Raising Someone Else's Kid? Not Me

"Come on, call him Daddy."

With a gentle smile, my wife, Jessica Stanton, nudged two three‑year‑old twins toward me.

For a moment, I felt utterly dazed. In my past life, no one knew these children as well as I did.

When Jessica first brought Billy and Maisie Stanton home from the orphanage, I embraced them as my own. I poured myself into my work, determined to give them the best education and a stable, loving environment.

But when they entered high school, both Billy and Maisie began to show an interest in romance. Concerned it might distract them from their studies, I decided to have a serious talk with them.

I never expected that the children I had loved and raised for 15 years would become the cause of my death. They pushed me down the stairs without a second thought.

Just before everything went dark, I heard Billy's voice. "It would be better if he were dead. Now our real dad can finally be with Mom."

"Yeah. Don't worry, Billy. I'll make sure you have an alibi," Maisie chimed in.

After my death, they received a hefty accidental‑death insurance payout. It was then that I finally discovered the truth about their biological father—Troy McPoland, Jessica's first love.

When Jessica first brought Billy and Maisie home, she had mentioned wanting them to take her last name.

Back then, it hadn't seemed like a big deal, but now it hit me hard. She never wanted Troy's children to have any connection to me.

The four of them lived comfortably on the money they received. Whenever anyone talked about my death, they would brush it off as merely bad luck.

Looking at Jessica's unwavering gaze now, I knew she expected me to agree to everything without question.

We met through a blind date, but I had given her my full commitment over the past three years.

After we married, I accepted responsibility for her. Although love was absent, the bonds of marriage held me accountable. For that reason, I devoted myself fully to the two children she brought into our home.

Billy and Maisie seemed adorable at first. However, it soon became obvious that they were struggling to hide their disdain for me, the stranger who had suddenly entered their world.

It wasn't hard to understand. Troy had resented me from the moment Jessica and I got married.

At first, I thought it was nothing more than prejudice. But now I could see the truth—he loathed me for "stealing" the woman he believed was his.

He hadn't been in the city for years; he must have been living somewhere else with Billy and Maisie all this time.

"So, what do you think, honey? Do you agree with me adopting these two children?" Jessica asked.

She frowned and added, "Just look at how pitiful they are. If we don't adopt them, they'll end up back in an orphanage, hungry and without proper clothing. You wouldn't want them to get their hopes up only to be crushed again, would you?"

"Of course not. Actually, I have a surprise for you too," I said, turning toward the bedroom. "Olivia, come over here."

At my call, a five-year-old girl appeared, hugging her doll tightly.

She looked utterly adorable. When she saw the three unfamiliar faces before her, she shyly hid behind me and asked, "Daddy, who are they?"

The moment Jessica heard that, she completely lost it. "Daddy? Who is she? Why is she calling you Daddy?" she shouted.

"Since we've been childless all these years and my mom has always wanted grandchildren, I decided to take matters into my own hands. It was then that I met Olivia."

"Do you even consider me your wife anymore? How could you make such a huge decision without even consulting me?"

I stayed silent and turned to look at Billy and Maisie.

Jessica's fiery expression froze, and she stammered, "B-But that's different. Billy and Maisie are—"

"They're what?"

The words she wanted to say got stuck in her throat.

She finally blurted, "In any case, I don't agree!"

Her eyes lingered on Olivia with contempt, treating her like a filthy creature.

"Fine," I said cheerfully.

Feeling a little anxious, Olivia clutched my shirt tightly. I gently patted her head, trying to comfort her.

"As for these two," I continued, "send them back where they came from. I've been the sole breadwinner all these years. There's no reason I should raise two children who aren't mine."

Jessica stared at me in disbelief, unable to grasp how the normally easygoing, agreeable man she knew could suddenly become so resolute.

Over the years, she had grown accustomed to living off my income. She had also promised Troy that Billy and Maisie would no longer have to live in the shadows.