Chapter 1

Five years ago, I witnessed my wife, a university professor, having an affair with Henry Bale, her teaching assistant.

Mindy Holmes knelt begging me not to expose her, saying that it would destroy his reputation as a student.

I agreed on the condition that he would drop out of school, leave this city, and never return. She would have to sign an agreement to leave the marriage without a single cent if she were to be unfaithful to me again.

Everyone rebuked me for being vain and for treasuring money more than our relationship.

However, Mindy was willing to go against the entire Holmes family just to preserve Henry’s reputation.

Five years later, when I went on a business trip in another city, I found a little girl. I sent her to a police station and had her contact her family.

When the policeman dialed the number the girl recited to him, I heard a familiar voice through the phone.

“Be good. Don’t be afraid, I’ll come pick you up right away.”

Less than half an hour later, Mindy rushed into the station when she was supposed to be at her class miles away.

I sat on the bench, my gaze meeting hers.

She stood stunned.

I stood up with a smile.

“Mindy, I didn’t know you had a daughter behind my back. Looks like you can bid goodbye to your reputation as a highly-esteemed professor.”

Chapter 1

“Sylvester, hear me out…”

Mindy pulled her child behind her. Her instinctive protectiveness was extremely piercing to my eyes.

“This isn’t a good place to talk,” I said, cutting her off. “Call that man over to take the child. We’ll talk after that.”

“Henry’s health isn’t in great condition…”

“Mindy Holmes.” I looked coldly at her. “Do you want me to call your father right now, or have my lawyer send you a letter directly?”

Mindy went silent.

The agreement in my hands was enough to pull her down from her status as a well-known professor and lose everything.

The child behind her, Yvette Holmes, suddenly poked his head out and yelled at me, “Bad guy! Don’t you dare bully Mom!”

Children’s words carried no harm, but were often the most hurtful.

Mindy put her hand over the child’s mouth and looked at me in fright.

“Great upbringing,” I said with a smirk. “Henry's skills in sowing discord have gotten even better with time.”

With that, I turned to leave the police station. It was snowing very heavily outside, and the chill pierced my very bones.

I thought back on five years ago, after I caught her being unfaithful to me.

Mindy knelt before me, crying and saying that Henry had no parents and was an orphan who came from the village without any support whatsoever. She begged me to spare him just once.

At that time, I had just survived a car accident and was just fresh out of surgery for my legs that were badly injured. I was at my weakest and most vulnerable.

I signed the agreement on two conditions:

One, that Henry would drop out of school and leave this city, never to return.

Two, that Mindy would sign this and agree to leaving the marriage of her own accord without a single cent if she were to be unfaithful to the marriage again.

Back then, Mr. Holmes, an academic giant in his own right, was so furious he almost beat Mindy to death with his cane. However, he agreed to it to appease my anger.

Mindy swore, “Sylvester, I only did it in a moment of foolishness. You’re the only man I love. I can give you my money and even my life. As long as you don’t expose me, I’ll do anything to make it up to you for the rest of my life.”

Over the next five years, she really kept her promise.

She video-called me every day no matter how busy she got. She never forgot to give me a gift during festivals and special occasions. She even turned down a research commercialisation contract worth millions.

I thought time would heal all wounds.

What I didn’t expect was for Mindy to be unable to forget Henry and even have a child behind my back.

The snow stopped falling.

Mindy called for the driver to send the child back first.

She didn’t dare to leave. Neither did she dare to let me leave. We sat in the cafe next to the police station.

“Sylvester, things aren’t what you think they are.”

Mindy interlaced her fingers and rested them on her forehead, the voice low.

“Henry…did drop out of school and leave the city back then. However, I found out I was with child. I didn’t dare to tell you so I used the excuse of further studies for half a year to secretly give birth and hand the baby over to him so that he could take care of her…

“The baby was born with asthma and congenital heart issues. Her medical fees were exorbitant, and Henry hadn’t completed his studies at that time. He couldn’t secure any decent jobs and couldn’t afford the expenses.”

“So you brought them here?” I said as I stirred the coffee with a spoon. “Not just that. You arranged for a luxury apartment for them and would visit them once a week. Mindy, are you doing charity or hiding a kept man?”

“I go there only to see my child!” Mindy explained anxiously. “Sylvester, the child’s innocent. Yvette was born weak and sickly. She always cries for me when she falls sick. What can I do? I can’t just stand idly by watching her die, can I?”

“So you just stand idly by watching me look like a fool kept in the dark?” I asked her back. “Mindy, do you think that as long as you don’t appear before me with either of them, it’s considered keeping to the contract? What did the oath you swore back then mean, then?”

