Epilogue 1
Adrian
It feels strange to be back here again, in the very place I swore I would never return to, standing across from the one woman I was certain I’d never see again.
More than two years have passed since we last faced each other, back when we hid behind lies and deception for the fleeting rush of something forbidden—an affair that burned hot and fast, ending almost as abruptly as it began.
The park is exactly as I remembered it—barren, hushed, complicit in its silence. A forgotten corner of the city where men like me would hide and indulge in our deepest, darkest desires, while trampling all over our vows in the same breath, as though the words meant absolutely nothing at all.
This was the park where I first slept with Lucia, and where we continued to meet time and time again for a quick fuck in the back seat of my car until the bitch decided to get herself pregnant and ruin everything.
She swore the baby wasn’t mine, that it was Kaden’s, and I believed her every word.
When she wanted to end the affair to focus on her family, I let her walk away without a fight.
I wasn’t about to drop to my knees and beg for something that had never been real to begin with.
What we had wasn’t love; it wasn’t even close.
It was convenience. Mutual hunger. We took what we wanted from each other and called it enough.
So who was I to stand in her way when she chose to leave?
At the end of the day, Lucia was like every other whore I fucked over the years— replaceable, forgettable—and nothing special.
There has only ever been one woman who truly held my interest—the only one who found her way past my defences and into my heart, and stayed there. She still owns a part of me. And perhaps, she always will, even if she never wants anything to do with me anymore.
I wish I could have been the man she needed, the man she deserved.
But early on in our marriage, I realised I wasn’t built for commitment or loyalty—that monogamy was never going to be my strength.
There’s a part of me, a dark side, an addictive side, that craves sex too intensely, and that’s not something I can ever change.
Unless my next partner is open to an unconventional arrangement, I can’t see myself ever being capable of a serious, long-term relationship again.
“You wanted to do this in person… well, here we are. So let’s just get this over with. What do the results say?” I ask, my voice cold and sharp as I lean against my car, arms crossed over my chest.
Lucia stands rigid across from me, clutching a few folded sheets of paper in her hand.
The way she bites at the skin of her cracked lip, drawing a thin line of blood, shows just how nervous and anxious she is.
She looks thinner and paler than I remember, her hair cut short to her neck, and the dark circles under her eyes tells me she hasn’t slept properly in a long time.
She doesn’t unfold the document or even glance at its contents as she reads the words aloud. She already knows the results—she’s just making sure I do too.
“It confirms what I’ve always known. You’re her biological father, Adrian. Arianna is your daughter,” Lucia declares, reaching out to hand me the test results. “See for yourself.”
I gaze down at it, and let out a slow, irritated sigh.
If she’s expecting surprise, excitement, or even warmth in my expression, she won’t find it.
Because even if the results prove I’m the father of her child, it doesn’t change a single damn thing between us.
I still don’t want anything to do with her—and certainly not with her child.
If I couldn’t even stay in my own son’s life, what makes her think I’d step up for hers?
When she emailed me eight months ago, demanding a DNA test, I simply laughed and ignored it, just like I do with every other batshit-crazy woman who tries to stir up unnecessary drama.
But to my surprise, she didn’t stop. Day after day, another email landed in my inbox, each one repeating the same relentless demand without fail.
Eventually, I gave in—partly to shut her up, and partly in the hope that I wasn’t the father, so we could finally put this whole mess to bed once and for all.
I completed the sample collection kit she’d mailed to me. There was no fucking way I was going to have her do it for me. Seven business days later, Lucia received the results in her inbox, because, truthfully, I didn’t care to have them sent to mine.
And now here we are, back at the same place that was once our secret meeting spot, where our reckless affair both began and ended.
I take the results from her, unfolding it and letting my eyes skim over the words without really reading.
Honestly, I just don’t have it in me to care.
When my gaze locks with Lucia’s again, I flash her my most arrogant smirk and slowly tear the sheets of paper into pieces and let it flutter to the ground in front of her, making it clear exactly what I think of the results.
