His Other Son, My Dying Wish

A flicker of reluctance crossed Ivan's face. He glanced at me, his hands dropping uselessly to his sides.

Aaron's lower lip trembled, his eyes welling up. "Daddy, don't you love me anymore?"

Ingrid’s eyes met mine, and she flinched, quickly clapping a hand over Aaron's mouth. "I'm so sorry, but the kindergarten's 'Family Career Day' project… I didn't want to bother you, but Ivan wasn't answering his phone. The assignment is due tomorrow, so…"

Ingrid lowered her eyes, her face a study in guilt. I watched, my own expression unreadable, trying to smother the rage building inside me.

They had been together all day at a gala, and only now did she remember his homework.

"Can you just help?" she pleaded. "I don't want Aaron to be seen as a child without a father."

A dam of rage broke inside me. "Get out," I snarled. "Both of you, get out of my house!"

Aaron had a father to help with his homework, a father present for every important moment.

Liam, on the other hand, had a father who missed every school event, who never cared about his milestones, who was nowhere to be found when his asthma flared and he was fighting for breath. He was the one who truly grew up without a father.

Ivan shielded Aaron's ears, his face darkening. "Daphne. There's a child here."

Ingrid's eyes reddened as she hugged Aaron tighter. "Daphne, I know you hate me. Hit me, curse me, I'll take it. But please, don't take it out on Aaron. He's innocent."

She buried her face in the boy's hair, her shoulders shaking with sobs. "You were a mother once. Surely you can understand how I feel."

Suddenly, Aaron scrambled down from her arms and lunged at me, slamming a toy metal race car into my lower abdomen. I cried out, stumbling back against the bar counter as a sharp, searing pain shot through me.

Before I could regain my balance, his small fists began pummeling me, each blow sending a fresh wave of pain through me. "Don't bully my mommy, you bad woman! You can't take my daddy away!"

Wincing, I pushed him away, my face pale as I clutched my stomach.

He immediately threw himself to the floor and began to wail. "I hate you! You stole my daddy and bullied my mommy! My family is broken because of you! I'm not a happy little boy anymore!"

Ivan instantly scooped him up, patting his back. "It's okay, Aaron. Daddy will protect you."

He fixed me with an icy glare that could have cut glass. "You'll pay for this, Daphne. For hurting my son."

"I'm so sorry you had to see that, sweetie," Ingrid sobbed, clutching Aaron. "Let's go home."

Ivan's expression softened. He pulled them both into a protective embrace. "No. Don't go. This is your home now."

I watched the perfect picture of their little family, a bitter irony twisting in my gut. The searing pain in my abdomen made every detail excruciatingly clear.

Sensing my gaze, Ivan awkwardly released Ingrid and rounded on me. "You're a vicious woman, Daphne! How could you take your issues out on a child? He's just a little boy; he doesn't know any better!"

Tears blurred my vision as I stared at the boy in his arms. When Ivan wasn't looking, Aaron stuck his tongue out at me and made a face.

"What kind of child demands to sleep with you and your wife?" I retorted. "What kind of child hits someone with a toy car and gets praised for it? He's your son, all right," I added. "He's learned your despicable tricks perfectly!"

A vein bulged on Ivan's forehead. "That's enough! He just misses his father and wants to protect his mother. I know you're still living in the shadow of losing Liam, but that doesn't give you the right to hurt other people!"