Chapter 1

Everyone said that Clifford Jones loved Tessa Turner like she was his whole world. He spent ten years chasing her and spoiling her. Just the sight of her frowning was enough to break his heart. And yet, this same man betrayed her not once, but three times. The first time, he was drugged by a rival at a business banquet and ended up spending the night with a college student named Tania Evans. The day Tessa asked for a divorce, he rushed to send Tania abroad that very night. Then, he stood in the rain outside Tessa's place for three days and three nights. He said, "Tess, I was wrong. Please, forgive me just this once." Tessa looked at his pale face and caved. The second time, she ran into him at the hospital, where he was accompanying Tania for a prenatal checkup. With tears in his eyes, he explained, "Tess, I was overseas two weeks ago on a business trip and got into a car accident. Tania pulled me out of the wreck, risking an explosion. She saved my life. "Later, we found out that she was pregnant. My grandma threatened to kill herself if I didn't keep the baby." He held Tessa tightly in his arms and shakily said, "Please don't leave me. I swear that I'll send her away after she gives birth. The kid will be sent to the Jones residence, and neither of them will ever appear before you again." Tessa believed him. The third time, he went head-to-head with her over the keepsake of her mother, Emerlyn Greene, at an auction. That sapphire necklace was Emerlyn's favorite piece of jewelry and the only thing she'd left behind for Tessa. However, Clifford kept raising his bid more and more aggressively. Ultimately, he even went all in, outbidding everyone just to give the necklace to Tania. Tessa stormed into the private room to confront him, but he only rubbed his temples in exhaustion. "Tania has been struggling with prenatal depression. She saw the necklace and really wanted it. Tess, just let her have it, okay?" At that moment, she suddenly laughed as tears streamed down her face. "What if I don't?" He frowned before saying, "Tess, stop making a scene. Tania's about to give birth. Once the baby's born, everything will go back to the way it was." She stared at him, her heart splitting open like it had been hacked with an axe. "Back to the way it was?" What was it like before? When he only had eyes for her? When he'd drive three hours through a storm just to get her a slice of strawberry cake? Did he even remember? "Mr. Jones…" Tania's voice came from behind them. She was leaning against the wall while holding her belly, her face pale. "I sprained my ankle, and it really hurts…" His shoulder slammed hard into Tessa, sending her stumbling backward. Her lower back hit the edge of the table with a sickening thud, and the sharp pain made her break into a cold sweat. "Clifford!" she called out in a trembling voice. But he didn't even look back. He walked away with Tania in his arms, his retreating figure fading from view. Tessa stood there, laughing through her tears. She thought, "A life debt, and now a child. Clifford, you're never getting rid of her. So, how could we ever go back to the way things were?" She then forced herself up, wiped the blood from her forehead, and got into her car. The driver tentatively asked, "Mrs. Jones, are we going back to the villa?" "No." She closed her eyes. "Take me to the law office." Two hours later, Tessa walked into the hospital with signed divorce papers in hand. Outside the VIP suite on the top floor, the bodyguards looked awkward and lowered their heads when they saw her. She stood at the end of the hallway, watching as Clifford remained glued to Tania's side. He'd booked the entire hospital floor for her, with doctors and nurses on call around the clock. The moment she frowned, he would flinch and grow anxious, as though the sky were about to fall. "I want that tiramisu from the dessert shop on Westside Street," Tania said sweetly. Without hesitation, Clifford grabbed his keys. "Wait here. I'll be right back." Tessa stood in the shadows with her heart aching like it had been ripped open. After he left, she finally pushed open the door to the ward. Tania's eyes turned teary the moment she saw her. "Ms. Turner, are you here to call me out? I'm sorry. I didn't mean for things to turn out like this. I just really liked that necklace…" Her voice trembled with just the right amount of emotion. "Mr. Jones may have taken it from you and given it to me, but he only did it so I could deliver the baby safely. He's been taking care of me, but I know he's still thinking about you." "It's just the two of us here," Tessa said coldly. "So, drop the act. Back then, Clifford gave you five million dollars to leave, but you still showed up, carrying a child. I know exactly what it is you're after." Tania immediately stopped crying. "I'm done playing this game," Tessa said, handing her the divorce papers. "If I give this to him myself, he won't sign it. You figure out a way to get him to sign it without knowing what it is." Tania bit her lip. "You've got it all wrong. I never wanted to come between you two—" "You only have one chance," Tessa cut her off. "You'd better think about it carefully." Tania stared at the document for a long time. Finally, she reached out a hand and took it. "Thank you for making room for our family of three, Ms. Turner." Family of three. Tessa felt like someone had driven a blunt knife straight into her chest, leaving her breathless. "I wish you... and your little family a lifetime of happiness." Back at the villa, Tessa pulled out a storage box and began packing up everything that reminded her of Clifford. They'd grown up together and shared countless memories. The first thing she put in the box was a photo album. The first page held a picture of them at five years old. He wore a small suit while standing stiffly next to her. But upon a closer look, one could see that he was secretly holding onto the hem of her dress. His mother, Sapphire Bowen, once said that he'd refused to take any solo photos that day and insisted on having her by his side. That was the first time he showed his possessiveness for Tessa. The next item she had kept was a button from his high school uniform. On graduation day, while the girls were all scrambling to collect the boys' buttons, Tessa stayed in her seat, not joining in. But after school, she found Clifford's button quietly placed on her desk, along with a note that read, "You can only take mine." Back then, he'd already learned to use his status to keep the other boys away from her. After the button, she put away an engagement ring. The day Tessa turned 18, Clifford proposed to her using the massive screen of a CBD skyscraper. As rose petals rained down from a helicopter, that diamond ring gleamed in his hand. He slid it onto her finger and looked at her with all the love in the world. He said, "Tess, from now on, I'm all yours." … Tessa had once thought that she and Clifford would grow old together if it weren't for Tania. She let out a bitter laugh, tossed everything into the box, and dumped it all in the trash. The next morning, she was woken by a commotion downstairs. When she stepped out, she saw the housekeepers moving in luxury items, one bag at a time. There were Hermès bags, Cartier jewelry, and Chanel couture… Tania stood in the middle of the room and shook her head weakly. "Mr. Jones, this is too much. I never asked for any of this…" Clifford looked at her tenderly. "Be good, and just take them. A happy mood means an easy delivery." As soon as he said that, he spotted Tessa and was briefly stunned before saying quickly, "Tess, I'm sorry. I only bought gifts for Tania this time. Tell me what you want. I'll get it for you next time." Before she could respond, Tania stepped in, her smile gentle. "Mr. Jones, I've already prepared something for her. It's what she's been wanting for a long time." She walked over and handed Tessa a folder. Tessa opened it and saw a divorce agreement that had already been signed. Clifford's signature was bold and dramatic, just like the handwriting in the love letters he used to send her years ago.