Chapter 2

"How dare you, a son-in-law the Parker family took in and supported, openly promise our ancestral home to someone else?" I snapped.

Archer gritted his teeth, refusing to admit it. "I never said that. She misunderstood me.

"You seem fine, don't you? Who knows if you made up that video out of jealousy to set Lainey up?

"Now that Lainey died with her unborn child, all I want is justice for her baby."

I let out a laugh. "Justice? Seriously? So you actually think you're in the right after cheating on me?"

Archer said, acting like he was totally in the right, "I cheated because you can't get pregnant.

"And you made me use those condoms with spermicide. Who knows if you were still thinking about some other guy?"

I took a deep breath and slapped the prenuptial agreement right in his face. "Did you forget your own signature? You agreed. No kids for ten years after we got married."

Archer faltered for a second, but then squared his shoulders, refusing to back down.

He said, "Alright, let's say I messed up. But at least the baby Lainey was carrying was innocent.

"You could punish me a hundred different ways, but you shouldn't make me end my family line."

"Cut off your bloodline?" I gave him a long, meaningful look. "Who says this is the only kid you'll ever have?"

Archer gritted his teeth, refusing to say a word.

I waved John over and told him to bring me a medical report from eight years ago.

"Is it because of this?" I asked. "The doctor said you were born with fertility issues, and after thirty, it gets even harder for you to father a child.

"You knew all about your situation, but so your family could have a future, you still agreed to sign that prenup with me.

"Now that Lainey says she's got some miracle fertility, you've already forgotten your original promise?"

With his secrets exposed in front of everyone, Archer looked visibly uncomfortable. He closed his eyes, as if he was resigned to it.

He said, "Since you know everything, let's leave it at that for today.

"Let me take Lainey and her unborn child away, and lay them to rest somewhere peaceful and beautiful."

With that, he gathered Lainey's body in his arms and made to leave. But I pressed the gun right against his temple.

The guests all gasped in shock.

Even Judy stood up, trembling from head to toe. She asked shakily, "Eloise, what are you doing?

"You and Archer have shared a bond since childhood. Are you really going to kill him too?"

With Judy's scream still echoing, I fired a shot right into Archer's knee.

Archer cried out in pain. He was about to stand, but the bullet sent him crashing down to his knees.

I said coldly, "Archer, you were the one who betrayed me first. This marriage is finished.

"From today on, pack your things and get out of the Parker family villa."

Judy was right. Archer and I grew up together.

But I was born into the Parker family—a powerhouse in the arms business—while he came from the Francis family, an old-fashioned, bookish bunch set in their ways.

Archer's dad passed away early, and with his good-for-nothing older brother running things, the Francis family went downhill fast.

By the time Archer and I got married, the Francis family was already falling apart.

All these years, I was the one who helped him wrest control and hold his ground in the Francis family.

And while I was at it, I managed to drag the Francis family back from the edge of bankruptcy and restore their place among the city's big four.

But I never thought he'd suddenly start talking about Lainey right next to me, out of the blue.

Archer had said, "Yeah, the one you used to be tight with back in high school.

"She just got divorced, came back, and has been trying to find you. Want to catch up with her?"

Thanks to Archer, Lainey was brought to the Parker family villa.

She grabbed my hand the moment we met, her face lighting up as she chatted about all the silly things we did in high school.

At last, Lainey got to the real reason she was here.

She said, "Eloise, I really have nowhere else to go. Please let me stay, even if it's as your maid."

Archer stood there with anticipation written all over his face. I could sense something was off, but I nodded anyway.

Honestly, I was curious to see what kind of drama these two planned to act out right in front of me.

Was this it? That was all they'd got?

On the second-floor hallway of the villa, Archer was right behind me, shouting frantically. "Eloise, stop right there."

I stopped and turned to face him.

He caught up, holding up the divorce papers and jabbing a finger at one of the clauses. "What does 'walking away empty-handed' even mean?"

I shrugged, expressionless. "Having trouble understanding? Need me to call a lawyer to spell it out for you?"

Archer looked like he was about to lose it.

He shot back, "Just because I got Lainey pregnant, you're really going to cut me off like this?"