Coming back from the army, the guy kicked out his unfaithful wife and their illegitimate child. And getting rid of her things, he was dumbfounded by such a find…

So, how do you like being a dad? Johnny even grinned widely. But he didn’t get it yet.

He’s so cute and tiny. I’m afraid to hold him. Pete didn’t hide his smirk.

Well, yeah, all little ones are cute. Both yours and others’. Johnny got alert.

He poured another round. They drank. And what, you’ll put him under your last name?

Pete smirked again. Johnny couldn’t take it. He grabbed his friend by the collar.

Stop beating around the bush, Pete. If you’ve got something to say, say it. Don’t spread rumors like some eavesdropping granny.

Pete barely freed himself. And he snorted offendedly. Then he started telling Johnny.

How Annie fooled around while he was in the service. How she came home at dawn. Either tipsy or happy.

Everyone knows about it. He said, moving closer to the exit. And if you’re a fool, raise someone else’s kid.

Johnny even jumped up. He slammed his fist on the table. Who did she fool around with? Tell me.

But Pete was already gone. He’d vanished into the gathering dusk long ago. And Johnny, in anger, downed a whole glass of whiskey.

His legs wouldn’t carry him home. They had moved into that house right after the wedding. It had come to Johnny from his parents.

They didn’t live to see their grandson. They perished in a forest fire before his service. And Annie was an orphan raised by her aunt’s family.

In the neighboring town. She was so happy to have her own family and her own home now. Johnny drank till morning.

And when dawn broke, and the town folks drove their cows to pasture, the man stood up swaying and dashed to the shed. There, in a chest, he kept his shotgun. So with the shotgun at the ready, Granny Nora saw him heading back to the house.

The top gossip in town. And soon after, onlookers started pouring into the street. Johnny burst into the house and pointed the barrel at his sleeping wife.

Get up, I said! Annie opened her eyes but wasn’t scared at all. She stood up, shielding the crib with the sleeping son from the drunk.

John, go to bed, you’re barely standing. But he just smirked evilly. Get dressed! And take your bastard with you!

The woman’s brows shot up in indignation. Bastard? You mean your own son? Johnny went berserk…