She gasps. “What the hell are you doing, Adrian?”
“What I should’ve done when you first told me about the baby.”
“You can tear that the results to shreds, but it’s not going to change the outcome. You’re still the father, and I think it’s time you start taking responsibility.”
A cold, venomous laugh slips from my lips, and she instantly flinches. She hasn’t the faintest clue who she’s standing in front of—the kind of man I truly am.
But she will after today.
“Oh, Lucia. You really are delusional. What makes you think I want anything to do with that child?”
The only child I will ever call my own is Zac. He is the only one I’d do anything for, even if that means keeping my distance for a while.
He may hate me right now, but I know he will come around. I know, one day, he’ll want me back in his life. And until he tells me otherwise, I will wait for that day to come.
Lucia’s stunned expression is almost laughable. What did she think I’d do with this information—step up and co-parent? Start paying child support? Act like we’re some happy family? Yeah, right. She’s fooling herself if she believes that’ll ever happen.
The only place I want her in my life is beneath me, lying on her back while I fuck her senseless—if she’s willing to go there again. Beyond that, there’s no way I’ll ever be present for her or her child.
“You’d really be that cold, and heartless, to abandon your own flesh and blood?”
“Listen, Lucia, I never wanted that baby. You chose to keep it. You chose to lie and pretend it was someone else’s. You don’t get to make demands of me. You wanted this baby, you raise her yourself. I want nothing to do with her.”
She lets out a sharp, bitter scoff and shakes her head. “You really are the worst of them all.”
“Hey, I never claimed to be a gentleman. In fact, I never promised you anything. I told you from the start—you were never going to be more than a temporary fling. There’s only one woman on this earth I’d bend over backwards for, and that woman is the mother of my son.”
“And how’s that ex-wife of yours doing, by the way?” she asks, a mocking grin playing on her lips. “Still wants nothing to do with you?”
I chuckle. “I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to her in a while. But if I had to guess, she’s probably at home, playing happy families with Kaden—who, by the way, just so happens to be in love with her.”
The cocky smirk on her face vanishes instantly, replaced by pure shock—and something that looks a lot like hurt.
“What did you say?” she whispers, her voice snagging.
“Oh, that’s right—you didn’t know. Well, I’m happy to fill you in. About a year and a half ago, your ex-lover reached out to my ex-wife, completely throwing me under the bus and spilling all the details about our torrid affair. She left me because of him.”
“She left because you cheated on her, arsehole!” she retorts.
I wave a hand dismissively at her. “That’s beside the point. If he hadn’t ratted me out, Hope and I would still be together. End of story,” I snap, still simmering with anger and resentment over what Kaden did.
“Anyway, where was I? Oh, right—more than a year later, they coincidentally ran into each other again. Since then, Kaden’s been slowly worming his way into my ex-wife and son’s life, playing some surrogate father and husband when I’m not around.
I have to give it to the guy, he’s certainly putting in the effort—helping with the house renovation, my son’s school projects…
hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s already moved in with them.
And the worst part? My ex-wife actually believes he’s the better choice, when you and I both know he’s no better than I am. ”
“Well, if she’s looking for someone who can actually step up and be a responsible father, then she definitely made the right choice there,” she quips.
“Oh, fuck off, Lucia. You don’t know shit.
It’s funny how you’re so focused on me as a parent, when we should really talk about you as a mother.
Does the child even know what kind of woman you are?
Does she know how much of a homewrecking whore her mother is?
How you’ve made it your life’s mission to destroy as many marriages as possible, like it’s some twisted game?
Does she know that her mother will always be the mistress, the side piece, the dirty little secret… never the wife?”
I barely get the last words out when she suddenly lunges at me, swinging and clawing while screaming how much she hates me. She lands a few punches on my chest and jaw before I catch her wrists and spin her around, pressing her back against my chest, my arms locking around her like a cage.
“Calm the fuck down, Lucia.”
She wriggles violently against me, trying to drive her heel into my shin. “Let go of me, you fucking bastard!” she screams.
