Chapter 2

Chloe Sterling stood on the stage, her gaze chillingly indifferent, completely devoid of the affection she once held for me. She outright ignored me, intimately embracing and kissing Julian Hayes, who held the baby. It was as if *they* were the family of three who had lived together for five years.

I stood rooted to the spot, frozen. Watching this scene unfold, I suddenly wondered if those five years we’d spent together, day in and day out, had just been my own delusion. My hands, hanging at my sides, clenched into tight fists. I silently endured the various mocking stares raining down on me.

Noah tugged at my sleeve, his voice filled with guilt. “Brother, did I make Sister-in-law mad by showing up?”

I forced a smile onto my face, but before I could comfort him, a sudden force violently shoved Noah to the ground.

Then, a piercingly shrill voice shrieked, “You clumsy idiot! You’re blocking my fresh air! Get out of the way, now!”

I shielded my startled brother behind me, my face grim as I glared at the unfamiliar woman in front of me. After a moment, I recognized her. It was Julian Hayes’s sister, Brittany Hayes.

My expression clearly angered her, and her words grew even nastier. “Honestly, just like a country bumpkin, no class! Looking at you for one more second makes me sick!”

“Now get out of my sight! If you mess up my newly done nose, I swear I won’t go easy on you!”

Brittany grabbed a bowl of thick soup from a nearby table and flung it all over me. The hot liquid scalded my exposed skin, stinging painfully. The rage in my heart could no longer be suppressed. I grabbed Brittany’s arm as she tried to walk away, gritting my teeth. “Apologize to me right now!”

Brittany yanked her arm, annoyed, and when she couldn’t break free, she shrieked at the top of her lungs, “Help! Someone! These country people are trying to hit me!”

At her shouts, many of the Hayes family members surrounded Noah and me. Brittany pointed at my brother, completely self-righteous. “That little punk almost ruined my new nose! He made it so I couldn't breathe!”

Hearing that, the Hayes relatives didn't hesitate. They immediately dragged Noah out from behind me. They encircled him, mercilessly beating him. Someone even raised a wine bottle and smashed it hard against the back of Noah’s head.

Noah let out a weak, pained cry for help. “Brother, help me! Brother, please!”

Desperate, I grabbed a chair and swung it with all my might at the people attacking my brother. They finally stopped, begrudgingly, when they felt the pain. I quickly scooped up my brother, his face covered in blood. “Don’t worry, Noah, I’ll get you to the hospital right away!”

Just as I helped him up, Brittany blocked my path again, sneering. “What’s the rush? You haven’t apologized to me yet.”

I roared, “You better get out of my way right now! If anything happens to my brother, I swear I won’t let you off the hook!”

The moment the words left my mouth, the commotion finally drew Chloe Sterling over. She had been on the second floor, toasting to the important guests. She strode quickly towards me, her brows furrowed in displeasure, and completely disregarding my dignity, she yelled, “Lucas Reed, there are so many well-known businesspeople here today! Do you *have* to embarrass me today?!”

“The contract I was about to finalize, you’ve ruined it!” She publicly slapped me hard across the face.

My brother, whom I was supporting, tried to explain that none of this was my fault, but Brittany cut him off.

“Sister-in-law, his brother purposely tried to ruin my new nose! You need to do something about this!”

Watching Brittany playing the victim and accusing me first, my fury intensified. “Brittany Hayes, don’t you dare spew such lies! We didn’t even touch you! *You’re* the one who beat my brother like this!”

Chloe glanced at my brother, whose consciousness was already fading, but she still didn't believe a word I said. She forcibly pressed me. “Apologize to Brittany right now!”

I vehemently refused. “It’s not my fault. Why should I apologize to her? The one who truly needs to apologize is *her*!”

Seeing that I refused to back down, Chloe’s patience completely ran out. She screamed at me, “Lucas Reed, don’t you dare push it! If you don’t apologize, I’ll have someone kick you out of here!”

Noticing Chloe’s genuine anger, Julian Hayes, standing nearby, feigned kindness and tried to calm her down. “Chloe, don’t be mad. I’m sure there’s some misunderstanding.” He subtly signaled Brittany. “You should apologize to the Reed brothers.”

Brittany reluctantly mumbled, “I’m not apologizing to them. Sister-in-law agrees I didn’t do anything wrong.”

After she spoke, Julian put on a helpless expression. This act seemed to tug at Chloe’s heartstrings. She took Julian’s hand and yelled at me, “Lucas Reed, you’ve truly embarrassed me today! Get out of here right now!”

She saw me glance at the newborn baby and continued, “Someone with your character isn’t fit to be around my child. From now on, Julian will raise the baby.”

Seeing the cold indifference on Chloe’s face, my heart was completely shattered in that moment. Looking at my brother in my arms, who had been dragged into this because of me, a wave of guilt washed over me.

I coldly watched Chloe, who was now cuddling with another man. All the love I once felt for her vanished.

Chloe Sterling, from this moment on, you and I are nothing.