After our three-year-old son accidentally kicked his stepmother—his father's so-called first love—while swimming, she shoved him underwater. With a chilling smile, she told everyone she was just practicing holding her breath.

The others on the poolside tensed, ready to dive in and save him, but she raised a hand to stop them.

I could only watch, frozen in horror, as my son flailed beneath the surface. His little arms grew weaker, his movements slower—until he barely moved at all.

I fell to my knees, begging her to let him out. "He’s only just learned to swim; he can’t hold his breath for long! He didn’t mean to touch Russell Craig. I’ll make him apologize and bow to Russell—please let him out now!"

But my wife only clung to her first love's shoulders, rubbing his arms tenderly, not even glancing at me.

"If you hadn’t spoiled him so much, how could he have kicked someone while swimming? I’m a swimming champion. I know how to teach my child. You just spoil him, always the loving father!"

Half an hour later, my son finally floated to the surface, and when I broke through the crowd to reach him, I saw his swollen, pale face. He had stopped breathing from drowning.

I rushed him to the hospital for emergency treatment, while my wife continued flirting with her first love, picking out a swimsuit for her next competition.

At the hospital entrance, I finally broke down in front of Kendra's father. "Lester’s gone. The five-year agreement is almost up. Please, let me go. I don’t want anything."

——

Kendra's father, full of shame, helped me to my feet, his voice trembling as he tried to comfort me.

"Lester inherited Kendra’s swimming talent. He’ll be fine. Don’t worry too much. He’ll pull through—"

Before he could finish, the emergency room lights went out, and the doctor came out, shaking his head in regret.

"I’m sorry. The child was brought in too late. He had no heartbeat by the time he arrived. We did everything we could."

"And during the rescue, we found something unusual. His stomach was full of water, and there were marks on his ankles. Are you sure he fell into the water by accident?"

I stared at the doctor in disbelief, unable to process his words. "What did you say?"

Images of Lester struggling underwater flashed before my eyes. I had thought he hadn’t come up because he was trying to follow his mother’s instructions, but I never considered that Kendra Glover had bound him to prevent him from escaping the water.

How desperate he must have been.

Kendra's father was furious, his voice full of rage. "A beast! She didn’t even spare her own child."

Just then, a messenger arrived with a fruit cake and said a lady named Glover had sent it.

"Dammit," Kendra's father muttered, glaring at the cake before smashing it to the floor. "She did this to her own son, and instead of coming here, she sends cake? She’s still playing around with that man. The one who forsakes his principles for money and still wants to be part of my family? What a dream!"

He pulled out his phone, ready to call her, but he called more than ten times, and she didn’t pick up. My phone rang instead, and I shakily answered.

Kendra’s voice came through, impatient. "Joseph Stout, did you go to my dad to complain about something minor? Do you think you can trick me with this act about Lester? Don’t be ridiculous."

"It was just a bit of holding his breath. He’s in the hospital, isn’t he? Didn’t your son say he was going to take over my championship? Let him continue practicing for me. Don’t make me lose face."

Her words hit me like a slap. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. She had no remorse for what she’d done to our son, and to her, his life was just a game to her.

"I’ve already had someone send his favorite fruit cake. What else do you want? Don’t use these underhanded tactics. I’m busy preparing for the next competition. Don’t disturb me!"

I glanced at the cake lying on the floor. It was filled with mango. Lester had been allergic to mangoes since he was a child. The irony of it all was that Kendra claimed it was his favorite flavor.

As the nurse wheeled Lester’s lifeless body out, Kendra's father, who had been cursing just moments ago, suddenly went silent. He choked on his sobs and trembled as he pulled back the white cloth covering Lester’s face, nearly collapsing to the ground.

"It’s my fault. I failed to raise my daughter right. But Joseph, despite the five-year agreement nearing its end, you and Kendra were happy together before Russell returned. The Glover family only recognizes you as a son-in-law. Can you give her another chance? I’ll make sure she breaks up with Russell!"

Five years ago, after my parents passed away, Kendra's father found me—just out of college—pleading for my help with Kendra’s recurring injury. The Glover family had supported me for those five years, and to repay their kindness, I reluctantly agreed to marry into the family. I cared for Kendra, encouraging her daily, and eventually, she returned to the swimming track. I believed that once we had Lester, the agreement would be over. But I never imagined it would end like this. Now, after everything, he still wants me to stay with the Glover family. Without thinking, I gently stroked Lester’s cold cheek and said, each word weighing heavily on me:

"We made a five-year agreement. Now that Kendra is back in competition, the favor between us has been repaid."

"Lester shouldn’t have been brought into this world. I was selfish, and I kept him. Now he’s gone, and so should I."

