“Whoa! What’s this? He has an illegitimate child?”
“No wonder he refuses to divorce. The house and car belong to the wife; if they split, he’s left with nothing. How else would he support his mistress and the bastard she’s carrying?”
“Exactly. A live-in son-in-law still demanding family property? The daughter only accused the mother of cheating, but it turns out the father’s betrayal is real too! Neither parent is worth a damn, poor kid.”
From the gallery, my father-in-law lost all control, pointing a trembling finger at me and snarling, “Austin, you scoundrel! You’ve got a child out of wedlock and still won’t leave empty-handed!”
“I knew you were up to no good! Trying to use the Grant family fortune to raise a bastard? Not a chance!”
My father, Hunter, looked deathly pale, his body shaking.
The disgust and despair burning in his eyes were impossible to ignore.
Bella looked down at the prenatal checkup sheet, a trace of shock flashing in her eyes. Still, she quickly regained composure and stood firmly beside me.
“Dad, I get it now why you’re so opposed to the divorce, it’s because you fear you won’t be able to support my little brother once it’s over, right?”
“Children are innocent. After you and Mom separate, I’ll work hard to earn enough for a house and car for my little brother.”
“As his older sister, I’ll take care of him; you don’t need to worry at all.”
I only gave a bitter laugh and looked away.
The gallery, however, was moved by Bella’s supposed sense of righteousness.
“This poor child, her dad’s a cheater, yet she’s already planning to support her little brother. She’s so kind!”
“Right. Both parents should leave with nothing! Give all the family assets to the daughter!”
A flicker of pride flashed across Bella’s face as the murmurs swirled around her.
At that moment, Kinsley finally snapped back to reality, her eyes blazing with fury the instant she heard the words “leave with nothing.” Pointing fiercely at the paternity test, she shouted, “Bullshit! Why should I walk away empty-handed?”
“Your Honor, every penny spent on that mistress came from our joint assets. I have every right to claim it back!”
“Unless Austin gets rid of that bastard child from the mistress, he’s the one to blame for this marriage. He should leave with nothing! Not a single cent for him!”
Ashton slammed his hand on the table, his voice booming in agreement, “Exactly! A son-in-law who lives off us and keeps a mistress under our roof? He deserves a lesson he’ll never forget!”
The curses from my father-in-law, my wife’s fury, my father’s cold disdain, and the relentless barrage of insults from the gallery nearly swallowed me whole.
But I ignored it all, fixing my gaze steadily on Bella.
“Bella, are you sure you want to go through with this?” I asked calmly.
Bella blinked, innocence flashing in her eyes.
“Dad, I don’t understand what you mean.”
“The college entrance exam is just around the corner, and with you and Mom both cheating, it’s bound to affect my scores. But don’t worry, I won’t blame you.”
“As long as you’re happy, I can bear anything.”
Just then, the judge slammed the gavel, breaking the tension, and repeated the crucial question I’d heard before: if the divorce went through, who would Bella choose to live with?
Unable to hide the excitement sparkling in Bella’s eyes, she was just about to answer when my phone suddenly vibrated violently.
A message from the private detective.
It seemed he had uncovered the true mastermind behind it all.
I had guessed countless possibilities, but the moment I opened the message, I froze.
I never expected it to be her.
And the reason she did it stunned me utterly.
But this time, I would not soften my heart.
Before Bella could speak, I raised my phone and shouted, “I agree to the divorce, and I agree to leave with nothing.”
“But before that, I have to show everyone something.”
Kinsley hadn’t expected me to shift so suddenly and froze in shock.
Bella, seeing my sudden relent, couldn’t hide the triumph sparkling in her eyes.
I glanced at the crowd, hungry for scandal, and cleared my throat.
Then, I loudly read aloud the secret I’d just uncovered on my phone.
The moment I spoke that one sentence, Bella’s expression twisted, and she lunged forward and clamped her hand over my mouth.
