Chapter 3

Danny sat quietly on the sofa, smiling faintly as the child rested peacefully against his chest.

One of his large hands carefully supported the baby’s tiny head while the other stroked his back with slow, possessive movements, as though he had done it a thousand times before.

Celestine stood frozen a few steps away, staring at the unbelievable sight before her. Her aloof, cold husband looked almost possessed, his eyes fixed intently on the baby in his arms.

“Honey, do we have a guest? Whose child is that?” Celestine’s eyes brightened at the adorable baby resting against Danny’s chest.

She had always longed for a child of her own, yet her womb had remained empty. Seeing Danny’s cold exterior melt at the touch of the child warmed her heart.

Danny would make a good father.

“He is mine,” Danny said proudly, gazing at the baby with unsettling affection.

He didn’t even bother looking at his wife, who nearly collapsed at his words.

“What do you mean, your child?” Her voice trembled dangerously.

Danny didn’t answer immediately. He was too busy tickling the baby, who responded with a soft smile.

Then, slowly, Danny turned to Celestine. His darkened eyes carried a dangerous warning.

“I said the child is mine. Is that too hard for you to understand?”

Celestine suddenly laughed, the sound broken and unstable.

“You must be joking, Danny.” Her knees weakened, forcing her to steady herself against the sofa. “This can’t be real.”

Surely, he was tormenting her because she couldn’t conceive.

Danny remained seated, completely relaxed despite the tears threatening to spill from Celestine’s eyes. She knew she couldn’t confront him directly, but how could she accept such cruelty from her own husband?

“Give me the baby. I’m sure his mother must be worried sick. Let me return him to her.”

“I said he’s mine!” Danny bellowed angrily, making Celestine recoil in hurt and humiliation.

The baby startled violently and burst into tears.

Danny immediately tried calming him down before carrying him outside for fresh air.

Celestine followed after him, her heart shattering into a thousand pieces.

Was Danny planning to bring another woman into their marriage?

Just then, Kenny’s car screeched to an abrupt halt beside them.

He stepped out, his aura dark and threatening, but even that was nothing compared to the icy tension radiating from Danny.

“Give my son back to me.”

Kenny stretched out his arms, ready to take the child, but Danny turned his back on him completely, focusing only on rocking the crying baby gently.

“It’s alright, dear,” Danny murmured softly against the child’s forehead. “Daddy’s here.”

Celestine froze.

Danny’s words shattered her completely.

Wait… did Kenny just claim the same child too?

For a moment, Celestine thought she had heard wrong.

“He is your son?” she asked Kenny, relief flooding her face.

“Please tell Danny to give him back to me. Mara is worried about the baby,” Kenny said desperately.

“Mara?” Celestine laughed uncontrollably. “This child belongs to that blind wife of yours?”

Finally, she could breathe again.

“Danny, just give him the child. I’m sure we’ll have our own baby very soon.”

“What part of THIS IS MY CHILD don’t you understand?” Danny snapped furiously.

Celestine’s head spun in confusion.

“You… you slept with Mara?” she screamed hysterically.

“Enough with your games. Give me my child back,” Kenny growled, his eyes fixed on the crying baby.

“Is he really yours?” Danny asked calmly. “You know he could be mine.”

Kenny finally lost all patience.

He lunged forward violently, grabbing Danny by the collar while the baby cried helplessly between them.

“Don’t do this,” Kenny warned through clenched teeth.

But Danny only stared at him calmly, as though everyone else in the world was irrelevant.

That calmness infuriated Kenny even more.

“He’s not your child!”

For the first time, Danny’s jaw tightened slightly.

“You don’t know that.”

Kenny punched the wall beside him furiously.

“You sick bastard!”

“Did you only just realise that?” Danny asked softly, a smirk tugging at his lips.

His words hit Kenny like poison.

Kenny grabbed him again violently.

“I said give me my son!”

The baby wailed even harder.

Danny finally lost control and shoved Kenny back while shielding the child protectively in his arms.

For the first time, desperation flashed across Danny’s face as the baby’s cries became unbearable.

The sight unsettled Kenny deeply.

Danny was emotionless… cold… detached.

But now, the desperation in his eyes looked frighteningly similar to a father’s protective instinct.

Suddenly, Mara stumbled through the gate, screaming desperately.

