Chapter 1
“We are getting a divorce, Julia!”
The words that escaped Logan's lips immediately startled Julia, who was eating. She paused for a second, trying to understand what her husband meant by what he had just said to her.
“What?” Her brows furrowed as she stared at him in utmost shock.
“You heard me right, Julia and I am sure of it. It's time to end this madness we call a marriage!” he declared, taking out a document and slamming it on the table.
Julia turned to look at Liam, her five-year-old son, who was eating, and then at Amelia, her stepsister, who had returned with her husband from overseas.
Julia had been married to Logan for five years, but guess what? On the night of their marriage, he had to leave the country, claiming he had business abroad to take care of.
She didn't want him to feel like she was a bad wife, so she accepted to let him go with the promise that he'd return after a month, knowing she was carrying his child, Liam.
Months and years went by, and now, after five years, he was finally seeing his son in person for the first time. It was also the first time in a long while that she would share a bed with her husband.
But what did she receive instead? A divorce paper to sign.
“You can't be serious right now, Logan… this is a prank, right?” she stuttered as she tried to maintain her composure.
“This isn't a joke or whatever you call it, Julia. The truth is, I have always wanted your sister, and seeing you’ve been lying to me, I had to use the opportunity to have and keep her as mine!” he declared, his hand reaching for Amelia's as she sat down by his right-hand side, pretty close too.
Julia's eyes welled up with tears as the sight before her struck her heart a billion times. The man she had been waiting for had been cheating on her with Amelia overseas, and even worse, they were engaged.
"That's true, Julia.... Come on, how long did you think you could keep deceiving him?" Suddenly, Amelia interjected, her words instantly angering Julia.
“And what's that supposed to mean, Amelia? You are the one trying to take my husband, and you claim I'm lying? About what?” she snapped, her eyes turning red at this moment.
“Oh please, Julia… you can fool the world and even the Steele family, but you can't fool me!” Amelia pressed, letting out a scoff immediately.
“I…” Just as Julia was going to speak, Logan cut in bluntly.
“I knew you were going to lie, so I prepared for it in advance.” He took out a paper from his briefcase and tossed it toward Julia.
Grabbing the paper in the air, she opened it, and staring at it, she saw something that immediately got her trembling in her seat.
She turned to Liam, her little boy, her brows furrowing before she darted her eyes back to the paper.
“You still don't get it?” Logan cackled as he grabbed the glass of wine and sipped from it viciously.
“No! No, I can't accept this!” She ripped the paper into pieces and flung it backward. “Liam is your son, and I am sure of it! An ordinary paper can't tell me that he isn't! There's no way I am believing this!” she asserted, standing her ground.
“That paper, as you call it, was given to me by a specialised top doctor, which I'm pretty sure you can't afford to pay for…” Logan uttered as he stood up from the chair.
“You know, when Amelia told me this… that Liam wasn't my son, I wanted to doubt it because I thought I could manage you now that you had my child. But guess what, Julia?” He got closer to her, and with his hand reaching for her hair, he tucked in a few loose strands behind her ear.
“I felt betrayed knowing that he was never my son!” he spat angrily, making Julia sense his anger.
Tears were already trickling down her eyes.
“That's not possible, Logan. You were the one I slept with before our wedding and…” Just as she was going to speak, Logan cut in again.
“I haven't even had sex with you! Fuck, what was I thinking? I thought I fucked you, but guess what? I didn't!” Logan yelled as he ran his fingers through his hair.
Julia had been drunk that night before the wedding, and she was certain it was Logan unless the earth was playing some kind of trick on her.
If Logan isn't Liam's father, then who is?
“Just sign the papers and leave already, Julia! He doesn't want you and your bastard child. Don't you get it?” Amelia let out, making Julia stand to her feet immediately.
“My son is not a bastard, Amelia! Watch your words!” Julia warned, but all Amelia could do was snort.
With a sinister sneer on her lips, she stood up from the chair, walked over to where Logan was standing, and purposefully wrapped her arms around his.
“Well, the result said so, Julia, so what will it be? Sign the contract and leave or waste your time arguing with Logan Steele? It isn't worth it, trust me!” Amelia mocked as she laughed at Julia.
At this point, Julia couldn't help but give Amelia's words a second thought. Her eyes darted to Logan first, who looked unapologetic, then to her son, who seemed lost. After all, he was still a child and wasn't going to understand it now.
Julia's fists clenched tightly as she finally made her decision. She knew it was going to be tough, but it was better; it was the best thing to do.
With a heavy sigh leaving her lips to show how heartbroken she was, she picked up the pen from the table and then the divorce papers.
She flipped through the pages, each sending a jolt of pain, regret, and anger through her veins. After all she had done to keep her marriage alive, it still ended.
Just as she was going to finally sign the paper, Logan swiftly got a strong grip on her hand, making her turn to look at him.
“I see you've got some nerve, Julia… you don't even have money, so why would you want to sign the divorce papers? I can make you my slave if you beg for the mistake you made!” Logan suggested harshly, but immediately, Julia pulled her hand out of his grip.
“I'd rather die than be your slave, Logan!” She signed it immediately and tossed the paper to his face.
“Don't expect any money from me, Julia, and you are leaving this house without anything!” Logan declared, still in the arms of Amelia.
Julia couldn't help but snort disdainfully. She hated him so much now.
She turned to her son, grabbed him by his hand, and pulled him away from them. Without taking anything with her, she left Logan Steele's house, slamming the door shut.
“Mommy, is Logan not my Daddy anymore?” Liam finally asked as he pulled Julia back.
“I'm sorry, Liam, but I promise to find you another Daddy, okay? I'm really…” Just as Julia was going to speak, Liam clutched his side.
“What's wrong, Liam? Are you okay?” Her voice tinged with panic echoed as she crouched down, gripping her son's shoulders.
“It hurts, Mommy... It hurts!” Liam cried out, and just then, he collapsed.
“Liam? Liam!”
