Chapter 2Sunlight and Secrets in Maldives

Elena’s brow furrowed. After a moment, her voice came out, cold as ice.

“I don’t know you, sir. I pride myself on my composure, but I will not tolerate you spreading these malicious lies about my husband and my son. Our corporate legal team doesn't take these things lightly.”

Sophie’s face crumpled in disbelief. “Mom, what are you saying? You don’t recognize Dad and me?”

A fresh wave of derisive laughter swept through the crowd.

“Give it up, little girl. You’re really committed to the act, huh? You should drag your pathetic father out of here before Ms. Sterling decides to really crush you. You common folk have no idea the power you’re messing with.”

Even Sophie’s own classmates started chiming in, their faces twisted with disgust.

“Sophie, you’re so gross. You always act so prim and proper, but you’re just trash underneath.”

Sophie grabbed Elena’s sleeve, her voice pleading.

“Mom, what’s wrong with you? Why are you saying you don’t know us?! Say something! Defend us! Didn’t you hear the horrible things they’re saying about Dad?”

Elena yanked her arm away, shoving Sophie so hard she stumbled backward, a look of raw betrayal on her face.

At the same time, Adrian intertwined his fingers with Elena’s, shooting me a triumphant, provocative smirk.

In that instant, I understood. Adrian knew everything. I immediately pulled my daughter close.

“Sophie, if she won’t claim you, then from this day forward, you don’t have to claim her either.”

As the words left my mouth, Elena’s brow twitched almost imperceptibly. A moment later, my phone buzzed again.

“Ethan, I already explained. I’m just being Dylan’s mom for one day. Can’t you have a little compassion? If I acknowledge you now, how are Adrian and Dylan supposed to face everyone? How can Dylan even show his face at school again? None of this would have happened if you hadn’t thrown this tantrum. You deserve every insult you get. Now take Sophie and go home and think about what you’ve done.”

A humorless smile touched my lips. It seems she’s been sitting in the General Manager’s chair for so long, she’s forgotten who granted her that power in the first place.

Just then, a teacher, acting as a mediator, hurried over, announcing that the showcase’s main event, the family fun run, was about to begin.

As we walked toward the athletic field, Adrian brushed past me, a smug grin plastered on his face.

“A kept man like you was always going to get dumped. Only a man with ambition, a man like me, is worthy of a successful entrepreneur like Elena. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll take your little brat and disappear.”

I scoffed. A man with ambition?

HR had already sent me his file. Adrian was a nobody Elena had fast-tracked into his position. He barely understood the company’s most basic operations. It was clear he knew I was Elena’s husband, but he had no idea I was the one who truly controlled Apex.

My legal and HR teams messaged to confirm they had drafted her termination papers and our divorce agreement. They were on their way.

I wasn’t leaving. I was going to stay and tear the masks off their hypocritical faces in front of everyone.

I would get justice for myself and for my daughter.

Elena and Adrian were escorted to the VIP viewing platform, where school administrators and fawning parents swarmed them with compliments. Elena held her chin high, basking in the glory, every inch of her radiating smug satisfaction.

Meanwhile, Sophie stood at the starting line. She forced a small smile in my direction, and I gave her a thumbs-up.

Then, in a flash, everything changed. Dylan suddenly darted onto Sophie’s lane and stuck out his leg. My daughter, caught completely off guard, pitched forward, slamming hard onto the track.

I sprinted toward her. Her face was contorted in agony, beads of cold sweat dotting her forehead. Her knees were a bloody mess of scraped skin and gravel. A sharp pain lanced through my own chest.

But the perpetrator, Dylan, was laughing, a triumphant look on his face.

“That’ll teach you and your pathetic dad to mess with us! Let’s see you try that again!”

Rage exploded in my chest. I was about to land a fist on his face when Elena threw herself in front of me, shielding him and Adrian.

“That’s enough!” she snapped. “It was just kids playing around. Are you, a grown man, really going to make a scene over this?”

My chest heaved with fury. “Playing around? Are you blind? Look at her! She’s in serious pain! That was a deliberate attack!”

Adrian just chuckled languidly. He pulled a thick wad of cash from his wallet and scattered the bills over Sophie’s injured body, his eyes fixed on me.

“This is what you two have been after all along, isn’t it? Money. Take this as compensation for her little scrape. Now get lost.”

The onlookers erupted in laughter, their eyes filled with scorn as they sided with Elena and Adrian.

“See? That’s what happens when you cross the powerful. You just have to suck it up and take it.”

“They started it, trying to pick a fight with the Sterlings. They got what they deserved. Serves them right if her legs are broken!”

“Her husband already paid you off! Now scram!”

The school nurse was tending to Sophie. My daughter’s eyes, filled with tears, searched for Elena, pleading for help. But Elena turned her head away.

The light in Sophie’s eyes dimmed. She reached for my hand.

“Dad,” she whispered, her voice thick with pain. “You were right. As of today, I don’t have a mother anymore.”