I didn't want to trouble Todd, so I had him drop me off at a hotel to check in. I had no idea how long I lay there before I finally drifted into a hazy sleep sometime before dawn.

The next day, around noon, a barrage of urgent knocking jolted me awake.

The moment I opened the door, a crowd surged in.

"Matt, why did you file for divorce right after your wife gave birth?"

"There are rumors that you couldn't stay faithful during the marriage and have a mistress. Is that true?"

"Your wife, Victoria, just gave birth to your child, yet you're being so heartless. Do you feel any guilt toward her?"

Camera flashes exploded in front of my eyes. Recording devices and microphones were shoved inches from my face. They held up their phones, livestreaming, filming—each one of them filled with righteous anger, as if they hated me.

The commotion quickly drew even more onlookers. Once they learned what had happened, the crowd's gaze toward me turned openly disgusted.

A female reporter forced her way to the front, her tone sharp as she demanded, "Matt, sources say your wife was already sleeping separately from you during her pregnancy. Does that mean your marriage had long been fractured? And choosing to file for divorce on the very day she gave birth—was this premeditated?"

Another male reporter followed up immediately, "A nurse has revealed that not only did you refuse to hold your child in the delivery room, but you also pressured your wife to sign divorce papers in front of both families. How do you explain that?"

Only then did I realize that everything I had done yesterday had been recorded by a nurse and posted online. Overnight, it had ignited a storm of condemnation. In just a few hours, I had become a villain despised across the internet.

Facing countless cameras, I spoke calmly, "I have nothing to explain."

My answer instantly sparked outrage.

"Damn—if I hadn't seen it myself, I wouldn't believe a man like this exists, asking for divorce on the day his wife gives birth."

"What's there to guess? He must have another woman. A cheating scumbag and a mistress—perfect match."

"Divorce? I feel sorry for his wife. If the child grows up knowing he has a father like this, it'll be nothing but shame."

As the flood of insults drowned me out, my parents arrived—supporting Victoria between them.

The aftereffects of childbirth had yet to fade. Her face was deathly pale, her entire body frail to the point that it seemed she might collapse at any moment.

My parents helped her over to me. The moment she saw me, she asked anxiously, "Honey, are you okay?"

Her voice was so soft it seemed she barely had the strength to speak. Even so, she still worried about me.

Looking into her eyes, filled with concern and affection, I shook my head without saying a word.

Seeing this, my father spoke sternly, "Matt, your mother and I thought about this all night. We can't understand why you're suddenly treating Victoria like this. You're our son. I refuse to believe you're this kind of person. So we wondered if you'd misunderstood something. Last night, we rushed a paternity test. The child Victoria gave birth to is indeed your biological son. How could you still ask for a divorce?"

As he spoke, my father threw the paternity report in front of me.

I bent down and picked it up.

My mother continued, her voice full of urgency, "Matt, Victoria saw the livestream of you being attacked online. She was worried something might happen to you, so she rushed over without a second thought. Even her parents couldn't stop her.

"She's thinking of you every moment—you can't hurt her like this. Be good. Apologize to her. Admit your mistake."

But despite my parents' heartfelt pleas, I remained unmoved.

In front of everyone, I tore the paternity report into pieces.

At the sight of what I'd done, my father trembled with rage. Without hesitation, he struck me hard across the face.

"Matt! How long are you going to keep being this stubborn? Do you have any idea how much Victoria has suffered for you? Are you blind and heartless? The paternity test is right in front of you, and you're still determined to destroy this family?"

The slap cracked loudly through the air—he hadn't held back at all.

Pain exploded across my cheek, the skin already flushing red and bruised.

The crowd erupted into an uproar. Some pointed at me and cursed, calling me heartless. Others spoke into their phones, lamenting, "What's wrong with men these days? How can they be this cruel?"

The redness in Victoria's eyes finally overflowed into tears. As she looked at me, the last trace of hope in her gaze slowly faded.

I pressed a hand to my burning cheek. My voice wasn't loud, but it rang out with unmistakable clarity. "See you in court."

Her shoulders trembled violently. Tears streamed down her face as she asked hoarsely, "Matt… are you really leaving no room for anything?"

I didn't look at her. I only faced the crowd surging toward me and said coldly, "Move."

My parents tried to grab me, but I shook them off. Pointing toward the door, I said, "All of you—get out. You're not welcome here."

For the next five days, I turned off my phone and stayed alone in the hotel.

Only on the day of the hearing did I arrive at the courthouse, walking in at the last possible moment.

Victoria sat at the plaintiff's table, her face still pale. Justin sat close beside her, glaring at me with open hostility.

Both sets of parents sat in the gallery—mine sighing heavily, hers staring at me with undisguised fury.

The moment I sat down, my mother leaned in and whispered urgently, "Matt, hurry and apologize to Victoria. Ask for her forgiveness. Your father asked around—given your situation, you'll lose everything in the divorce!"

Justin suddenly stood up and pointed at me. "Matt, stop being so stubborn! Victoria said that as long as you apologize, she can pretend none of this ever happened. Are you really going to walk away from this family with nothing?"

Victoria's father slammed the table. "You ungrateful bastard! It's not too late to beg for forgiveness now. Otherwise, I'll make sure you don't even have a place to live!"

I leaned back in my chair, expression calm, my fingers tapping lightly against the table. I didn't say a single word.

The judge struck the gavel and looked at me sternly.

"Defendant Matt Deegan, the plaintiff, Victoria Parker, accuses you of maliciously filing for divorce after her childbirth and engaging in emotional neglect. Based on the evidence presented, you bear clear fault in this marriage. According to the law, if you have no new evidence, the court will rule that you leave the marriage with nothing."

Everyone present already knew what I had done. Hearing this, they were filled with righteous anger—some looked as though they wished the sentence were even harsher.

The judge frowned slightly at my silence, clearly dissatisfied with my attitude.

Just as the gavel was about to fall and seal the verdict, my lawyer suddenly stood up.

"Your Honor, the defense has new evidence to submit."