Chapter 2

"Daniel, what should we name our future child?"

"How about Christopher Simmons if it's a boy, and Danielle Simmons if it's a girl?"

"Okay. Whatever you say."

Christine panted as she spoke, her voice sweet.

As I listened to their tender exchange, a hard laugh escaped me.

She was afraid I would covet the Lockwood family's assets, so our children had to take their mother's last name?

That was nothing but a fucking excuse!

As it turned out, I was just the idiot who'd been kept in the dark this whole time. I sat on the couch in silence, going through one cigarette after another.

I sat there until late into the night, when Christina finally returned home, her face flushed. The moment she stepped through the door, she spotted the signed prenuptial agreement.

I couldn't tell whether it was because she felt guilty about rejecting me, or because she had enjoyed herself enough with Daniel. Either way, she made the rare show of sitting down beside me and taking my hand.

"You actually signed it, Liam! I thought you wouldn't be able to get past your ego. To be honest, this was just a test. When you propose to me for the 99th time, I'll—"

"I've changed my mind." Before Christina could finish, I interrupted her.

"What did you say? Liam, are you kidding me? You think you can toy with me?"

She shot up from the couch, her usual spoiled, domineering side coming out as her temper flared.

I stubbed out my cigarette and calmly met her gaze. "Christina, there's something I've been wondering about. If you married Daniel, would your children still have to take your last name?"

Christina's eyes flashed with panic before soon filling with scorn. "Seriously, Liam? So this is why you're acting crazy in the middle of the night. You're still jealous of Daniel.

"How many times must I tell you that it's not easy for Daniel to try and make it big in the city all alone? So what if I help him out a little?"

"What about me? Has it been easy for me to make it in this big city?" I shot to my feet, anger flashing in my eyes.

"He's a high-school dropout, yet he's a manager at Lockwood Corporation. His monthly salary is 8,000 dollars, yet he wears bespoke suits worth five figures each. Even the Ferrari he drives is the one your dad gave you for your 18th birthday!

"Meanwhile, what about me, huh?"

The more I spoke, the more agitated I became, until my eyes burned red with rage.

"To marry you, I lived on convenience store sandwiches for eight years before I could finally trade in my delivery bike for a Maybach! I endured eight years of people looking down on me before I could finally trade my cheap rental for a luxury apartment!"

"I'm from the countryside, too! I came to this big city alone, too! So why is it that Daniel is the only one who gets all of your favoritism and special exceptions, huh?

"What about you? Right after you demanded that I sign an agreement agreeing to become your family's live-in son-in-law, you turned right around and headed to a hotel to fool around with Daniel. You two have even come up with your children's names already!

"Do you even have a heart, Christina? Do you really love me? Do you, even for a second, ever truly think about marrying me?"

"Liam, it's not like that. I…"

Christina stood frozen for a long time. Just as she was about to explain herself, a sudden phone call interrupted her. The name "Danny Baby" was glaringly conspicuous on the screen.

"What? Which hospital? I'm coming right now!"

After ending the call, Christina spun around and headed for the door. When she got there, she seemed to remember something. She came back, grabbed the agreement I signed, and handed me a debit card.

"Daniel got a knife cut, Liam. I have to check on him. I know you've suffered all these years. I'll find a way to make it up to you. Take this card and buy whatever you want.

"I'll destroy this agreement. I won't make any more demands of you from now on. I promise I'll say yes when you propose to me for the 99th time!"

The front door slammed shut, and for the umpteenth time, Christina walked out on me, leaving me alone at home.

Sure enough, Daniel would always have a special place in her heart. One phone call from him was all it took for her to drop everything and go running to him.

I wasn't sure how much time had passed before I stubbed out the last cigarette and called a number I hadn't touched in ages.

"I'm calling about that gold mine abroad. I've decided to join you. Send someone over to pick me up tomorrow—but I have a condition. I want to bring my parents with me. I also want you to erase all traces of me in Seamarsh."