Chapter 2

Seeing that I had actually struck someone, Victoria's father flew into an even greater rage.

"I must have been blind to let you marry Victoria!"

After Victoria's mother helped Justin to his feet, he spoke with a wounded expression, "Mr. and Mrs. Parker, please don't blame Matt. This is my fault. I shouldn't have spoken out of turn at a time like this and angered him. He must be upset; that's why he reacted this way. Victoria has just given birth—please don't let things get worse because of me."

Watching him like this, Victoria felt even more distressed. She tried to comfort him.

"Justin, this isn't your fault. It's Matt, he…"

Her voice broke before she could finish. It took her a long moment to steady herself.

"Don't take it to heart. He's probably just been in a bad mood lately."

After calming Justin, she turned to me, her gaze carrying a hint of pleading.

"Matt… we have a child now. He's so adorable. Why do you insist on getting a divorce?"

Victoria's father could no longer hold back. He stepped forward, glaring at me.

"Matt, are you really set on this divorce? I think you've got some other woman! Otherwise, how could you be this heartless—bringing up divorce right after Victoria gave birth?"

Justin suddenly realized something and shouted, "No wonder! And here Victoria was still speaking up for you! Even if you do have someone else, why bring up divorce today, of all days? How could you be so cruel?!"

Tears welled in Victoria's eyes as she looked at me.

"Honey, you don't really have someone else, do you?"

Listening to Justin repeatedly call her "Victoria," I remained expressionless.

"Whether there's someone else or not doesn't matter. What matters is that Victoria and I must divorce."

My attitude completely infuriated Victoria's father. He pointed at the door and roared, "Fine! You heartless monster! We don't welcome you here! And you two—take him and leave!

"You want a divorce, is that it? Then just wait. In five days, we'll meet in court. I'll make sure you, you ungrateful bastard, lose everything—your reputation included!"

My parents tried to say something more, but one look from Victoria's parents forced them into silence.

The moment we stepped out of the hospital room, my father grabbed my arm, his face full of confusion.

"Matt, what's wrong with you? You and Victoria used to be so close. Why are you suddenly asking for a divorce—at a time like this?"

He sighed, lost in memory.

"I still remember when you first got together. You followed her around every day, your whole world revolving around her. There was one time she caught a cold—you ran across half the city in the middle of the night just to buy the porridge she wanted. When you came back, you were soaked through, but you just stood there grinning, saying you'd found it. Things were so good back then… how did it turn into this?"

My father's words made tears slip down my face before I realized it.

I wiped them away and said in a low voice, "Dad… that's all in the past now."

With that, I shook off his hand and headed straight for the elevator.

Downstairs, my senior, Todd Gibbon, was already waiting by the car. Once I got in, he glanced at my grim expression and teased, "Not going to do a paternity test? There's still a fifty percent chance the kid is yours."

I let out a bitter smile. "Cut it out. I'll need your help in court five days from now."

I put on my headphones, took out the recording, and played it again—laughing at myself as I listened.