Chapter 2

Mindy fell silent.

Just then, her phone rang.

Mindy glanced at the screen but didn’t answer the call.

My phone rang next. It was a number I didn’t recognize.

I answered it, and heard Henry’s low and anxious voice.

“Mr. Graham, it’s Henry Bale here. I know you’re with Mindy right now. May I…have some of your time?”

I switched the call to loudspeaker mode and placed my phone on the table.

“Mr. Graham, it’s all my fault.”

Henry’s voice was solemn, drenched with helplessness and stoicism.

“I was incapable. I couldn't earn enough to cover Yvette’s medical fees. That’s why I shamelessly returned to beg Mindy for help. Mindy was softhearted and pitied the child… Please don’t blame her.

“If you don’t want to see us here, I’ll take Yvette away right now. I promise I won’t bother you, even if it means begging on the streets…”

Suddenly, we heard a child coughing over the phone and Henry anxiously soothing her.

The look on Mindy’s face changed. She grabbed my phone and yelled into it.

“Henry, is Yvette's asthma acting up again? Don’t do anything rash. Her medicine is in the cabinet. I’ll be back very soon!”

Hanging up, Mindy looked anxiously and pleadingly at me.

“Sylvester, Yvette is having an asthma attack and might die from it. I’ve got to go to her… We’ll come back and talk more, okay?”

I looked at the woman before me.

She was expressing her remorse just a second ago, yet now, her mind was completely occupied by a child over the slightest stir.

“Go ahead.”

I leaned back into the chair, looking indifferent.

“But Mindy, just so you know, things are over between us once you leave.”

Mindy froze.

She looked helplessly at me for a moment before saying through gritted teeth, “Sylvester, this is a matter of life and death. I can't leave her in the lurch.”

With that, she left without looking back.

I looked at her back profile and picked up my coffee cup and drained the coffee that had turned cold in one gulp.

The bitterness spread out in my mouth.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Mr. Holmes’ number.

“Shawn, I’m nearby. I’ll come visit you.”

I headed straight to the Holmes’ academic exchange centre in the neighbouring city.

Mr. Holmes was in the midst of supervising research work and didn’t look surprised to see me. He dismissed everyone from his office, leaving just him and me in the room.

“Sylvester, why do you look so grim?”

Mr. Holmes sipped on a cup of tea and surveyed me with those incisive eyes of his.

“You knew about it long ago, didn’t you, Shawn?” I said, cutting to the chase.

“Henry Bale came with his child and lived in the Holmes’ apartment, spending Mindy’s money. You have spies all over the academic world and in Mindy’s social circles. You can’t possibly not know about it.”

Mr. Holmes paused for a moment before letting out a sigh.

“Mindy was foolish and softhearted.”

He put his tea cup down. “I remember that child. She might be illegitimate, but our family’s blood runs in her.

“She isn’t of good health and it’s understandable that Mindy wants to take care of her.”

Chapter 3

“Understandable?” I sneered. “What does the agreement I signed with Mindy count for? Waste paper?”

“Sylvester!”

There was an edge to Mr. Holmes's voice.

“As the son-in-law of the Holmes family, you need foresight. As long as that man doesn’t marry into the family, your position isn’t threatened. There’s no harm in preserving Mindy’s dignity and reputation to the public. What’s more…”

Mr. Holmes’ gaze swept past my legs as he made his point.

“Over these five years, you and Mindy haven’t had a child due to your leg injury. We do need someone to inherit the Holmes family legacy. It’s for the good of the Holmes family that Mindy has a child and a potential successor.”

I felt my blood run cold in my veins.

To them, being childless was an original sin.

Mindy’s unfaithfulness to the marriage was only due to her being softhearted, and her illegitimate daughter was a potential successor of the family legacy.

My anger, on the other hand, was insensible and short-sighted.

“What if I insist on a divorce?” I said, my gaze fixed on Mr. Holmes.

His face darkened with anger. He smashed his tea cup against the table.

“How audacious!

“Do you think this is child's play? Our research commercialization company cannot afford any reputational damage given its volatile stock prices right now.

“The agreement you have stating that Mindy will leave the marriage without a single cent to her name isn’t just a promise to you from the Holmes family, but also a form of restraint.

“You want to leave after leaving her without a cent to her name and her reputation in shreds? Not so easy!”

Mr. Holmes’ eyes narrowed.

I clenched my fists so hard, my nails dug into the flesh of my palms.

There was no warmth in this family; only cold, calculative self-benefit.

