Chapter 2

2.

“I talked to your doctor. Amnesia is medically impossible with your minor injury.”

She crossed her arms, staring down at me with her usual aloof arrogance.

“Silas, stop playing these pathetic little games.”

“I don’t have the time to humor you.”

She sneered, telling me not to think faking memory loss would save me from the divorce.

“Silas!” Kian dashed out through the front door, running up to me with a cocky grin. “I knew you were faking it! You just saw how close Uncle Sullivan and I are, and you got jealous!”

In the past, it might have stung.

From this moment on, it didn’t hurt at all.

I glanced at them with complete indifference.

“I really don’t know who you are. If you keep making a scene on my property, I’m calling the cops.”

Hearing the word “cops,” Kian instantly threw a screaming fit.

“You really forgot who I am?”

“Silas, I’m your precious son! Your only heir!”

His eyes bulged in utter disbelief.

Joanna’s frown deepened, her patience wearing razor-thin.

While we stood at an impasse, Sullivan walked out to the porch as well.

Kian immediately ran up to him, stretching his arms out for a hug.

Sullivan gave a gentle, reassuring smile and lifted the boy into his arms.

“Woohoo!”

Kian beamed excitedly.

He wrapped his arms tightly around Sullivan’s neck.

Then, he deliberately nudged Sullivan to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Joanna.

“Uncle Sullivan and Mom look so much better together!”

“If you hadn’t ruined their relationship back then, Uncle Sullivan would be my real dad right now...”

“Kian, stop.”

Sullivan interrupted awkwardly.

He turned to me with an apologetic expression.

“That’s not true at all. Joanna and I were never actually dating back then. Please don’t take it to heart, Silas.”

I knew Sullivan wasn’t inherently malicious.

Perhaps he genuinely had no romantic feelings for Joanna.

Yet Joanna had been hopelessly in love with him for years.

It was love at first sight for her.

Sullivan came from a poor background. Every high-paying internship he had in college was secretly arranged through Joanna’s family connections.

Even the funds for his overseas study in Europe came straight from Joanna’s pocket.

To protect his fragile pride, Joanna had lied and claimed a cheap two-dollar necklace he gave her was worth all that tuition money.

She loved him to absolute obsession.

And as her childhood friend, I had once loved Joanna just as desperately.

In a three-person dynamic, one person is always unwanted.

Just like right now.

To them, I was nothing more than an uninvited intruder.

“Silas, if this makes you uncomfortable, I’ll keep my distance from Joanna...” Sullivan offered softly.

Keep his distance?

There was no need for that anymore.

I simply didn’t care.

I swept a cold, detached glance over the three of them.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. If there’s nothing else, get off my property.”

“Silas Campbell!”

Joanna, who had been brooding in silence, finally snapped.

Her face darkened with pure rage.

“Who gave you the right to give Sullivan attitude?”

Beside her, Kian eagerly poured fuel on the fire.

“Mom, he’s obviously throwing a tantrum because he’s jealous of Uncle Sullivan!”

“He cares about us so much. Seeing us take Uncle Sullivan’s side must be driving him crazy.”

Joanna shot Kian a sharp glare.

“You’re getting too old to be carried around like a toddler.”

Kian pouted, while Sullivan stood there looking flustered and out of place.

I turned back inside, kicked every single remaining guest out of the house, and slammed the front door shut in Joanna’s face.

She didn’t bother knocking. Instead, she drove away with Sullivan and Kian.

Through the heavy oak door, I could still hear Kian’s furious screeching from the driveway.

“When he gets his memory back and realizes how he treated his golden boy, I won’t forgive him even if he gets on his knees and begs!”