For the Greater Good

Early the next morning, my phone kept ringing nonstop. A flood of WhatsApp messages poured in. I tapped on them, and my blood instantly froze.

Phillip had posted a photo on his social media. In the photo, he had a bruised face and a swollen nose, but he was smiling proudly with his big hand on Fiona's belly.

The caption read: [Last night, I talked to Timothy, and the live-in son-in-law finally got it through his head. He's willing to let his wife have a baby with another man. How magnanimous!]

The comment section was instantly in an uproar.

[Gosh! Really?]

[Timothy's letting his wife have a baby with another man?]

[How pathetic!]

[A live-in son-in-law is really different. He even lent out his wife!]

[Hahaha! Lending out his woman to save the whole family? I'm dying of laughter!]

My hands began to tremble.

The phone rang again. This time, it was a notification from the family's group chat. Phillip had sent the same thing.

The messages from relatives came one after another.

[Has Timothy lost his mind? Letting his wife have a baby with another man?]

[He's embarrassing the Silton family!]

[What's the point of keeping a guy like him around? How shameless!]

[Knowing Phillip's rich, he made his wife go and have a child with him. How could he even think of that!]

The phone rang, and it was my mother. Her voice was trembling with tears. "Timothy! What's going on? All our relatives are calling us, and the neighbors are gathered at the door to watch us."

"Mom, I didn't—"

"You didn't? The photos are out! You let Fiona have another man's child? Are you even a man?" My father's angry voice came through.

"Dad, it's not what you think—"

"Kenneth. Kenneth!" My mother suddenly broke down and shouted.

There was a series of banging sounds on the phone and then a busy signal. My heart pounded, and I immediately dialed back. I finally got through, but it was my neighbor, Mary Wilson, on the other end of the line.

"Mrs. Wilson, what happened to my parents?"

"Timothy, your dad couldn't catch his breath and had a heart attack! Your mom fainted too. You need to hurry to the hospital!"

My head went blank, and I almost lost my balance.

Just then, Fiona walked over with a huge smile. She grabbed my hand excitedly. "Timothy! Great news! I just got back from the hospital, and the doctor said I'm having twins!"

Twins? I pondered as I stared at her blankly.

"Do you know what that means?" Her eyes gleamed with excitement. "One child can take your last name and call you 'Dad'! The other will take Phillip's last name and call him 'Dad'! That way, both families will have someone to carry on the bloodline! And you'll have a child too!"

She squeezed my hand tighter. "Timothy, I'm giving you a child. Are you happy?"

I felt like my heart had been stabbed. I looked at her coldly. "Fiona, do you know my parents had a heart attack and are being sent to the hospital?"

"What?" She paused before asking with concern, "How could this happen? Is it serious?"

"It's because of those photos Phillip posted!" My voice grew colder. "The whole world knows my wife is going to have another man's children!"

"Timothy, how could you say that to me?" Her eyes reddened. "I already said one child would have your surname. How could you do this to me?"

"Listen to what you're saying! Those children are yours and Phillip's! What do they have to do with me?" I exploded in fury.

"But... But the other one is definitely ours! We're a legally married couple, so nominally, you're the child's father!" She sobbed, feeling wronged.

A nominal father? She actually thought she was doing me a favor?

My phone rang again. It was the hospital.

"Mr. Silton, your parents are in critical condition. Please come immediately!"

I gripped the phone, feeling my heart sink. "Get out of my way!"

"Timothy, you can't do this to me!" She blocked my path, her tone hardening.

"If you love me, you should understand me and give me your blessing! Don't forget your parents are still in the ICU. If you continue being difficult, I'll consider having the hospital terminate their lives on behalf of Geller Group!"

My eyes were icy as I walked out the door without looking back. I took out my phone and dialed a number. Ten minutes later, a military SUV pulled up in front of me.