Just then, someone knocked on the door. His assistant walked in, looking sheepish. “Mr. Holmes, Professor Holmes is here…with that child.”

Mindy came in right after.

Yvette was in her arms. Henry was right behind her, looking stiff.

“Dad,” Mindy said as she brought the child to Mr. Holmes, not daring to even look my way. “Yvette heard that her grandpa was here and demanded to come see you.”

Despite Yvette’s pale face, she greeted Mr. Holmes politely. “Hello, Grandpa.”

Mr. Holmes' taut jawline relaxed. “What a good girl you are.”

He stretched a hand out to caress her head.

Henry stood at a corner and snuck a glance at me. Instead of looking meek and innocent, there was a hidden tinge of conniving manipulation in his eyes.

As long as Mr. Holmes acknowledged his granddaughter, Henry would still be a very significant figure to the Holmes even if he couldn't marry into the family.

I would sooner or later be thrown out of the family.

Mindy looked at me, her voice sounding a tinge firmer. “Sylvester, since Dad has said so, for the sake of the Holmes family…”

I felt my blood boil, which agitated the nerves around my old injury. The sudden pain made me break out in cold sweat and I almost lost my footing.

When I recovered, Henry suddenly walked toward me and bowed deeply, his voice sincere and resolute.

“Mr. Graham, I know I shouldn’t have returned, but Yvette requires surgery for her heart issues. The best experts in this field are all in the neighboring city. I’m doing this to save her life!”

He lifted his head, his brows knitted tight.

“Once Yvette’s surgery is a success, I’ll take her away at once and will never appear before you ever again. Mr. Graham, you’re a man yourself. Please understand the heart of a father…”

Chapter 4

Once upon a time, I could have had a child with Mindy. However, she had an abortion behind my back because of her career prospects.

As such, I truly couldn’t sympathize with Henry.

At the end of the day, he was still a homewrecker.

“Sylvester… Yvette’s surgery is scheduled for next week,” Mindy said through gritted teeth, “but we need a huge sum of money for the surgery and post-surgery treatment…”

I looked up at her. “So?”

“We might have to put your research project on hold in order to carve out the money needed to treat Yvette.” Mindy avoided my gaze. “This is huge and a matter of life and death…”

I had worked hard for three grueling months for that research project.

My body was shaking with rage.

“Mindy, do you know what suspending that project means? It means that those few months of effort and the investment of tens of thousands of dollars would be in vain!”

“We can always earn the money back, but I can’t see my daughter die before me!” Mindy yelled.

“Enough!”

I felt faint, my chest feeling as though there was a huge stone crushing it. My blood was surging through my veins in agitation.

My old brain injury left behind from that car accident was suddenly triggered, more intense than ever and accompanied by severe dizziness.

I put my hands over my head as my body collapsed on the ground.

When I woke up, I found myself in a hospital. Mindy sat in a daze by the bedside, a piece of paper clenched in her hand.

When she saw me regaining consciousness, she stood up in a flash.

“Sylvester, you’re awake!” She leaned in closer and asked, “Do you feel unwell? Do you…do you still feel dizzy?”

I shook off her hand with a frown. “Mindy, what act are you putting on now?”

Mindy didn’t say anything and simply handed the report in her hands to me.

I took it and read it.

It was a brain and spinal MRI report.

I was stunned.

“Top neurosurgeons in the country have seen your report and scans.”

Mindy went on chokingly as tears welled up in her eyes.

“The doctor said that the blood clot in your brain has miraculously cleared. You only need to go through a minimally invasive surgery and the compressed nerve in your leg can be completely resolved. This is a miracle, Sylvester…”

She was so emotional she wanted to hug me, but she didn’t dare to.

“Dad would be elated to hear about this!”

The look of excitement on her face felt extremely ironic to me.

“Mindy, are you really that happy?” I looked coldly at her.

“Of course! Your leg can be completely healed now!”

“But I’m not.” I pressed down on my legs, which felt nothing, and said icily, “I’m not going for that surgery.”

I pointed to the door.

“Rather than treating my leg and pretending to be in a happy marriage with a woman whose heart is with another man and even has an illegitimate daughter, I’d rather remain handicapped or even die on the operating table.”

“No way!” Mindy yelled, her eyes bloodshot. “These are your own legs we’re talking about. Why should you give up on treatment? I won’t let you do that to yourself!”

“You won’t let me?” I chuckled. “Mindy, these legs are my own. I alone decide whether to treat them or give up on them.”

I sat up and looked piercingly at her.

“Take your pick. Either send Henry and that child overseas and never contact them or allow them to return, or just leave me be.”