Chapter 2

"Samuel, who told you to tell my father about Julian?"

"I didn’t—”

Nancy cut me off sharply.

"Get back to the family estate and calm him down. If you can’t even learn how to be my husband, then don’t expect to raise our son."

My hand shook so badly I could barely hold the phone.

The moment Ethan was born, my father-in-law had wanted to take him away.

Back then, Nancy had seen how devastated I was as I sent people to drive off the bodyguards he had brought.

"Ethan belongs with Samuel. No one else has the right to raise him."

Now, for Julian's sake, she was using Ethan to threaten me.

She had already betrayed me. I could not lose Ethan too.

After forcing myself to calm down, I left Ethan with the nanny and hurried to the family estate.

Inside the family chapel, Julian sat off to one side with Rory in his arms.

The moment I stepped inside, my father-in-law slapped me across the face.

"When Nancy insisted on marrying you, she stood outside the house for three days and three nights before I finally gave in.

"I thought you had something worthy of her. Instead, your wife cheated on you with an illegitimate son and had another illegitimate son with him, yet you never even noticed.

"Are you trying to make the Scott family a laughingstock?"

When my mother brought Julian and his father home years ago, my own father did not throw them out. Instead, he had jumped to his death.

My father-in-law had always looked down on him for that, which was one more reason he despised me.

However, I had never imagined that even Nancy's affair would somehow become my fault.

Nancy glanced at me before turning to her father.

"Weren’t you always complaining that Samuel couldn’t give you a grandchild? I gave you one ahead of schedule. What’s so bad about that?"

Her voice was lazy, as if she had done something worthy of praise.

She looked at me with a mocking smile.

"Mr. Carter, you created this mess. Clean it up yourself.

"As long as we’re married, keeping my father happy and helping me solve my problems is your responsibility."

Julian walked over, slipped an arm around her, and grinned at me.

"Samuel, I have always been busy with work. I am terrible at dealing with family matters, so I’ll be counting on you from now on.

"Unless you stop being the Scott family's son-in-law."

I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek and stared at Nancy.

I knew I should not waste my energy clinging to a woman whose heart had already changed. However, I could not let Ethan grow up the way I had, struggling to survive under a stepfather's roof.

"Nancy, don’t even think about making me bless your relationship."

As long as we stayed married, Julian and his son would never have a legitimate place in the Scott family.

Julian's smug attitude finally pushed my father-in-law over the edge.

He gave his bodyguards a look. They immediately forced Julian to the floor.

"You dare set your sights on the Scott family? Give him a hundred lashes!

"The Scott family's reputation is not something just anyone can trample on."

My father-in-law despised Julian.

I should have been happy.

However, what Nancy did next nearly drove me over the edge.

She kicked two bodyguards away and stood protectively in front of Julian. She looked at her father, then turned her disgusted gaze on me.

"It’s only a hundred lashes. I’ll take them for Julian.

"After today, Julian will be free to come and go as he pleases within the Scott family."

Every lash that struck Nancy felt like a blade carving into my heart.

In the fifth year of our marriage, Nancy still had not gotten pregnant.

My father-in-law flew into a rage.

Claiming that the Scott family did not accept me, he dragged me into the family chapel and ordered a hundred lashes as punishment.

I had secretly gone to the hospital for a full examination.

There was nothing wrong with me. I wanted to fight back.

I even hoped Nancy would stand up to her father again, just like she had when she insisted on marrying me. Instead, she kissed my cheek and whispered softly, "Samuel, Dad just needs to vent his anger. It’s for our future together. Please endure it a little longer."

In front of Nancy and every member of the Scott family, I endured all one hundred lashes.

The last thing I remembered before losing consciousness was the unbearable pain of my torn flesh sinking deep into my bones.

The blood I had shed that day overlapped with the horrifying blood now soaking Nancy's clothes.

The memory hit me like a loud slap across the face, leaving my cheeks burning with shame.

When only nine lashes remained, even my father-in-law could not bear to continue.

He looked toward Julian.

Before he could speak, Nancy weakly said, "Let Samuel take the last nine lashes for him."

My blood froze in my veins.

She wanted me to take his place?