Chapter 2

I hurried off from the living room with Sadie in my arms, as though I were running for my life.

Every step felt unsteady, and my legs seemed too weak to support me. Almost instinctively, I reached for my ring finger, seeking the familiar comfort of my wedding band—only to find it gone.

I settled Sadie in her room, then went back into the hallway to look for it.

That was when I heard two familiar voices approaching.

I ducked into the nearest room and watched through the crack in the door as Kate wrapped her arms around Gideon's waist and kissed him with unmatched fervor.

He surrendered to her for a moment and lost himself in her kisses, but then seemed to come back to his senses.

"Are you crazy?" he hissed, pushing her away. "What if Gavin sees us?"

"So what if he does? You're the one I love anyway!"

Tears streamed down Kate's red-rimmed eyes as she threw herself back into his arms.

"Today, I've been dying to tell him the truth," she sobbed. "If he'd just been willing to let us be together, I'd have done anything…"

Gideon closed his eyes, struggling to hold himself together.

"Kate, we can't do this to Gavin," he ground out in a trembling voice. "When I was a kid and got kidnapped, he was the one who found me and carried me out of that pit.

"I swore I'd protect him for the rest of my life, and yet I ended up sleeping with his wife.

"Even the money you used to start your business—Gavin got it for you by drinking until he suffered a stomach rupture. How could we be so cruel to him?"

"And what about you?" Kate countered. "What about everything you've had to endure?"

She rose onto her toes, trembling as she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "How many nights have you spent alone all these years? How many times have you pushed me away even though it broke your heart?

"Like the night he was in that car accident. You'd been up all night with me and ended up with a fever, but you still rushed me to the hospital and forced yourself to stay behind and take care of him."

"Stop…" Gideon's entire body was shaking as he silenced her with a kiss.

She returned an even more passionate kiss instead.

I leaned against the wall and slid to the floor, clamping a hand over my mouth in disbelief.

So on the night I nearly died in that car accident, my own brother and my wife had been in bed together.

Then what had brought them rushing to my side afterward, fighting each other for the chance to take care of me?

Had they been worried about me—or were they simply drowning in guilt over what they'd done?

The footsteps outside eventually faded into the distance.

I staggered to my feet, and only then realized that I'd dug my fingernails into my palms so hard that they'd drawn blood.

But I couldn't feel the pain anymore.

I picked up the wedding ring lying on the floor, its surface catching the light. Only then did I notice two initials engraved on the inside—"K and G".

It was Kate and Gideon.

I smiled bitterly, tears spilling from my eyes.

Kate had had this ring custom-made. It turned out even my wedding ring had been stolen from me.

I remembered the day I proposed. Kate's eyes had turned red with tears, while Gideon had cried so hard he could barely speak.

Back then, what exactly were they thinking? Were they celebrating my happiness, or mourning the love they could never have?

Sadie came looking for me after changing her clothes. She reached out with her chubby hands and clumsily wiped away my tears.

"Daddy, don't cry. I'll always stay with you."

I pulled her tightly into my arms.

"Sadie, did Mommy ever tell you anything?" I asked.

She fell silent for a few seconds before finally answering.

"At that house, Mommy touched her belly and asked me if I'd rather have a little brother or a little sister…

"She said that if I told Daddy about it, Daddy wouldn't love me anymore. But I don't want to lie to you, Daddy."

Her arms tightened around me as I stroked her back, tears continuing to roll down my cheeks.

"Tell me. Where is that house?"