Chapter 2

Sonia lit up too and took the boy from Richard.

When she saw Noah's face flushed with fever, she glared at me, her eyes turning red.

"Freya, how could you let him get this sick? My poor baby. Mommy came back too late. I can't believe I let you suffer like this."

Noah already felt miserable, and now he was being passed back and forth between two strangers.

He burst into tears and struggled with all his strength.

"Aww, you don't feel good, do you?"

When Sonia leaned in to kiss him, Noah planted a hand on her mouth and shoved her away.

I caught a flash of impatience in her eyes.

Then, to my horror, she pulled something from her pocket and shoved it straight into Noah's mouth.

"There. You'll be quiet soon."

My gun was in my hand before I even realized it. I couldn't risk hitting Noah, so I fired a warning shot into the ground beside Sonia's feet.

"What did you give him?"

At the sound of the gunshot, Sonia went pale and froze.

Richard scoffed. "Don't try to scare us with a replica. You've never even owned a gun. How could you possibly have a real one?"

Then something seemed to click, and his face darkened.

"If you'd taken proper care of him, he wouldn't have a fever in the first place. Sonia is his mother. Why would she hurt her own child? You just can't stand seeing them together."

His confidence seemed to reassure Sonia. She clearly decided my gun had to be fake.

She even carried Noah toward the gate, as if daring me to stop her.

I rushed after her, my face drained of color. Millie was panicking too.

We'd only come to check on the house before the sale, so we'd kept our security out of sight.

The bodyguards were waiting at the edge of the neighborhood, too far away to reach us immediately.

Millie had been in poor health all year. Now her hands were shaking so badly that she could barely use her phone.

It took her several tries to finally get a call through.

Richard blocked my way. By the time I managed to get past him, Noah had stopped crying.

He lay limp against Sonia's shoulder, his eyes closed.

A tear still clung to the tip of his little nose. The sight tore me apart.

Rage burned through me as I glared at Sonia. But before I could speak, she turned on me first.

"My son is three years old, but look how tiny and skinny he is. He looks malnourished.

"Freya, have you been abusing him? Have you been feeding him nothing but milk?

"And now you won't let me take him to a doctor. Are you afraid the hospital will find out what you've done?"

Richard stared at me as if he'd already decided I was guilty.

He stared at me, furious and disappointed at once.

"How dare you abuse my son!

"I promised I'd come back for both of you once my company was on its feet.

"But after seeing how cruel you are, I'm done showing you any consideration.

"If you don't want to end up in court, sign this house over to me.

"Then apologize to Sonia, and we'll call it even."

So that was what he really wanted. The house. My eyes went wide with rage.

My father had transferred the house to William and me as a wedding gift.

And there was a reason we were selling it now.

Our families were preparing to open a new drug route into South America together.

By trying to take this house, Richard wasn't just insulting me. He was insulting both families behind me.

I walked straight up to him and slapped him across the face.

"A man who lives off women and an illegitimate daughter. You think I owe either of you an apology?"

Richard's face twisted with rage, his eyes turning dangerous.

Sonia clenched her teeth and shot me a poisonous glare.

There was one thing she hated more than anything—someone mentioning her background.

Everyone at the office had known the story back when I worked there.

Sonia's mother had spent years sleeping with married men. She had Sonia hoping the baby would convince one of them to choose her, but Sonia's father wanted nothing to do with either of them.

Back then, I'd defended Sonia whenever people bad-mouthed her and helped smooth things over at work.

I'd even given her brand-new clothes I didn't need.

I knew how hard it was for a woman in that office, so I'd tried to help her whenever I could.

And how had she repaid me? By sleeping with my fiancé.

My hands curled into fists, my gaze turning icy.

"I carried Noah for nine months and gave birth to him. He is not your child. I sent your son away a long time ago."

Sonia burst into tears again.