Chapter 1

After 20 years of being childfree, my husband, Benson Locke, suddenly showed up with a seven-year-old child. After a thorough investigation, I discovered that the woman he had been keeping outside was pregnant again. Even my mother-in-law, who was supposed to be enjoying retirement at home, had moved into their house to take care of her during the pregnancy. When the truth came to light, I lost control and had a screaming match with Benson. The older relatives and peers around me all tried to persuade me. "Why let it come to this? You've been married for 20 years. Honestly, we can all understand what Benson did. He's a man, after all. Men need an heir, someone to carry on the family line. He's not a woman. Women drift through life like rootless weeds, with nothing to leave behind." With tears in my eyes, I looked at Benson, who hadn't said a word. He was in his early forties, but thanks to careful upkeep, his face was still as handsome as ever. "You can bring the child home. That's my greatest compromise," I said. Benson picked up his car keys and walked out. I thought that meant he accepted my terms, but just before stepping out the door, he took down the wedding photo hanging in the entryway. "Yara suffered through ten months of pregnancy for me. It wasn't easy. There's no way I can leave her out there alone." He looked at me without a trace of affection in his eyes. "If you can't accept her and the child, then starting today, I'll spend Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays over there… Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays will be with you." I clenched my hands tight, no longer holding on to any fantasy of reconciliation between us. "In that case, let's get a divorce." The entire room fell silent at my words. Even Benson froze halfway through closing the door. His face was full of disbelief. He pressed his lips together and looked at me, his expression complicated. "Yvonne… Stop being so dramatic." I wiped away my tears. My heart throbbed with pain. "I'm not being dramatic. Benson, let's get a divorce." His expression darkened, and his gaze carried a trace of reproach. "Yvonne, it's been 20 years. Why are you still this wilful? "Yara is ten years younger than you, yet she's gentle and understanding. She knows her position is awkward but never once complained about it. All she wants is to stay by my side and raise our child. She's done nothing wrong. "She gave me children, and now, you're asking me to take them away from her and throw her out? I can't do that. I won't be so heartless." He said it so casually, but it struck ripples deep in my heart. I closed my eyes. Twenty years ago, Benson and I fell in love. We were young and shared the same mindset. We both knew we weren't ready to take on the responsibilities of parenthood in our 20s. I was afraid of the pain, so Benson voluntarily underwent a vasectomy. Ever since, we always took precautions whenever we were intimate. Back then, our decision caused major discontent among both families. But Benson didn't care. Benson's father was so furious that he kicked us out, forcing Benson to start from scratch. We built a business together. Ten years ago, the pressure from both families to have children reached its peak. His mother even went so far as to hold a knife to her neck, forcing us to try for a baby. Of course, I was shaken. So, I asked him, "Do you really not want children? Even after seeing your mother like this, are you still sure? We could have a child." Benson held my hand, his gaze full of affection. "Yvonne, I don't want you to suffer through childbirth. And I don't want us to step into parenthood under this kind of pressure. Do you understand?"