Chapter 1

On the day of the baby's one-month celebration, the restaurant was crawling with security guards. My mother, Martha, was visibly on edge.

She wasn't worried about the baby's safety. She was terrified that I would show up and ruin everything.

She had every reason to be scared. That baby was the child my wife had conceived with my stepfather.

My wife, Roxy, looked anxious. "If Caleb comes here and makes a scene, the truth will come out," she whispered.

My stepfather, Jude Walker, puffed out his chest. "Don't worry. I'll protect this child with my life if I have to."

Martha rolled her eyes at them. "Oh, grow up. My son does whatever I tell him. If I tell him to raise this boy as his own, he'll do it."

Not a single person in that family felt a shred of guilt.

My mother believed she was doing something noble by giving her lover an heir.

Roxy actually convinced herself she was doing me a favor by taking care of my parents while I was away for work.

But I never showed up.

Instead, I took my savings and the deed to the house and went to stay with a friend.

I wanted to see how long these three could live in their twisted little paradise.

By the time I make it to the top, they'll be nothing but strangers to me.

1

I didn't get home until late after drinks with a friend. The moment I walked through the door, I saw them huddled on the sofa, playing with the baby.

It was a picture-perfect family scene that made my skin crawl.

"Look at those big eyes! He's so precious, he looks just like Jude," my mother cooed.

She held the baby close, showering his face with kisses.

"Well, his father is a handsome man. It's only natural the boy inherited his best features," Roxy added.

Jude's eyes were burning with a look that was far from fatherly. If my mother hadn't been in the room, I'm sure they would have started an R-rated movie right there on the rug.

But Martha didn't notice. She was too busy being proud.

"I've always had great taste in men. It's good the baby looks like Jude and not like my son's late father. That man had the face of a loser who was born to suffer."

My heart twisted. She hadn't always talked about my dad that way.

After he died, she used to cry over his photos, telling me how much I looked like him. She said seeing me was like keeping him alive.

But since I returned from my latest shipping contract, everything had changed.

I stood in the doorway for a long time before anyone noticed me.

"Oh, Caleb's back," Jude said, faking a warm greeting.

My mother immediately pinched her nose in disgust.

"You reek of booze. And why did you bring all those bags inside? They're filthy."

She scoffed, crossing her arms. "What happened? Did you get fired? You're useless. If you can't even keep a job, you'll never amount to anything."

I stayed silent. Roxy timidly brought the baby toward me.

"Caleb, don't be mad. Mom said we needed to carry on the family line for Jude. It's not a big deal since we're all family anyway."

She looked up at me with those manipulative eyes. "Once I'm recovered, I'll give you a child of your own, okay?"

I almost laughed at the sheer absurdity of their logic.

"Jude is only sixteen years older than you, Roxy. How do you even say the word 'Dad' without gagging?"

I looked at the baby. "If we're following the family tree, this kid is my brother. Why should he call me Dad?"

Jude was six years younger than my mother. They met a year ago while I was away.

Apparently, he had saved my mother and Roxy from a mugging. Martha fell for his face instantly and insisted on marrying him.

My mother suddenly grabbed an ashtray and hurled it at my feet.

"Have you no heart! When we were being robbed, Jude risked his life for us! Where were you?"

She was screaming now, her face contorted with rage. "You're never here! Why shouldn't your wife give him an heir?"

"If I could still have kids, I'd do it myself! You're ungrateful and selfish. I worked so hard to raise you, and this is the thanks I get?"

She looked like a complete lunatic. She ran over and started hitting me with her fists.

Jude stepped in, playing the peacemaker.

"Martha, honey, calm down. You're not well. Caleb just got back; he needs time to adjust."

He then turned to me with a smug, saintly smile. "You must be tired. Sit down. By the way, we're taking the baby to the family estate next month to put him in the registry. You have to come."

I did the math. Next month was exactly when my friend's company was going public.

"Fine," I said, nodding.

I started planning my next move. I was going to turn their little drama into a full-blown tragedy.