Mara’s POV

“My baby… my child… please let me hold my baby!”

I sobbed uncontrollably, stretching my hands out blindly as I searched for him.

I could feel his presence nearby, but I couldn’t reach him. His cries burned straight into my soul.

It felt like dying over and over again.

Suddenly, a burning slap landed across my cheek, throwing me violently to the ground.

“You wicked woman!” an angry female voice shrieked. “How dare you seduce my husband, you blind fool!”

Celestine.

She must have found out everything.

I didn’t care what she did to me.

I only wanted my son.

Several sharp slaps echoed through my ears, but they were nothing compared to the sound of my baby crying for me. I couldn’t see him, but I had to reach him. I could barely breathe. I felt exhausted… pathetic… broken.

And just when my world felt like it was collapsing completely, Kenny’s magnetic voice cut through the chaos.

“Celestine, enough!”

He grabbed her wrist violently before another slap could land on me.

“Don’t touch her!”

Celestine let out a bitter laugh.

“Don’t touch her?” she shrieked. “You’re defending her now? Have you gone mad too, Kenny?”

“She is my wife. It is you and your husband who are insane,” Kenny said coldly.

Then he held my hand gently and helped me up, my trembling body collapsing weakly against his chest. For a brief moment, I felt safe in his arms.

“Don’t worry, Mara. Our son is safe. Come, I’ll take you to him.”

I could feel Danny’s presence nearby, and I honestly didn’t know how to react.

The man who had stolen my nights so quietly and shamelessly…And yet, I had surrendered to him every single time.

“Don’t stand there staring at my husband,” Celestine snapped bitterly.

As if I could even see him.

“Please, Danny… let me have my child. He must be hungry,” I begged, my entire body trembling against Kenny’s chest.

“That’s possible,” Danny said in a dark, sinister tone. “But you and the baby are coming with me.”

I felt Kenny’s muscles tense instantly. His fist curled tightly, ready to strike.

Then a sharp voice cut through everything.

“Enough!”

Caren’s authority sliced through the chaos instantly.

“You should all be ashamed of yourselves!”

Her heels clicked sharply against the pavement as she approached.

She stopped directly in front of Danny.

“Hand the child over to me.”

“But, Mother…”

For the first time, Danny sounded almost reluctant.

“Haven’t you embarrassed this family enough already?” Caren snapped before effortlessly taking the baby from his arms.

My son immediately started crying again. The sound shattered something inside me.

Danny instinctively stepped forward.

“Careful with him, Mother,” he said quickly.

A heavy silence followed. No one had imagined Danny was capable of sounding so protective.

Caren gently soothed the baby as she walked back inside the house. Everyone followed quietly behind her.

Kenny guided me carefully into the living room before helping me sit beside Mother. A moment later, my baby was finally placed back into my arms. The moment he began feeding, relief flooded through me instantly.

For the first time all day, I felt sane again. The room fell silent, yet the suffocating feeling inside me only grew stronger.

I was back in the same house surrounded by the same people who had destroyed me.

Only now, I had my son with me… inside a place that felt more like a tiger’s den than a home.

“You should all be ashamed of yourselves,” Caren finally broke the silence, her voice filled with disgust.

I knew it had to be because of my child and I. The last time she had called for an abortion. Stating that she wouldn’t have a grandson from a blind woman like me. Yet, here I was, with the baby claimed by the two brothers.

The tension between the two was obvious, understandably why they didn’t live together in the huge mansion.

Before anyone could respond, Danny’s ice old voice chilled the entire room.

“Celestine, we are moving back into the mansion.” His voice was final.

“What. Are you insane? You want to continue your affair with this woman,” Celestine voice was dry and desperate. Her love was slipping away right in front of her, not to forget the wealth that she enjoyed by just being Mrs. Ace.

“Impossible, you can’t move back here.” Kenny sat up abruptly and refuted this strongly.

“And why is that? This is my home. You know I can take everything back, if I want to.”

 

“Enough…can’t I have some peace and quiet in this house.” Caren said. She had to bring order, otherwise her sons would tear the house apart. And now that Danny had claimed the house, nothing would stop him, especially since he was the power force behind their successful business empire and the wealth they enjoyed.

“I’m taking my baby home.” I said, not knowing the little storm that my simple statement created.