“Gladly,” I spit, shoving her forward and away from me. She stumbles, nearly falling, but catches herself just in time.
“You come at me like that again, I swear, I will ruin you,” I warn her.
“You’re a disgusting pig. I don’t know what I ever saw in you. I fucking hate you!” she yells, fists clenched tight, her face radiating pure fury.
“Feeling’s mutual, baby,” I quip, slipping my keys from my pocket. I’ve had enough for one day. This girl clearly has some issues, and I’m not sticking around for her to do something reckless and dangerous.
“Now, if that’s all, Lucia, I’m gonna be on my way. I’ve got better things to do than standing around and wasting time here with you.”
I turn and unlock my car, and just before I reach for the door handle, I glance over my shoulder at her one last time. “Do me a favour and never contact me again. I’ve given you my final answer, I want nothing to do with you or that child. Do what you want with her, and have a good life.”
With that, I pull open the driver’s side door without a second glance, relief flooding through me at the thought that after this, I’ll never have to see her again.
I barely get one foot inside the car when I’m suddenly yanked backwards by the collar of my shirt, the force nearly choking me as it bites into my throat. The next thing I know, the keys slip from my hand, clattering to the ground, as I hit the pavement hard with a heavy thud.
“What the fuck, Lucia?” I yell, staring up at her with shocked, wide eyes.
She hesitates for a moment, as if it’s only just dawned on her what she’s done. But she quickly regains her composure, leans down to grab my keys, and hops into the driver’s seat, instantly locking me out of my car.
I spring to my feet and rush to her side, pounding on the window with my fist.
“Unlock the door, Lucia! Unlock the fucking door!” I shout.
She sits frozen, her gaze fixed on the windshield, hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. I keep banging on the window, but it’s as if she can’t see or hear me.
“Open the door, or I swear I’ll shatter this fucking glass!”
That’s all it takes for her to finally look at me.
Her eyes are wide, but distant, and I’m not even sure she’s in control of her own body.
When she shifts the car into reverse, I quickly grab the door handle—but she slams on the accelerator, and the car lurches backwards, nearly knocking me off my feet.
She takes off, the wheels skidding against the gravel pavement as rocks and pebbles fly towards me. Just before she reaches the carpark exit, she slams on the brakes, the tires screeching so loudly it makes my ears ring.
Without hesitation, I sprint towards my car, not giving her even a second to speed off. And when I’m just a few feet away, I hear the sharp click of the doors unlocking. I push harder, my legs pumping faster than they ever have, until I reach the backseat door, fling it open, and jump inside.
“What the hell are you doing? Are you fucking insane?!”
She’s still staring straight ahead, but her chest rises and falls in quick, jagged bursts.
“I suggest you put your seatbelt on,” she warns, and before I can react, her foot slams the accelerator to the floor. The tires scream beneath us as I’m slammed back into my seat.
She tears down the road at high speed, and for once, I feel truly scared for my life.
She swerves dangerously in and out of the lane, and my body is tossed around the backseat like a ragdoll.
Fear and panic surge through me as I lunge forward to grab the wheel, but she grips it just as tightly, refusing to let go.
In the next minute, it turns into a full-blown battle for control of the wheel. Our hands wrestle with each other, our screams echoing as the car swerves wildly. Before we can even process what’s coming, the blare of a truck’s horn jerks our heads towards the road ahead.
Instinctively, I yank the wheel to the left, Lucia’s foot still pressing hard on the accelerator.
And as the car plows into the bushes, my entire life flashes before my eyes: the first day I met Hope in high school, the moment I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me, our wedding day in the South Coast, Zac’s traumatising birth, the night of his third birthday when I started my first affair. ..the day my wife and son left me.
It all plays in rapid succession, one memory bleeding into the next.
And just as reality crashes back in, I see it. The massive, solid tree barrelling towards us—growing larger by the second. There’s no time to think. No time to pray. No time to take every mistake back.
Just the deafening, violent collision.
And then—
Nothing.