Chloe Reed’s eyes flew wide as she began to struggle with all her might. Her breathing was ragged, her eyes growing redder as tears shimmered on the verge of falling.

"You bastard!"

Walker Grant’s breathing grew heavier, his long, slender eyes watching her darkly. "Do you even know the whole story?"

"What do you mean?"

Walker Grant stood up and yanked her to her feet, his voice turning colder. "Iris Yates was reckless enough to bully someone first. What’s wrong with me teaching her a lesson?"

Chloe Reed froze. "Who did she bully?"

Walker Grant’s Adam’s apple bobbed. A few seconds passed before he said, "My sister-in-law."

’It was for Sunny Reed again!’

Chloe Reed’s hands clenched into tight fists. A self-mocking laugh escaped her. "She couldn’t have bullied Sunny Reed. I told her how protective you are of Sunny. How could she possibly have the guts to go against you?"

Her face was pale, the corners of her eyes tinged with red. She looked so fragile, as if a gust of wind might shatter her. Gazing at Walker Grant’s handsome face, her voice softened. "So, do you understand now? She wouldn’t dare."

A sharp pang spread through Walker Grant’s chest. He took her hand. "Chloe, don’t look at me like that."

Chloe Reed’s eyes stung fiercely. Her initial anger had given way to sorrow and grief. She looked at him as if he were a complete stranger. "Then how should I look at you? Walker Grant, you’ve done so much to defend her, you’ve even started targeting Iris. How do you expect me to see you?"

Walker Grant’s sharp brows furrowed tightly, and a muscle in his jaw twitched. He pulled out his phone and made a call. "Bring Iris Yates here."

Chloe Reed panicked. "What are you doing? I told you, she wouldn’t dare!"

Walker Grant’s voice was low and gravelly. "It’s better to ask her directly and find out if she did it."

Then, he also had someone summon Sunny Reed.

Sunny Reed arrived holding Noah Grant, and the little boy instinctively shrank back when he saw Chloe Reed.

Walker Grant frowned. "Why did you bring him here?"

Sunny Reed said, "He’s a little sleepy, so I thought I’d hold him for a bit."

"Take him back." Walker Grant’s tone grew colder. "He’s three years old. He can’t always be clinging to you."

In that moment, he looked like a strict father.

As Chloe Reed watched him, a dense ache spread through her heart again.

’If he hadn’t had a vasectomy, they could have had children too. Would he teach his own child like this?’

’But there were no what-ifs.’

’He’d had a vasectomy, and here he was, raising his older brother’s child.’

Chloe Reed closed her eyes, forcing down the surging wave of bitterness and pain.

When Sunny Reed returned after taking Noah Grant back to his room, she asked, "Is something wrong?"

But neither of them paid her any mind.

Sunny Reed said no more, quietly taking a seat.

Iris Yates was brought in moments later.

She violently shook off the bodyguards. "Get your damn hands off me!"

The moment she saw Chloe Reed, she ran over. "Chloe, what are you doing here?"

Then, she turned and glared at Walker Grant. "If you have a problem, take it up with me! Don’t you dare give Chloe a hard time!"

"What a touching display of sisterly affection," Walker Grant said, his voice cold. "Are you still refusing to apologize to my sister-in-law?"

"Apologize, my ass!" Iris Yates cursed. "What the hell did I do to her? That shameless bitch steals everything from my Chloe. Even looking at her makes me feel dirty!"

At that, Sunny Reed stood up in disbelief. "Walker, what have you done? Didn’t I tell you I was fine? If you hurt Miss Yates, my sister will only be more heartbroken."