Chapter 3

Serena fell completely silent, just pouting pitifully.

Derek couldn't stand watching and finally spoke up.

"We were wrong to hide it from you, but Serena felt sorry for you. After all, you two were together so long with no results..."

"She even thought that if you really couldn't, she'd let you claim the child as yours! He could even be the Sterling family heir!"

I was so angry I laughed.

With a flip of his tongue, he not only falsely accused me of being impotent but also wanted to devour my family's fortune.

All my past care and indulgence toward her had now become the foundation for her to slander my dignity and covet the Sterling family assets.

These two were perfect for each other.

Birds of a feather.

My sister's temper flared, and she immediately shot back.

"No amount of whitewashing can wash away your incestuous affair."

That statement set the scene boiling again.

I closed my phone and half-closed my eyes.

Actually, when Derek first returned to the country, Serena had been particularly clingy with him.

I was somewhat surprised and asked about it once.

She immediately frowned.

"Derek came back to help me manage the Turner family business. What, the Sterling family siblings can work together, but we can't?"

Hearing that, I felt a bit uncomfortable but didn't press further.

She and I were both strong-willed people who didn't like me interfering in her affairs.

So I didn't think much of it at the time.

Looking back now, all my business acumen was wasted on my career.

In matters of the heart, I was utterly stupid.

The press conference publicly humiliated the uncle-niece pair, and outside gossip grew increasingly vicious.

I ignored it all and focused on business.

Until the doorbell of my villa rang.

A dog's corpse was dragged inside.

I immediately recognized it as the little yellow dog I used to keep.

Because Serena loved it, I'd given it to her as a birthday present.

Every time I visited the Turner home, it would jump up to greet me, nuzzling its head into my palm until it was satisfied.

Now it had been skinned into a bloody mess.

I clenched my fists, my teeth grinding audibly.

Almost simultaneously, Serena's call came through.

"Tristan Sterling, satisfied with my gift? This is what you get for hurting Derek yesterday."

I withdrew my gaze from the little yellow dog's body and laughed coldly.

"Have you considered the consequences of doing this?"

She scoffed.

"So what? You may be the richest man, but the Turner family isn't weak either. Bring it on!"

Then she hung up.

But she forgot one thing.

The Turner family could only survive in River City because they leaned on my tree.

I'd see how long they could keep this up.

That evening, when I returned to the Sterling estate, Emma was waiting at the door with a fleet of cars loaded with apology gifts.

"Tristan, Serena picked every one of these herself. Please accept them and forgive her."

"She's young, she made a mistake. Let this go. We'll raise the child as a Turner. How does that sound?"

I spun the ring on my thumb, my smile growing warmer.

"If your husband brought home a half-grown boy and demanded you accept him as the Turner heir...could you bear it?"

Hearing that, Serena, who had been hiding in the shadows, finally broke.

"Tristan Sterling!" she spat, stepping into the light. "I'm giving you a way out. Don't push your luck."

I shrugged and smiled apologetically.

"Please leave now. Outsiders cannot stay here overnight."