Chapter 2

Once I finished speaking, I didn't bother sticking around to see their reaction. I went straight to the bedroom and packed my things. Since I'd decided to leave for good, I didn't want to leave any trace of myself behind.

I was folding my clothes when the sound of cheerful conversation going on in the living room seeped in beneath the door anyway, making me pause.

"Toby, I plan on giving this baby your last name. That way, even though he addresses someone else as his father, he'll still remember that you're his real father."

Even though I couldn't see it, I could still envision the affectionate look on Ivy's face as she said that. Nevertheless, she had long since shattered my heart into pieces.

All of a sudden, I recalled the scene of my arrival home last month. I'd come home bearing the souvenirs I'd bought specifically for Ivy. However, when I got to the front door, I was greeted by the sight of Ivy and Toby hand-in-hand as they returned from a walk.

Ivy looked alarmed, but Toby simply eyed me suspiciously before asking if I'd come to the wrong house.

I remained silent, my eyes fixed on Ivy's swollen belly. I'd been away for 11 months, but my wife was pregnant. There was no way for me to trick myself into believing the baby could be mine.

At last, a panicked Ivy stepped in front of Toby and introduced me, "This is my husband, Abel Stone."

I'd assumed that, upon hearing that, Toby would rein himself in a little. However, he continued acting like the man of the house and invited me in to take a seat.

As I walked past him, he murmured at a volume only the two of us could hear, "Make yourself at home. I'll treat you like a family member. After all, your wife is pregnant with my baby."

All the blood rushed to my head. I couldn't hold myself back any longer, so I punched him right in the face. I'd lost all sense of reason. The yearning I'd been feeling for Ivy for the past 11 months instantly turned into rage.

If I had had a blade on me at the time, I might've killed them both.

The neighbors heard the commotion and called the police. We were all taken down to the police station, but since it was a family matter, the police didn't feel right to intervene. They had us sent home instead.

As soon as we got back, Fred and Cora began rebuking me without even figuring out what happened first. They lashed out at me for causing such a scene the moment I returned and making the family a laughingstock in front of all the neighbors.

They also said all my years of education had gone down the drain, for I'd chosen to attack someone. They even swore they'd make me face the consequences if anything untoward happened.

It was then that I realized they knew about Ivy and Toby all along, and they even gave the two their full support. In just under a year, Toby had become the ideal son-in-law to them.

I was the only one who was still kept in the dark.

At the time, my heart was filled with sorrow and bitterness. I was deeply hurt. However, Ivy simply approached me hesitantly and took my hand in an attempt to reason with me.

"I never thought about betraying you. Toby is sick. His doctor says he only has about six months to live. I can't bear to see him die without even having someone to carry on his family name.

"I considered discussing it with you first, but you were abroad. I was afraid you'd get too worried about it. I didn't want to affect your training, so I figured I'd tell you about it once you got back. As long as you're fine with it, we can raise the child together, okay?"

Raising a child was a monumental task, but she made it sound like a regular grocery run.

…

I'd stuffed my last article of clothing into my suitcase when Cora came into the bedroom. When she saw the suitcase at my feet, she gave me an approving look, as if conveying that I'd finally acted appropriately for once.

"Since you've been away the whole time, I allowed Toby to stay in your room. The study has been turned into the baby's room as well, so you'll have to settle for the living room tonight. If not, you can find yourself a hotel room instead."

I was too exhausted and had no energy to head off to a hotel. Thus, I nodded and decided to sleep on the living room couch for the night.

However, late at night, the sound of a baby crying kept coming from the bedroom. As I flipped over and tried to put on my earplugs, I heard Ivy grumbling, "Hurry up and coax the baby! He's going to keep crying otherwise."

"Aren't you my baby? All I need to do is keep you happy. It's fine to let the baby cry. It helps his lungs develop."

Ivy chuckled and called Toby cheesy. That was soon followed by the sound of movements on the bed.

I pulled the blanket over my head, doing my best to ignore those unseemly sounds. However, when I closed my eyes, the memory of the first time Ivy confessed her feelings to me appeared in my head.

She was such a sweet and wonderful person. She had been truly devoted to me back then, but alas, that side of her no longer belonged to me.