He must have forgotten that thirty percent of that money had actually come from my parents as the initial capital for his company.
I spoke again, my voice perfectly calm.
“You had the nerve to use our marital assets to support your bastard child. You really thought you could get away with that?”
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end.
Then Ethan finally snapped.
“So what? Leo is my son! What’s wrong with me taking care of him? Mia’s had everything handed to her since she was born. What’s wrong with her sharing some of it with her brother?”
“Fine. Then just wait and see.”
I hung up before he could say another word.
Ethan didn’t come home until the middle of the night.
I was in the bedroom, watching the security cameras, when I saw him step into the lobby with his arms full of shopping bags.
Renee and Leo followed close behind.
Renee looked around the luxury penthouse, taking in every detail. For just a moment, a flash of greed crossed her eyes.
Leo was the first to speak.
“Wow! This place is huge, Dad. Can I have this house someday too?”
Ethan reached down and ruffled his son’s hair.
“Of course. You’re my son. Everything I have will belong to you someday.”
“Yes! That’s awesome!”
Leo jumped for joy, then suddenly remembered Mia.
“I don’t like Mia. When I grow up, I’m going to kick her out.”
I thought Ethan would at least tell him that wasn’t something he should say.
Instead, he smiled indulgently.
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, buddy.”
I felt sick.
Renee suddenly lowered her voice.
“Ethan, I’m still worried. What if Vivian can’t accept this?”
“She doesn’t have a choice.”
There was nothing but impatience in Ethan’s voice.
Renee had been Ethan’s childhood sweetheart. They had grown up together in the same small town, and when they turned eighteen, they held an informal wedding ceremony in front of the entire town.
For one reason or another, they had never gotten legally married.
Then Ethan went to college and met me.
It had been love at first sight for him.
We fell hard and fast, and after graduation, we officially registered our marriage.
Not long ago, Ethan discovered that Renee had given birth to a son.
A paternity test confirmed that Leo was his biological child.
I knew Ethan had come from a remote little town, and deep down, he had always believed that only a son could carry on the family legacy.
He had always wanted a boy.
But after giving birth to Mia, my health had been permanently damaged, leaving me unable to have another child.
Ethan had never complained about it.
But I knew he had never truly let go of his dream of having a son.
He had wanted a boy far too badly.
Now, he finally had one.
When they reached the penthouse door, Ethan entered the security code.
Wrong.
He tried again.
Wrong.
A third time.
Still wrong.
His expression finally changed.
Renee’s smile faded.
“Ethan, what’s wrong?”
“The code isn’t working.”
Renee immediately fanned the flames.
“Oh, no. Do you think Vivian changed the code because she’s still angry with you? Seriously, what is she still mad about? Haven’t we all suffered enough because of her? Your parents are practically getting divorced because of this. How does she still have the nerve to be angry?”
Ethan’s face darkened completely.
He kicked the door twice, hard enough to make the motion-activated light above them flicker.
“Vivian! I know you’re in there. Open this damn door! Who gave you the right to change the code?”
His furious voice echoed through the quiet building.
I leaned against the other side of the door and calmly sent him a message.
[This is my house. You have no business being here. Leave.]
The moment Ethan saw the message, his breathing grew heavier.
He kicked the door even harder.
“Vivian! Open the door!”
He had come home furious over what I had done that day. He’d brought Renee and Leo along just to get under my skin.
But now, he was the one losing control.
Ethan didn’t think he’d done anything wrong.
If I hadn’t exposed him, he could have kept the affair hidden for the rest of our lives.
That was what he couldn’t understand.
Why did I have to make everything so ugly?
In his mind, what successful man didn’t have a mistress?
He had convinced himself that cheating was simply something powerful men did.
And he couldn’t understand why I refused to play along.