Men? No Kidding

Chapter 7

Susan instinctively glanced at Daniel.

A tipsy guest staggered over to Robert, grinning ear to ear. "Congrats, Mr. Bennett! Double the celebration today—your birthday and a new granddaughter!" he slurred.

The room fell so silent you could hear a pin drop. Thomas quickly stood, throwing an arm over the man's shoulder. "Mr. Smith, you've had a bit too much to drink."

Chloe pushed her chair back and headed towards the restroom. As she rose, Daniel followed suit. He shot Susan a frosty glance. "There's no room for you at the main table. Take the baby to the lounge."

Madison opened her mouth to say something but stopped when she saw Daniel's icy expression. Reluctantly, she held her tongue.

Cradling the baby, Susan followed the attendant toward the lounge.

As she shifted the child in her arms, a bracelet slipped into view on her wrist. Chloe recognized it instantly—it was the one Daniel had bought for two million dollars at an auction.

Chloe's steps faltered, and Daniel immediately reached out to steady her. "Chloe, are you okay?"

Chloe brushed his hand off, her voice cutting. "Don't touch me."

Daniel froze, his hand still mid-air.

The banquet dragged on until after nine in the evening. Daniel had clearly had too much to drink, his steps unsteady as he walked. It was Thomas who eventually helped him into the car.

Chloe returned home with her parents.

As soon as they walked in, Robert slammed a cup to the ground. The sound of it shattering echoed through the living room. "The Murphy family is crossing the line!"

he roared.

Elizabeth tried to calm him. "Let it go. Sooner or later, people will find out about the child."

"Parading a granddaughter around like this—what are they trying to prove? Rub it in everyone's faces that Chloe can't have children?" Thomas snapped, his face flushed with anger.

Robert turned to Chloe, his disappointment palpable. "You can't keep your husband in check, and now you can't even manage a child?"

Chloe stiffened, her hands clenched at her sides.

Elizabeth quickly intervened. "Chloe, your father didn't mean it like that—"

"I'm going back to the Murphy family," Chloe said, cutting her off.

Robert's face darkened. "Where are you going at this hour?"

"To deal with this," Chloe replied without turning around.

The moment she stepped outside, Chloe felt all the strength drain out of her. She sat in her car, gripping the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white.

She thought back to the bracelet on Susan's wrist, her earlier suspicions now feeling like cold, hard truths. With a deep breath, she started the car.

As she pulled into the Murphy villa, her emotions were finally beginning to settle. The living room was dim, lit only by a wall lamp. She climbed the stairs, the silence in the house amplifying every creak of the floorboards.

Then she heard it—a man's heavy breathing coming from the bedroom.

Her heart sank, her legs feeling like lead. But she forced herself to take one step, then another, toward the source of the sound.

"Daniel, slower… oh, please…" Susan's voice was soft, coy, and sickeningly sweet, laced with a giggle.

Chloe's hands shook as she pushed the bedroom door open.

The scene in front of her hit like a freight train. On the bed they had shared so many intimate moments on, Daniel was stark n***d, thrusting over Susan's equally bare body.

For a moment, Chloe couldn't move. Her stomach churned violently, and she barely made it to the hallway before she began dry heaving.

The sound of her retching made Daniel turn. When his gaze landed on Chloe standing in the doorway, his foggy mind snapped to clarity. His face turned ashen.

Panicking, he grabbed at the sheets to cover himself, but his movements were clumsy and frantic. Susan, her cheeks flushed, reached for him, whining, "Daniel…"

Daniel shoved her off, hurriedly pulling on his clothes as he stumbled toward Chloe. "Chloe!"

Chloe instinctively stepped back, holding up her hand to stop him. "Don't come near me!"

Susan appeared in the doorway, now wrapped in a silk robe. She stayed behind Daniel, but her eyes gleamed with triumph, betraying her smug satisfaction.

"Chloe, listen to me! I was drunk—I didn't know what I was doing!" Daniel stammered, his voice thick with desperation.

Chloe's voice trembled, barely above a whisper. "I just need to know one thing."

"Anything! Ask me anything!" Daniel pleaded.

Chloe took a shaky breath, forcing herself to meet his eyes. "Is she the woman you've been seeing? Is she… your daughter's real mother?"