His Other Son, My Dying Wish

I froze. "The shadow of losing Liam? He was my son. You don't deserve to be his father!"

Ivan was struck speechless. Meanwhile, Ingrid bowed her head to me.

"Please, just let us go," she pleaded. "Aaron and I can move far away. Just don't make this hard on Ivan. I never should have fallen in love with him, and I never should have had Aaron. It's all my fault he has to face this kind of judgment."

Ivan gazed at her, his eyes glistening with emotion. A thousand tiny needles seemed to prick at my heart.

Ingrid wiped her tears away. "I know you're a Sterling, that your family is powerful. I'm just an art student. I never wanted to compete with you. I just wanted to give Aaron a complete family."

She looked up at me, her expression one of pitiful begging. "Please, just let him go from this marriage?"

Aaron squirmed out of Ivan's arms and tugged on Ingrid's sleeve. "Mommy, stop begging her! The baby sister in your tummy says she's not feeling well. I'm a big brother now. I won't let her bully you or the baby!"

Ivan immediately rushed to Ingrid's side, anxiously checking on her. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw she was unharmed. "You're pregnant. You need to be careful."

"Didn't you say you broke off all contact?" I glared at him. "Where did this child come from? Or are you just so generous you're raising another man's baby?"

Ivan snatched his hand back from Ingrid's shoulder, his face a mask of guilt. "It wasn't her fault. I was drunk one night."

When he looked up again, his eyes held a bitter resentment. "You've been so cold these past four years. As a man, I have needs. This child… it just happened. And now I have to take responsibility."

I laughed, but tears streamed down my face. "So my refusing to sleep with you is the real problem here?"

He loosened his tie, avoiding my gaze. "If you had just accepted me back sooner, none of this would have happened."

My fists clenched. "Liam is dead because of your affair, and I'm supposed to just… what? Welcome you and that woman back with open arms? Raise your bastard child?"

After a long silence, he mumbled, "Liam's death had nothing to do with Ingrid or Aaron."

"So it was my fault?" I shot back. "My fault you cheated? If you resent me so much, why not just divorce me?"

Ingrid glanced up at him, a flicker of triumph in her eyes that she quickly hid. He just lowered his head, silent.

Aaron clung to Ivan's leg, sobbing. "Daddy, I want to go home! She's so mean. I don't like her. I just want to be with you and Mommy."

Ivan glanced at me, conflicted, then gently patted Aaron's head. "Go home with Mommy now. I'll come see you soon and bring your favorite toys."

Aaron hugged him tighter, refusing to let go. "I don't want toys! I want you and Mommy! You said I was your favorite in the whole world. Was that a lie?"

Ingrid looked pained as she gently tugged his arm. "Let's go, sweetie. Let's not bother them."

He shook her hand off, crying, "No! This is my daddy! Why are you trying to tear us apart?"

Ivan's fingers trembled as he bent down and hugged Aaron.

I wiped away a tear, my voice firm. "We're getting a divorce, Ivan. It's over."