Chapter 2

Ethan's POV

By the time I got home from work, it was dark outside. The front door hadn't been fully closed. The entryway and living room were in disarray.

Our family portrait had been thrown on the floor. Harry was crouched over it with a marker, doodling all over the picture. With a pair of scissors, he cut out the part where I was.

As he worked, he muttered to himself, "I wish this were Mr. Lockood instead."

In the past, I would've tried to teach him right from wrong. Now, I simply ignored him and walked past.

Tracy was sitting on the couch. When she heard me come in, she looked up, displeasure evident on her face. "What took you so long? Dinner still isn't ready. Harry's starving."

My steps slowed as I looked at them. For five years, no matter how late I worked or how exhausted I was, I had to come home and cook for them, clean the house, and do the laundry.

"There are leftovers in the fridge from yesterday. Just put it in the microwave for three minutes," I said, then smiled sarcastically. "Don't tell me you can't even manage that."

Tracy's eyes widened in disbelief. She parted her lips and shot to her feet. "Hey—"

"Cook for me, Daddy!" Harry ordered loudly, barking instructions as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Exhaustion engulfed me. I didn't want to look at either of them.

The moment I pushed open the master bedroom door, my face turned pale. The documents I had stored inside had been cut into pieces. The vase, the lamp, and the picture frames had all been smashed.

My steps turned frantic as I rushed to the bedside. The box that always sat on my nightstand had been knocked to the floor. Fragments of a vintage pocket watch lay scattered everywhere.

It was the last thing Mom had left behind in this world. I had always kept it safely tucked away in that box, protecting it like a treasure.

I spun around abruptly, and sure enough, Harry was leaning against the doorway, looking contemptuous.

"Did you do all this?" I questioned him.

He curled his lips. "Serves you right. You're always picking on Mr. Lockwood, and you wouldn't even cook dinner for me."

A loud buzzing filled my head as I stared at Harry with bloodshot eyes. Without hesitation, I raised my hand and slapped him hard, snapping his head to the side.

My palm stung, but it was nothing compared to the pain in my heart. This was the child I had held in my arms from the day he was born, the child whose first word had been "Dada". Now, he felt like a stranger.

Harry clutched his cheek, staring at me in shock and fear. The next second, his cries brought Tracy rushing over. Her expression darkened as she pulled him into her arms.

"How could you lay a hand on him, Ethan? You've really got some nerve."

I ignored her shouting. Like someone who had lost his soul, I crouched on the floor and picked up the fragments of the pocket watch one by one.

"It's just a watch," Tracy said impatiently. "Do you really have to make such a big deal out of it? If you want, I'll just buy you a better one later."

A sharp edge sliced my finger, splattering drops of blood onto the floor.

I remembered Mom pressing that pocket watch into my hand while she was still alive. "Tracy is a good woman, Ethan… After I'm gone, give this to her. It's a valuable antique, and it's been with me ever since I got married…"

I closed my eyes for a moment before standing up and looking at Tracy. "Is money your answer to everything?"

She seemed startled by the look in my eyes and froze in place. The words of condemnation she had been about to unleash got stuck in her throat. Her lips quivered, yet not a word slipped out.

Harry cried even harder, flailing and hitting me with his fists and feet. "I don't want you as my daddy anymore! I want Mr. Lockwood! Mommy, bring me to Mr. Lockwood!"

His sobbing made my temples throb.

At last, Tracy pulled herself together and scooped Harry into her arms, her face grim. "Ethan, I don't care what kind of tantrum you're throwing. We'll settle this later. And when you finally come to your senses and apologize, that's when I'll bring our son back."