Chapter 2

"Actually, these ten years of happiness were all stolen by you."

Steven sat across from me, blowing a smoke ring into the air.

"Although I eloped with your girlfriend back then, my wife and daughter are still my wife and daughter.

"That's no reason for you to take over my family."

He flicked his cigarette ash.

"I won't pursue the matter of you usurping my place. Now, I'm returning Mia to you.

"You return my wife and daughter to me."

I clenched my fists.

Mia had gone bankrupt not long ago. Her financial situation was even more desperate than Clara's had been back then.

"You really know how to pick your timing.

"Steal your brother's girlfriend when your wife is struggling, then come back to be the good husband after you've had your fill?"

Smack!

The ashtray shattered at my feet. My brother looked down his nose at me.

"Is that any way to speak to your own brother?"

"And let's be clear, Lucas Reed. So what if I had a fling with your girlfriend? You seduced my wife. You stole my daughter."

"That was my child, born to my wife. Who's the real disgrace here? Think about it. Which one of us is truly despicable?"

The air left my lungs in a sharp rush.

He stood up, came to my side, and looked down at me.

"If you dare to cling on shamelessly, I'll expose everything you've done.

"When that happens, we'll see who gets cursed out more-you or me."

I didn't really care about being cursed out.

All my life, having enough to eat and drink had been my only desire.

When I was dating Mia, didn't plenty of people call me a gold digger?

I just thought of Emma.

The way she sweetly called me Daddy.

If this matter were exposed, what would she think?

What would Clara think?

Taking a deep breath, I said, "Give me three days."

Steven frowned.

"What for? Don't I need to pack my things?

"Shouldn't I clean up the traces I've left behind?

"Don't I need to write you a memo about how the mother and daughter have changed over these ten years?"

Steven's expression improved slightly.

He sneered.

"If you dare to play any tricks, I guarantee you'll be utterly disgraced!"