Chapter 2

Linnea's POV

"Enough, Linnea." Corvin crossed his arms, a mocking smirk on his lips as if he were watching a clown. "Put away the cheap acting. Do you really have to curse our own son's life just to get my attention?"

I hung up the phone, staring dead at his familiar, sickening face.

"Drop the victim act." Corvin frowned impatiently, picking up a delicate box from the table behind him and shoving it into my hands. "Melisande baked these peanut butter brownies especially for Emrys. She stood in the kitchen for two hours at nine months pregnant! Take them to the hospital, have him eat them, and get discharged quickly. Stop wasting the medical center's resources."

I looked at the box, and at that moment, the blood roared in my ears.

I violently smashed the box against the wall! The dark brown pastry and crushed peanuts exploded, scattering all over the floor.

"Are you insane?!" Corvin roared, stepping forward to grab my shoulders.

"Peanut butter?!" I pointed at the mess on the floor, my voice so shrill I barely recognized it, glaring at him with bloodshot eyes. "Corvin, Emrys is severely allergic to peanuts! Even a crumb will cause a fatal airway spasm! You're his biological father, and you don't even know what could kill him?!"

Desolation and fury turned into blades, shredding my insides.

Corvin stiffened for a second, then dismissively waved his hand. "Jesus, Melisande didn't know. It was an innocent mistake! Do you have to hold onto a grudge like some bitter housewife? She meant well, and your petty attitude is nauseating!"

"Three years ago, she saved your life during a hunt." I fought back the tearing pain in my heart, stepping closer to him, ripping off his band-aid of lies word by word. "You offered her a luxury apartment and a sports car as a reward, but she said no. All she wanted was a job as a nurse at Silver Moon Medical. Since then, you've been obsessed, spending all your time at the hospital, leaving Emrys and me in this empty estate to rot! You call that an innocent mistake?!"

"That was just repaying a life debt! Stop being unreasonable!"

"Repaying the debt in bed?!" I snapped, completely tearing down the facade. "Two years ago, you got drunk and were caught naked with her on a couch in the breakroom! Who cried and got on his hands and knees begging for my forgiveness? Who swore it was just the alcohol and promised to cut all ties if I stayed?"

I pointed at the leather sofa in the living room, my voice freezing cold. "And now, she’s sitting right here in the Ashmere estate, nine months pregnant! You even took all the life-saving Moonbloom Serum away from your son to give to her! And you call it an innocent mistake? Corvin, you are a lying hypocrite!"

"Shut up!" Corvin angrily loosened his tie. "Why bring up the past?! I'm telling you, Emrys just has a mild fever, yet you have him hoarding the best VIP room playing sick! I am ordering you to bring him home right now!"

I didn't yell anymore. I unzipped my bag, pulled out two documents, and slapped them hard against his chest.

"He can't come home." I looked into his eyes, my tone as calm as dead water. "This is Emrys' death certificate. And these are our divorce papers."

The papers slid down his chest, and he instinctively caught them. With a completely emotionless voice, I declared, "I said, cremation in three days. The funeral doesn't need his murderer in attendance. Sign this, and we're done forever."

Corvin looked down at the death certificate. Suddenly, he let out a soft, mocking laugh.

"Ha... Linnea, you really amaze me once again." He carelessly shook the legal document announcing his son's death, showing zero grief or guilt. "To compete with Melisande, you actually forged something so vicious? A death certificate? Did you think I'd believe a little cough and fever took his life? I didn't realize you had sunk so low as to curse your own child to get me to look at you!"

No guilt. No sorrow. To him, all of this was just a cheap tactic to make him yield.

Corvin tossed the papers onto the coffee table like trash and arrogantly adjusted his cuffs. "Listen, Melisande is due in three days. When the child in her womb is born, you will take over raising it. You'll be the child's mother in name and continue safely living as the Luna of Ashmere."

My spine went rigid. I turned my head, staring in disbelief at this deranged man.

"She is very understanding; she isn’t even asking for the title." Corvin looked at me with the arrogance of granting a favor. "Her only request is to visit the estate to see the child whenever she wants. Linnea, Emrys being sickly has always been an embarrassment to us. Once Melisande gives birth to this pure, healthy Alpha bloodline, it'll save your reputation for the rest of your life."