Chapter 1
In the fifth year of my marriage, the impoverished student my billionaire husband had been secretly supporting suddenly confronted me, publicly announcing that she was six months pregnant-and was carrying my husband’s child.
Ryan cried as he had the trending news removed, then knelt his way from the company headquarters all the way back to our villa, begging for my forgiveness.
“Therese, I was drunk. Someone deliberately set me up. I didn’t mean for it to happen. I’ll force her to get an abortion-please, don’t leave me!”
His eyes were red as he dragged her to the hospital.
Unable to let go of ten years of love, I chose to forgive him.
Three years later, Ryan went abroad on a business trip and was caught in a sudden riot. I rushed there overnight to find him-only to see him through the hail of bullets, tightly shielding Daisy and their twin boy and girl in his arms.
Their third child was due any day.
On the private jet back to California, Ryan held her hand and knelt before me, eyes full of desperation.
“Therese, I know you can’t have children, but the Parker family needs an heir!”
“I promise-the three kids will only ever recognize you as their mother. As for Daisy, think of her as a live-in nanny. Free of charge.”
“As long as you don’t make things hard for her, I swear she’ll never threaten your position.”
I gave him a small smile, then turned away and tore up the pregnancy report I’d been hiding in my bag.
Watching them walk away together, arm in arm, I dialed a number with trembling fingers.
“You owe me a life. Now it’s time to repay that debt.”
It was already deep into the night by the time we walked out of the airport.
Ryan glanced at me with a complicated expression, then carefully helped Daisy and the children to a far corner, as if I were some kind of monster.
As he passed by, he still couldn’t resist warning me, his tone was wary, “Therese, Daisy suffered a lot overseas these past few years. Could you not give her a hard time?”
“As long as you treat her and the kids well, you’ll always be the Madam of the Parker family.”
I lowered my gaze, holding back the tears threatening to fall.
I wanted to tell him I no longer wanted that title.
I didn’t want him, or this family, anymore.
But before I could speak, Daisy let out a soft, calculated whimper. At that instant, Ryan
brushed right past me without even a glance, hurrying to the car.
He had always been calm and composed.
Even back then-when I was eight months pregnant and nearly bled to death trying to save him-he hadn’t looked as panicked as he did now.
Watching his back fade into the distance, I laughed through my tears.
Ten years of love, now twisting through my chest like a blade.
The shrapnel wound on my leg from rushing to find him throbbed with every step, sharp enough to make me gasp.
I clenched my fists and limped toward the taxi waiting at the curb.
But behind me Daisy’s timid voice sounded.
“Therese… if you can’t stand the sight of me, you can do whatever you want to me. But please don’t be mad at Mr. Parker anymore.”
“He said… aside from not being able to have children, you’re perfect. He can’t bear to lose you. But he has a responsibility for me and the kids. After all, I’m the only one who can carry on the Parker family bloodline.”
Just a few sentences-and every word pierced through my heart.
stopped, slowly turned, and looked at her coldly.
“Three years ago, you came to me. You begged me for money so you could leave for good. You promised you’d disappear. But instead, you kept seducing Ryan over and over again.” “And now he’s brought you back. Everything you ever wanted is yours. So why are you still putting on this pathetic act in front of me?”
I couldn’t even be bothered to look at her again. With a cold laugh, I opened the car door.
But just then, Daisy yanked the two children down, and they knelt before me.
When I remained unmoved, she suddenly shoved the children’s heads to the ground, making them bow hard.
With tears streaming down her face, she began kowtowing over and over.
I froze.
The children were crying so hard they could barely breathe.
Just as I was about to reach out to pull them into my arms…
