Chapter 2

"What has she done to you? You believe every word she says!" Margaret fumed.

"I'm telling you, she's signing those divorce papers today, whether she likes it or not!" she threatened.

While she was ranting, she stepped even closer, jabbing her finger right at Drusilla's nose.

"My son might be a pushover, but I'm not!" Margaret snapped.

"If you don't sign those papers, I'll show up at your work, your house, and tell every single friend and relative you have that you're a disgrace, pregnant with someone else's kid and marrying into the Thorne family!" she yelled.

"I'll make sure you never dare show your face again for the rest of your life!" she added.

Drusilla couldn't stop herself from trembling.

It wasn't fear; it was the icy ache of disappointment in her heart.

She felt utterly numb inside.

She glanced at the snarling old woman before her, then at her husband, whose cowardice ran bone-deep.

Tears silently slid down her cheeks.

One by one, they fell onto the baby's blanket.

And with every drop, the last illusion she had about this marriage was crushed.

That was when I got a call from my mom.

Her voice was trembling so much she could barely get the words out.

"Caleb...you need to come quick...they...they're trying to force Drusilla to get a divorce..."

My mind went totally blank.

What the hell? I thought, unable to believe it.

Drusilla had just given birth.

She was still recovering, her stitches hadn’t even healed,

And they were already trying to kick her out with a divorce?

I didn't even have time to ask for details.

I just blurted out, "I'm on my way," grabbed my car keys, and bolted out the door.

I floored it, the car shooting toward the hospital like an arrow released from a bow.

By the time I reached the maternity ward, Margaret was going off on Drusilla, all by herself.

"What are you crying for? You don't deserve to shed a single tear!" Margaret spat.

"The Thorne family must've had the worst luck in the world to wind up with trash like you!" she yelled.

"I'm telling you, this marriage is over! The kid stays, and you leave with nothing but the clothes on your back!" she stormed.

Inside the maternity ward, my mom was so furious her lips were purple with rage.

Drusilla was holding her baby, her face as pale as death.

Her eyes was hollow, as if her soul had been sucked right out of her.

And Harvey, her husband, was still shrinking in the corner, like a ghost nobody could see.

Right then, all the rage inside me finally boiled over.

I kicked open the door to the maternity ward.

Bang!

The crash echoed, and the room fell instantly silent.

All eyes were suddenly on me.

Margaret was so startled that her venomous curses got stuck in her throat.

Harvey flinched like a frightened rabbit.

When my mom saw me, it was like she'd seen her savior.

Tears instantly welled up in her eyes.

"Caleb!" she called out.

From her hospital bed, Drusilla's hollow eyes finally sparked with a faint glimmer of hope.

She looked at me, her lips trembling as she whispered my name.

"Caleb."

My gaze swept over Margaret, her face mean-spirited and bitter, then over my mother, who was sobbing uncontrollably, and finally over Drusilla, her face ashen and lifeless.

Finally, my eyes, like a pair of icy daggers, stabbed right into Harvey, who was cowering in the corner.

I didn't say a word.

I walked right up to him.

Harvey caught sight of my cold, unforgiving expression, and fear flashed across his face.

He shrank back without thinking.

"W-What are you trying to do?" he stammered.

But there was a wall behind him; he had nowhere left to run.

I walked right up to him, towering over him at six feet one.

With Harvey staring at me in terror, I slowly raised my hand.

I grabbed him by the collar.

Then I yanked him out of the corner and threw him right into the middle of the room.

Harvey couldn't even keep his balance.

He stumbled a couple steps and landed flat on his ass.

Every move was quick and sharp, no messing around.

"Your wife practiced for three months, and you watched her every single day. Now you're pretending you don't remember?

"Keep playing dumb and I'll beat you until you really can't remember a thing," I said, my voice cold and steady.

Without even raising my voice, I had Harvey sweating bullets in an instant.

Everything happened so fast, everyone was left stunned.

Margaret was the first to snap out of her shock, letting out a shrill scream.

"You're hitting him! You little bastard, how dare you hit my son!" she screamed.

She came at me, arms swinging wildly, like she was ready to tear me apart.

I didn't even turn around, just uttered a single word, my voice icy cold.

"Get lost."

My voice wasn't loud, but it was so chilling that Margaret froze in place.

She stared at my face, so dark and cold it sent a shiver down her spine.

She didn't dare take another step forward.

I crouched down, looking Harvey dead in the eye as he lay sprawled out on the floor.

This was the same brother-in-law who used to swagger around in front of me like he owned the place.

Now, he was a wreck, pathetic and terrified, panic written all over his face.