Chapter 177

Ethan Blackwood's eyes stayed locked on Clara Walton, sharp and unflinching. "I'm not gonna say it a third time, Clara," he said, voice low and cold as ice, no trace of humor anywhere. His grip on her arm tightened noticeably. Clara didn’t budge. Her stance made it obvious—she wasn’t backing down. Ethan could feel it. He wasn't blind. That mocking smirk in his eyes deepened, turning colder by the second. And then there was Nathaniel Griffith, refusing to move even half a step from Clara’s side—fully shielding her. It was clear: if Ethan tried anything, Nathaniel wouldn’t just stand there. The tension between the two men ratcheted up fast, like all the air around them had turned razor sharp, and no one dared breathe. Then, breaking the silence, Ethan finally spoke. "So this is about him?" he asked, nodding at Nathaniel. Clara frowned, lips parting slightly, ready to answer. But Ethan didn’t give her the chance. "Whose kid is it, really?" His voice dripped with accusation. Clara stared a