Chapter 1

“Damian, I’ll release this photo if you refuse to accept this child.”

Elena slammed the picture onto the table.

The baby in her arms was crying so hard that her little face had turned bright red.

I stared at the photograph for three seconds. Then, my knees gave out and I dropped to the floor.

The room fell silent.

My mother rushed over and grabbed me.

“Damian, what are you doing? Your father has only been gone for six months and she brings home a child with an unknown background? And you’re actually willing to accept her?”

I did not look up.

“Mom, she’s my daughter from now on.”

My mother was momentarily startled.

Elena smiled.

She held the baby, walked over to me, and lightly tapped my knee with the tip of her shoe.

“Did you hear that? Your son made his choice.”

My mother trembled with anger.

“Elena, what exactly did you show him?”

“Just a photo.”

She flipped the picture over and casually held it out toward my mother.

The moment my mother was about to see it, I reached out and blocked her.

“Don’t look.”

My mother stared at me in disbelief.

“What are you afraid of?”

My throat tightened.

“I said don’t look.”

Elena’s smile grew wider.

“Damian, I didn’t know you were such a devoted son.”

The baby in her arms stopped crying and opened her eyes to look at me.

Those eyes looked exactly like someone else’s.

Zachary Quinn.

He was the last person caught on the surveillance footage arguing with my father on the night of his fatal car accident.

Also, he was Elena’s ex-boyfriend from college.

My mother had clearly thought of the same thing.

She suddenly turned toward Elena.

“Is this child Zachary’s?”

Elena did not deny it.

She simply placed the baby into my arms.

“You have three days. Complete the adoption paperwork.”

I held the child.

She was as soft as a warm ball of water.

My mother raised her hand and slapped me.

“Your father’s body hasn’t even been laid to rest and yet you’re willing to become the father of your enemy’s child?”

My cheek burned with pain as I had not avoided the blow.

Elena sat down on the sofa and spoke calmly.

“Mrs. Lane, please don’t make it sound so terrible.

“Zachary only had an argument with your husband. The car accident wasn’t something he caused.”

My mother pointed at her.

“Then why did he leave the country the very next day? Why have you been covering for him this entire time?”

“Where’s your evidence?”

Elena raised an eyebrow.

“Without evidence, that’s just slander.”

My mother was so furious her vision blurred. She had to hold onto the table to keep herself standing.

I lowered my head and gently comforted the baby.

“Stop arguing.”

My mother looked at me as though she could not believe what she had heard.

“What did you say?”

I repeated myself.

“Stop arguing. You’ll frighten the child.”

At that moment, my mother’s eyes looked completely empty.

Elena stood up in satisfaction and gently patted my head.

“That’s more like it.”

My mother stepped backward with tears in her eyes.

“Damian, what happened to you?”

I looked at the child in my arms and spoke softly.

“Mom, Elena is right.

“The child is innocent.”

Elena laughed.

However, my mother suddenly stared at the photograph beside me and lunged forward, trying to grab it.

Elena was faster. She shoved the photo into her bag.

“Want to see it?”

She tilted her head.

“After you see it, you’ll become just as obedient as your son.”

My mother stood frozen.

Elena picked up the child and turned toward the bedroom.

When she reached the doorway, she stopped and turned back to look at me.

“Damian, remember this.

“From now on, her name is Stella Lane.”