"Where's your real father?"
Archie curled his lips into a knowing smile.
"Uncle Zach, my dad's overseas. He's not coming back for now. He doesn't want to upset you."
I narrowed my eyes at him. The kid was dressed from head to toe in designer brands. After twenty years in business, I could easily see the mockery in his eyes. It was obvious: if his father showed up, I'd get jealous, throw a fit, and make a scene.
He tilted his chin slightly, looking at me with disdain.
"Uncle Zach, at your age, you really shouldn't be throwing tantrums over love and relationships. It's embarrassing."
This little brat thought he had me cornered. No wonder he was so arrogant.
I let out a cold laugh.
"So, your real dad couldn't give you the wealth and status you wanted, and now you want to call me your father? Don't you think that's a little embarrassing?"
Melanie's face twisted with anger. But before she could snap, Archie slammed his palm on the table.
"Zachary!" Melanie shouted.
Without warning, Archie splashed the soup right into my face.
I didn't flinch. I just stared back at them, calm and steady.
Melanie's eyes blazed with pure disapproval, her voice sharp as a whip.
"Zach, how can you talk about Hector like that? He gave up his career to raise these kids. Do you even understand the sacrifices he made? How can you humiliate him like this in front of them?"
Noelle, wearing a complete Chanel set, shot up from the table.
Her expression was proud, defiant. "What's the point of arguing? Our dad may not be rich, but he has Mom's love, and he has us. Once we take over the company, he'll have everything."
She folded her arms and glared at me.
Noelle added, "If anyone dares to disrespect our dad, my brother and I won't hesitate to break their legs and feed them to the fish."
I locked eyes with their smug, self-righteous faces.
So this is how illegitimate kids act these days?
Melanie never stopped surprising me.
She quickly tried to calm them down, speaking in a soft, patient tone before turning to face me.
"Zach, now you've seen it firsthand. The kids are truly respectful and well-behaved. If you treat them like your own, they’ll treat you like their father."
Her voice grew more serious as she added, "Hector didn't have it easy. That night, we were both drunk. The kids were an accident. I wanted to terminate the pregnancy, but Hector talked me out of it. He promised it wouldn't affect our marriage, that he'd raise them himself."
She paused, looking at me with pleading eyes. "Zach, please understand. Hector couldn't bring himself to harm two innocent lives. Without him, Archie and Noelle wouldn't even exist…"
As she spoke, her eyes reddened and her voice caught.
Listening to her twisted justifications, I was about to explode.
Still unwilling to let go, I asked her one final question, "What do you want, exactly?"
Melanie hesitated, her eyes searching the room, before finally muttering, barely above a whisper, "Hector's been living overseas for over twenty years. The kids are used to staying with him. I'd like to give him the villa in the suburbs. I'll spend Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays with them... Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays with you. Sundays will be based on how I feel."
I clenched my fists, and the last shred of hope evaporated.
"So, you want one big happy family? Fine. Let's divorce."
Melanie's face shifted as she replied, "Zach, I told you that it was an accident. I still love you. We've been married for twenty years. Could you really bear to end it?"
I cut her off, my words sharp and cold, "Melanie, who do you think you are, Cleopatra? You've got some nerve!"
All these years, she used my money to support a boy toy and raise his illegitimate children. And now she wants to keep a second household while still having me bankroll everything?
Those two bastards looked at me with nothing but contempt. I'm not blind. God only knows how many years they've spent mocking me behind my back.
I was actually considering it. If it really were just a one-time mistake, maybe I'd throw some money at it and move on.
