Giving Back the Son I Raised

"Jon, I made these barbecue ribs just for you. Eat up."At the dinner table, my wife's stepbrother, William Small, kept piling food onto my son Jonathan Barkley's plate. The fatherly affection in his eyes was impossible to miss.A moment later, he got up and walked over to the couch, returning with a robot toy set. "This is for you. Do you like it?"Ten-year-old Jonathan thanked him politely. "I love it. Thank you, Uncle William."William grinned from ear to ear, while I watched the scene quietly. Ever since my wife gave birth to Jonathan, William would drop by our house every few days. Later, for convenience, he simply moved in with us, claiming he wanted to help take care of Jonathan so I could focus on work.Everyone knew how much he loved Jonathan. Our friends even joked that he cared about the kid more than I did, even though I was his father. Our relatives often praised him as a wonderful uncle, saying that with his help in raising Jonathan, I had much less to worry about.

I saw through Esther's intentions immediately, but I didn't let it show. Gently freeing myself from her embrace, I said, "Next week is the company's celebration dinner. I'll make the announcement then."Esther's eyes lit up. She quickly concealed her excitement and faked an affectionate tone. "Once Jon takes over the company, you won't be as busy anymore. Then, we can travel abroad together and relax."I watched her performance with quiet amusement and said nothing.Soon, the day of the company's dinner arrived. The venue was packed and lively. I stepped onto the stage to deliver my speech. Near the end, I announced that Jonathan would be taking over the company, then signed the share transfer documents on the spot.As thunderous applause erupted throughout the hall, William suddenly walked onto the stage and headed straight toward me. He took out a paternity test report and handed it to me."Years ago, I also tried to have a child through IVF," he said. "But the hospital mixed up

The recording made it clear that Esther and William had planned everything. Their goal had always been my money.Back when Esther was lying in the hospital bed after giving birth, I had overheard their conversation.They had been together behind my back for years. To get their hands on my fortune, Esther had suggested IVF. Then, William switched my sample with his own. That was how Esther had ended up giving birth to his child.As Jonathan was my only son, everyone naturally assumed he would inherit my company one day.Several employees spoke up indignantly."Those two are absolutely shameless. They used their own child as a pawn just to steal Mr. Barkley's company.""Imagine having parents like that. What terrible luck."Hearing that, William turned toward Jonathan in a panic. "It's not like that, Jon. Let me explain."He reached for Jonathan, but Jonathan took a step back, avoiding him. His lips were pressed into a tight line, and his fists were clenched at his sides. His e

The next issue I needed to deal with was my marriage to Esther.After killing William, Esther went into hiding. The only thing I could do was hire a lawyer and file for divorce, cutting all ties with her once and for all.One evening, after work, I arrived at the parking garage. Just as I was about to unlock my car, a dark figure suddenly darted out from the shadows.It was Esther. She was covered from head to toe, with a cap pulled low over her face. If I hadn't looked carefully, I might not have recognized her.She grabbed my arm and burst into tears. "Honey, I'm innocent. William deceived me. I know I was wrong. Please forgive me, okay?"I coldly pulled my arm away. "Don't call me that. It makes me sick. I've already hired a lawyer and filed for divorce."Hearing that, Esther broke down. She dropped to her knees, crying uncontrollably. "Honey, I really know I was wrong. Please don't be angry with me. We can't get divorced! I want to hide overseas. Give me a million dollars."