Chapter 1

Ezra's POV

"The child is three years old?" My voice came out hoarse, as if I had to force every word past my throat.

Clover Sorrell said nothing. There wasn't even a hint of guilt on her face.

"When my father died, you told me your flight had been delayed. So all that time, you were off sleeping with Zander?"

Clover and I had been together for seven years, but we still hadn't gotten married.

Even in his final moments, my father had kept looking hopefully toward the hospital room door. I knew he was worried about me. I'd thought it was just an unfortunate accident. After all, flight delays were beyond anyone's control.

But now, Clover was telling me that on that very day, she'd slept with Zander Carlson. And the child had been conceived around that time.

My bitter, scornful stare made Clover frown.

She instinctively snapped at me, "Watch your language, Ezra Kane! I was just doing Zander a favor. I wanted to help him fulfill a wish. He doesn't even like me that way. He's not going to interfere with our marriage.

"You were moping around with a long face every single day back then. I couldn't stand looking at you, so I had no choice but to get out of the house. If you want someone to blame, you should blame your father for dying at such an inconvenient time."

She looked at me coldly, and her words pierced me like a thousand blades.

It was bad enough that Clover and Zander had used my grief and helplessness after losing a parent as an excuse to carry on their affair. Now, they even had the audacity to blame my father for it.

My eyes reddened uncontrollably. I clenched my fists so tightly that my knuckles turned white.

"Clover, you and Zander slept together while my father was dying. And now, that child is already three years old. And you still expect me to go ahead with our wedding tomorrow?"

The moment I raised my voice, the private dining room fell terrifyingly silent.

Everyone there was a mutual friend of mine and Clover's. Even my best friend, Samson Silva, was there.

However, not one of them stood by my side.

Zander stepped forward, shielding Clover behind him.

With a smile, he said, "Ezra, this is all my fault. My family was pressuring me to have a child, and I was desperate. That's why I asked Clover to have one with me. I promise that the child and I won't interfere with your family.

"Besides, if Clover and I had really wanted to be together, you wouldn't have stood a chance in the first place, would you?"

As he finished speaking, a provocative glint flashed in his eyes for a moment.

"That's right, Ezra. Just pretend none of this ever happened. It's not like the child will ever have to be around you."

Samson said it as though it were the most reasonable thing in the world.

A chill seeped into my very bones.

So what if the child never appeared in front of me? Did that mean the child didn't exist?

No matter what happened, Clover would always be his mother. If I gave in and married her today, I'd be signing myself up for a lifetime of involuntary entanglement with Zander and his son.

Ever since Zander returned from abroad, Clover had taken him everywhere she went. Whenever anything happened to him, she was always the first to rush to his side.

And now, there was a child in the picture too. I could already imagine how miserable and suffocating the rest of my life would be.

Looking at Clover's utterly indifferent expression, I felt all the fight drain out of me.

I spoke calmly, "There's no need for you to put up with this. I'm calling off our wedding. I'll step aside and let you two have each other."