Chapter 2

2.

Based on the timeline, the child Lyra was carrying couldn't possibly be mine.

The biological father was almost certainly Gavin Rhodes.

Lyra had spent five years hunting for Liam Quinn's ghost, hiring any man who shared even a passing resemblance to him.

Then she found Gavin, a recent university graduate.

He was the closest thing to a clone of Liam she had ever seen.

He had been by her side for months. It was inevitable that they had crossed the line into intimacy.

Tonight was simply the first time she had the guts to show him off in public.

"Good. I'll hire a specialist to make sure you're taken care of."

Coming back to reality, I took her hand.

"There's no need. I have Gavin. He'll take perfect care of me."

"He's much more attentive than the previous bodyguards."

She beamed with a happiness that didn't include me.

Whenever I secretly chased away her previous lovers, she never asked where they went; she just replaced them.

But she seemed particularly fond of Gavin.

I wondered if she would remain indifferent once I made this one disappear, too.

"Lyra, I prepared a high-end collagen tonic for you this morning."

Gavin walked over, holding a thermal flask.

"You need to maintain your nutrition while you're expecting."

He was indeed very sweet and gentle.

No wonder he had managed to charm Lyra so thoroughly.

It seemed he hadn't taken my earlier warning to heart at all.

Instead of leaving, he was doubling down, flaunting his intimacy with my wife right in front of my face.

"Get out."

I didn't try to hide my anger this time.

I usually took pride in my manners, but he was being such a piece of trash that I saw no reason to be polite.

"Mr. Sterling, did I do something wrong?"

He spoke to me, but his eyes were directed at Lyra, brimming with feigned hurt.

Lyra's expression remained neutral as she looked at him.

"Gavin, go outside. You shouldn't be here in this setting anyway."

Lyra had always been a poised, proper wife who knew how to maintain appearances.

I thought that as long as we didn't tear down the final curtain, I could live out the rest of my life with her.