He Fathered Her Child, I Burned His World

...

I met Zane Grimes's gaze with calm indifference. "Your little tadpole found its daddy. Aren't you going to say hello?"

He faltered, glancing at my sister, Martha Sanford, who was clutching the crying baby. "I'm sorry. I need to check on the child first. We'll talk later."

He hurried toward them, and in front of the gathered crowd, the three stood together, looking like a perfect family. Though my heart had long grown numb, the sight stirred a bitter ache within me.

His mother, Camille Grimes, noticing my expression, rushed up to smooth things over. "You know how kind-hearted Zane is. He can't bear to see a child suffer."

His father, Bruno Grimes, nodded anxiously. "Yeah, Brittany, don't take it to heart."

My brother, Roland Sanford, scoffed, "Kind-hearted? Then why hasn't he adopted every orphan in the city?"

Turning to me, he added sharply, "If you hadn't insisted on marrying this nobody, would he even have set foot in our house? He's fathered a love child. Make him leave with nothing and grovel for forgiveness."

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Whispers followed.

"The Grimes family is finished. They've crossed the Sanfords, who own the largest casino in the city. Their wealth rivals that of a small nation. Even the nobles vie for their favor."

"The gambling tycoon's daughter—betrayed by her husband like this? And his love child paraded in public?"

"She turned down noble suitors for a no-name entrepreneur. This marriage is wrong from the start."

My mind drifted to when I was ten. I'd wandered into the mountains and fallen into an abandoned hunter's trap, my leg caught in rusted iron jaws.

A storm raged, drowning my cries. A scrawny boy, chopping wood nearby, risked everything to free me. His hands bled from the jagged metal, but he never let go.

He put me on his thin shoulders and carried me out of the pit. Fever gripped him for days, and a scar still marked his right hand.

From that moment, I vowed to protect him forever. Defying my family, I broke off an engagement with the powerful Koch family and insisted on marrying my savior.

My father, unable to sway me, poured wealth and influence into elevating Zane's family, all to honor my gratitude.

Yet that boy, who once clung to me through the rain-soaked night, now pushed me into an abyss of his making.

Reporters, sensing a scandal, shoved microphones toward them.

"Mr. Grimes, is this child truly yours? Have you considered the Sanford family's reaction to your affair?"

"Miss Sanford, do you know the father of your child is married? This could be bigamy."

Zane stepped in front of Martha, shielding her. "The child is mine, and my wife knows about this. Martha is a Sanford, so our child carries both our bloodlines."

Instantly, every camera and microphone turned to me. "Mrs. Grimes, is this true? Will you raise this child?"

Zane shot me desperate glances, urging me to nod. I let out a cold laugh and raised my voice for all to hear. "I knew nothing of this. Zane deceived me. The Sanford family will not forgive anyone who threatens our honor."

Zane's face twisted in shock. Before he could speak, I added, "If you want children so badly, I'll give you more than you can handle."

I pulled out my phone and dialed my assistant. "Time to deliver Zane's grand surprise."