Chapter 459
Finnian staggered back, the trench coat slipping from his grasp and hitting the floor. A sharp line of crimson trickled from his split lip.
Quentin and Chad froze in absolute shock before lunging forward to intervene.
“Julian, what the hell are you doing?!” Quentin roared, grabbing his arm. “Are you blackout drunk? You’re swinging at your own friend!”
Julian violently wrenched his arm free.
Chad threw himself between them, staring at Julian’s contorted, rage–filled face. “Let’s use our words! We’re all friends here. There’s no need to throw punches.”
Julian shoved Chad aside and grabbed Finnian by the collar of his pristine shirt. “Why don’t you tell them? Go ahead, tell them what a great guy you are!”
Finnian stared blankly at Julian for a second. Then, with controlled force, he peeled Julian’s hands off his shirt. He grabbed a napkin and casually dabbed the blood from his mouth, refusing to retaliate physically. His voice, however, was lethally calm. “Julian, you’re drunk.”
“I’m drunk?” Julian let out a dark, ugly laugh. “Finnian, you aren’t even divorced from Kaia yet, and you’ve already knocked up Noelle? Are you even human?”
The room went dead silent.
Quentin stared in disbelief. Chad’s eyes went wide as saucers as both
men turned to look at Finnian.
Finnian’s jaw tightened as he surveyed the three of them.
“Who told you that?” His voice was dangerously low, practically vibrating with menace.
Chapter 450
Julian took the question as a confession. “Does it matter who said it? What matters is, did you do it or not?”
Finnian held his gaze for two–long seconds. “No. The child is not mine.”
Julian’s furious expression faltered. “Not yours? You think I’m just going to believe you because you deny it?”
Finnian frowned. “I’m telling you the truth. The child is my brother’s.”
Julian froze, staring at him. Suddenly, he burst into derisive laughter. “Your brother’s? You’re actually trying to sell me that lie? God, you’re a hypocrite.”
Finnian’s face flushed with a mix of anger and humiliation. He hadn’t expected the news of Noelle’s pregnancy to spread, let alone for everyone to instantly assume he was the father. What gave them that idea?
“You pushed me to pursue her!” Julian yelled. “I chased her! I thought I finally had a shot. And what happens? She ends up pregnant with your kid, and you tell me to back off because we’re ‘better as friends‘! You’re a piece of work, Finnian.”
Finnian stood up straighter, his tone hardening. “Julian, I admit I didn’t handle the situation with you perfectly. If you’re angry about that, fine. But you have no right to question the paternity of that child. It was from the IVF procedure she and Rafael did in Canada three years ago.”
Finnian assumed the unvarnished truth would finally put the issue to rest.
Instead, he looked at his three closest friends and saw only deep, unmistakable skepticism. They looked at him as if he were spinning a desperate lie.
*Crash.*
Julian snatched a whiskey glass off the table and hurled it at the floor. It shattered instantly, shards of glass gleaming viciously in the dim light.
Chapter 459
“If you did it, why don’t you just man up and admit it? We’ve known each other for twenty years. We treat you like a brother, and you’re playing us for fools!”
Finnian felt the blood drain from his face. He never imagined that proving his innocence would be this impossible.
“I’m not playing anyone for a fool. I told you the truth. The fact that you don’t believe me… honestly, that’s what’s insulting.”
Quentin stepped forward, raising his hands. “Hold on. Stop yelling. Finnian, are you absolutely sure? The baby isn’t yours?”
“Of course it’s not mine! What is wrong with you guys?” Finnian demanded, his frustration boiling over. “Why would you even think that? She was my sister–in–law, and now she’s like a sister to me. How could there ever be anything between us?”
Chad blinked, his gears slowly turning before he spoke up. “Wait, Finnian… does this mean you and Dr. Chavez aren’t getting divorced? If you and Noelle are just siblings, then there’s no reason to divorce over this, right?”
Finnian went completely rigid. His mind flatlined. He snapped his gaze to Chad. “How do you know Kaia and I are divorcing because of Noelle?”
Chad gave a helpless shrug. “Because that’s what everyone assumes. We’ve all seen how protective and devoted you are to her. If that’s not love, what is? Siblings don’t act that attached to each other.”
Chapter 460

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