear my name.

I grabbed Nellie's backpack and headed straight for the hospital.

But before the results even came out, Brianna got wind of it and came charging in.

She was out of breath when she snatched Nellie away from me.

"What are you doing bringing her here? I told you to take her to school!"

The DNA samples were already submitted. I had no interest in arguing.

"I'm her father. She felt sick, so I brought her in. Is there a problem with that?"

Realizing she had overreacted, Brianna's expression shifted. She dropped to the floor and started squeezing out tears.

"It's all my fault. Nellie was born weak. I tried to hide her kidney issues from you, but you found out anyway. She needs a transplant. I'm not a match. You're her only hope. Please, Zach, don't leave. Save our daughter."