Chapter 2

The elevator numbers ticked up.

Seventeenth floor. VIP Maternity Ward.

The hallway outside the private suite was filled with luxury flower arrangements. I walked closer and read the cards.

"Wishing Sienna and the baby a speedy recovery." Carter.

"Welcome to parenthood." Harper.

"My brother is finally a dad." Lauren.

The door to the suite was slightly ajar. Soft, happy laughter echoed from inside.

I pushed the door open.

Julian was sitting by the bedside, holding a cup of warm water, carefully feeding Sienna with a spoon. She leaned against the pillows, pale but glowing with a smug happiness. The maternity band was wrapped around her wrist.

The bassinet was right beside them.

Lauren was holding the swaddled newborn, smiling from ear to ear.

"Oh, look at this nose, these eyes. He looks exactly like Julian."

Julian set the spoon down and reached out to gently tickle the baby's cheek.

"Yeah. He takes after me."

I stood at the doorway.

Lauren turned first. Her smile froze instantly.

"Ch... Chloe? What are you doing here?"

Julian whipped his head around.

The spoon clattered into the bowl, splashing a few drops of water onto the table.

He stood up, instinctively taking a step forward to block the bed from my sight.

"Chloe, let me explain."

I didn't even look at him.

"So, you're Sienna?"

Sienna's face turned white. She clutched her stomach and pulled the blanket up, shrinking back into the bed.

Julian immediately turned to comfort her, then looked back at me, his brow furrowed.

"Chloe, she just gave birth. She can't handle any stress. You're pregnant too, don't make a scene here."

"Let's talk outside."

I stared at this man who had slept beside me for seven years.

"A scene? As your legal wife, coming to visit your newborn bastard, how is this making a scene?"

I pulled the crumpled birth registration form and my prenatal report from my bag.

"I have our marriage certificate on my phone. And my checkup record is from today too."

"Julian, when you told me this morning that you were out of town on business, you were actually in this exact building, holding her hand while she gave birth?"

Silence fell over the room.

Lauren put the baby back into the bassinet and cleared her throat.

"Chloe, it's already happened. Don't be so aggressive."

"Sienna has been with Julian for five years without any recognition. Now she's finally given our family an heir."

"We can't just pretend the child doesn't exist, can we?"

I turned to her.

"So, the whole family knew. I was the only fool kept in the dark?"

Sienna's tears began to pour.

"Chloe, please don't blame Julian. It's all my fault."

"I don't want a title. I just wanted my baby to have a father."

She sobbed, glancing at the bassinet.

"Chloe, the baby in your belly is still small, but my baby is already here... Please, don't ruin his home on the very day he came into this world."

How hilarious.

I was the one whose home was destroyed, yet now I was the villain trying to ruin theirs.

Footsteps echoed outside.

Harper pushed the door open. When she saw me, her expression changed.

She rushed over and grabbed my arm.

"Chloe, let's go home first. Don't do this here..."

"It's not a bad thing for a man to have two kids. It's not like Julian can't afford to raise them both."

Carter followed her in, chiming in.

"Yeah, Chloe. It's not like Julian is leaving you."

I looked at these people.

Just yesterday, they were commenting on my Instagram posts, telling me how lucky I was.

I yanked my arm out of Harper's grip, pulled my wedding ring off my ring finger, and threw it.

Clang.

The diamond ring hit the metal bar of the bassinet and bounced onto the hardwood floor.

"Since you three make such a perfect family, I'll let you have him."

I turned to leave.

But my wrist was suddenly grabbed in a vice grip.

Julian stared at me, his eyes bloodshot.

"I will never divorce you. The child in your womb is also mine."