Chapter 2

Seeing the Sterling family truly angered, Richard chased us to the door with an apologetic expression.

"Tristan, I've spoiled Serena. Please give her one more chance."

"We never imagined she'd be with her uncle... Don't worry, we'll talk sense into her. She'll definitely come around..."

I laughed bitterly.

"Don't blame yourself. At least it keeps the wealth in the family."

"After all, he's not her real uncle."

My sarcastic words made Richard's expression darken completely.

But given the circumstances, he didn't dare show his anger openly.

He just kept smiling and lowered his voice.

"Tristan, I'll give you ten billion. Just acknowledge the child as yours."

"We can still be one big happy family..."

I looked down at him and smirked.

"The Sterling family doesn't need money."

Emma tried to say more, but Allison stopped her. "The Turner family's dirty laundry is none of the Sterling family's business. Tomorrow at 9 AM, Tristan will be waiting for her at the courthouse."

The couple looked both panicked and embarrassed.

They tried to plead more, but our car sped away, spraying exhaust in their faces.

The next day, I waited at the civil affairs bureau all morning.

Serena never showed up.

Finally, a video from my friend arrived.

In the footage, Serena, dressed formally, held hands with Derek, who was holding the child. They sat side by side like newlyweds, fielding questions from reporters.

"Derek and I share no blood," she said. "He's the man I truly love. I chose to have his child."

That statement sent the reporters into a frenzy.

The wealthy always had secrets and scandals. They wracked their brains, desperate to dig up every detail.

"Serena, what is your relationship with Mr. Sterling then?" one shouted. "So Mr. Derek really is the other man?"

Hesitation flickered in her eyes.

But the words that came out were: "Love doesn't care who came first. The one who isn't loved is the real outsider."

As if afraid the reporters would miss the point, she emphasized again.

"Derek is my lover, the father of my child."

My grip on the screen turned my knuckles white.

After last night's scene, Derek's reputation was already terrible.

To whitewash him, Serena actually held a public press conference.

Grinding my face and the Sterling family's reputation into the dirt.

She all but called me the other man.

Yet I was the one who legally married her.

Allison, ever protective, couldn't stand for it.

She immediately drove over and asked a question on the spot.

"Are you two legally married?"

Derek's face went deathly pale.

All the reporters' cameras immediately focused on his face, waiting for an answer.

My sister, secretly pleased, continued her mockery.

"Although you and Serena aren't blood-related, you are still uncle and niece. For your selfish desires, do you disregard even basic ethics?"

She paused, and after successfully seeing their faces turn ashen, she dropped the bombshell.

"Do you know Serena is a married woman? Does making her play both niece and mother give you a special sense of achievement?"

Her two consecutive statements dropped like bombs at the scene.

The reporters' eyes widened as they surged toward the pair.

"Is what Miss Sterling said true? Are you really legally married?"

As the reporters were about to lose control, Serena screamed and threw herself in front of Derek.

Her face twisted with malice. "Words mean nothing-what she's saying is nothing but slander!"

Then she glared viciously at the camera, sending me a message.

"Tristan, you hide in the back and let your sister stir up trouble. What kind of man does that?"

"Yes! We registered our marriage, but it was our parents' idea. What's wrong with me refusing to stick with a cold marriage arrangement to pursue real love?"

"Even if you're the richest man in the world, even if you're worth billions, you can't buy my love."

She crossed her arms with an air of complete confidence.

Several reporters couldn't help but applaud, giving her multiple close-ups.

But I just mocked myself inwardly.

See? What you thought was mutual love was just "our parents' idea" to her.

She'd calculated that I'd spare her out of sentimentality.

I called Allison and put her on speaker.

"Serena, you had an affair with your uncle. You bore his child while living off the Sterling family's resources. That child was even born in our hospital."

"You cheated. You lied. And now you dare to call it love? It's repulsive."