I stayed by Lester’s side through the night until all the formalities were finished, watching the funeral home take him away. When I returned to Glover's house to pack up his belongings, I was met with an unexpected sight. Clothes were scattered across the living room. I followed the sounds to the pool and saw Kendra in a revealing swimsuit, lying in Russell’s arms, tenderly stroking her stomach.

"You’re my only baby. Wait a little longer, and I’ll be able to bring you home openly," she whispered, her voice soft.

"Weiwei, he’s the only one. What about Lester? He kicked me on purpose today. If he knew you were pregnant, who knows what might have happened? Maybe we should just get rid of the child," Russell suggested, his voice cold.

Kendra gently placed her hand over his mouth but spoke words that cut deep.

"No, Lester’s been spoiled by his father. I don’t like him at all. If I could, I’d rather not have Lester as a son."

Her words felt like a knife in my chest. I clenched my fist so tightly that blood began to trickle from my palm.

After a while, they finally noticed me, but Kendra wasn’t the least bit embarrassed. She casually took Russell’s hand and walked toward me.

With a look of disdain, she addressed me. "So, you’ve finally decided to come back? Where did you spend the night? Out with your son, playing the father's role? You’ve got no backbone, and neither does he. The top beam is crooked, and so is the bottom one."

"I know what you did," she continued, sneering. "You went to my dad’s to cause trouble again, making him deny his grandson and threatening me to keep Russell out."

"If that’s the case, take your things and go back to the old house to be the good son-in-law. Here, I only have Russell as my husband. Where’s Lester? Call him out to apologize to Russell. Don’t think you can escape responsibility by pretending to be sick."

Her words were venomous, and her cruelty knew no bounds.

Looking at her ugly face, the image of Lester struggling in the water haunted me. I felt a burning desire to let her drown in the pool.

Just as I was about to lunge at her, I heard my child’s voice from yesterday’s swimming pool echoing in my mind:

"Dad, Mom is the best swimming champion. I want to be a champion like her."

"Also, don’t be sad, Dad. Mom promised me that when I win the championship, she’ll help me with something. Then, I’ll let her spend every day with you to make you happy."

I bit my lip, trying to suppress the furious building inside me. I turned to leave, but Kendra grabbed my arm.

"What’s this now? Can’t even apologize for your mistakes? You’re angry with me? If you hadn’t conspired with my dad to push Russell away, how would the title of Glover’s son-in-law have fallen on you? An orphan like you, looking to get rich overnight by marrying into a family!"

"You’ve got your eyes on another richer woman, right? Trying to use your sob story to gain sympathy? It’s embarrassing for Lester to have a father like you!"

I stayed silent, resisting the urge to respond. But before I could, Kendra’s anger boiled over. She grabbed my wrist and forcefully threw me toward the edge of the pool.

With a splash, I hit the water.

"Just training the child. If you don’t accept it, I’ll train you too. Stop acting so noble!"

"My dad drank your potion and can’t see who you really are. Only I know you’re a gold-digging ‘Phoenix man.’ If you hadn’t stolen Russell’s credit and lied about the miracle doctor treating me because of you, I would never have married you!"

"I made him wait for me for five years. I won’t let him and his child wait any longer. Lester inherited your inferior genes and isn’t worthy of being my heir!"

I struggled in the water, my mind racing. The fear of being pulled under by the floodwaters from my childhood came rushing back. The more I fought, the weaker I became, until I almost gave up entirely.

"Lester, don’t be afraid, Dad is here for you," I whispered to myself, even as I felt myself sinking deeper.

The moment before I hit the bottom of the pool, Kendra finally jumped in and pulled me out. Her anger is was still evident, but there was worry in her eyes now.

"Joseph, stop pretending. Wake up," she said, her voice sharp.

I slowly opened my eyes under her gentle slaps, and for the first time, I couldn’t hold it in. I slapped her hard across the face.

"Joseph, you’re sick! How dare you hit me? This is how you treat your wife?"

I sneered, cold fury in my voice.

"Have you forgotten that I can’t swim at all?"

"And didn’t you want Lester to apologize to Russell? Fine, let him go down to the underground to find him."

"Lester is dead!"

At these words, Kendra’s face froze for a moment, her expression turning to disgust and contempt. She yanked her hand away and let me fall to the ground.

Standing over me, she looked down with a sneer.

"Joseph, you’re more cruel than I thought. You cursed your own child to die."

"You’re just afraid that if Russell’s child is born, I won’t train Lester anymore, and it’ll mess with your interests. So, you hid him with my father."

"I won’t let you succeed."

With that, she wiped her hands on her clothes, as though touching me had been a disgusting act.

"If it weren’t for you, my child with Russell would be five years old by now. Joseph, you stole his credit and his place. Now I’m just letting things return to their proper state, and that’s already being polite to you."