Chapter 3

I stumbled down the stairs, gripping the wall to keep from falling.

Each step felt like stepping on blades. The sounds from the bathroom continued—water running, laughter, mixing into a nauseating background noise.

I pulled out my phone, fingers shaking so badly I could barely dial.

"Brother..." My voice came out hoarse. "Come get me."

Ten minutes later, Ethan's car pulled up outside.

He took one look at my swollen eyes and didn't ask questions. Just drove me home.

I didn't sleep all night. Sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the electronic copy of the paternity test on my phone screen.

Biological mother-child relationship excluded.

One simple line, tearing seven years into shreds.

I'd raised someone else's child for seven years.

My husband's child. With his "buddy."

Over the next few days, I had my lawyer trace every dollar I'd invested in Cole's company before our marriage and draft a divorce agreement—joint assets split fifty-fifty, he keeps the house.

As for custody of Lucas...

I didn't want it.

During this time, I occasionally scrolled through Lena's Instagram.

One day I saw she'd posted a beach photo. Cole stood behind Lena, hand on her shoulder, tucking her windblown hair behind her ear. Lucas hugged Lena's waist, looking up at her with a brilliant smile.

Caption: "Thank you to my two most important people for being there during my hardest time."

My two most important people.

The comments were full of "so jealous," "so warm," "you look like a family."

Yeah. They were a family.

And I had always been the extra one.

I stared at that photo for a long time, then finally put the divorce agreement and paternity report together in an envelope.

Wrote down Cole's company address. Mailed it that same day.

The next day, Lena called.

Her voice sounded fragile, like she was about to cry: "Vivian... can we meet? There are some things I want to clear up with you."

Ethan shook his head beside me, but I agreed.

We met at a lounge bar. Lena was already there, sitting in a corner booth, wearing a tight black dress, makeup perfect.

Where was the poor heartbroken girl?

She saw me and smiled. All the innocence had vanished from that smile, leaving only something sharp.

I sat across from her. "Just say what you need to say."

She lifted her glass and took a sip. "Cole and I... we were never the 'buddy' relationship you thought."

"I know." I stared into her eyes, enunciating each word. "Lucas is your child. Yours and Cole's."

Lena's hand froze on her glass, color draining from her face.

I continued: "Seven years, Lena. I raised your and Cole's son as my own for seven years."

But Lena quickly regained her composure.

"Since you know... that makes things simpler." She leaned back in her chair. "Did you really think you could keep him? Cole's world has only ever had room for me. We had an understanding—only by staying 'forever friends' could we stay together for life."

"Unfortunately..." She paused, tone mocking. "He later developed feelings for you. You know what? When I asked if he'd divorce you to marry me, he actually said 'things are fine as they are.'"

I said nothing. Just watched her.

"So you decided to... disgust me like this?"

Lena's face darkened, eyes turning vicious: "Since you were making him waver, I had to make sure you'd stop interfering."

The moment she finished speaking, she suddenly grabbed the drink on the table—and dumped it all over herself.

The cold liquid soaked through her dress. She stumbled backward, falling.

"Lena!"

A familiar voice came from behind me.

Cole was standing ten feet away, face dark as a storm cloud. When had he arrived?

Tears rolled down Lena's cheeks: "Cole... Vivian didn't mean it... she must have misunderstood something... don't blame her..."

Cole looked at me, eyes cold as ice, like he was looking at a stranger. Without a word, he picked up the water glass from the table—and threw it in my face in front of everyone.

Ice water soaked my face, my hair, my clothes.

Everyone around us was watching.

I stood there like a criminal nailed to a pillory.

"Vivian." Cole's teeth were clenched, every word forced out. "How did you become so vicious?"

Eight years of marriage, seven years raising his child with another woman, and the final verdict was—vicious.

I suddenly laughed, tears streaming down my face: "So this is who I've always been to you."

Cole froze, lips parting as if to speak.

But I had already turned and left. Never looked back.

10 PM.

In Cole's office, he'd just seen Lena off and was about to tackle the pile of documents. His assistant knocked, handing him an express package.

He opened it absently.

Two documents fell out.

The first: divorce papers, with my signature.

The second: Lucas's paternity test results.

Cole's hands started shaking. He shot to his feet, chair sliding backward with the force.