Chapter 1

After being married for five years, Holly found out that Cody, the son she'd raised for the past four years, was not hers. She had overheard the conversation between Tyler and the attending physician outside the doctor's office. "Your son's blood type is rare, Mr. Greyson. It's better to get his biological mother to the hospital as soon as you can." Anguished, Tyler rubbed his temples and replied, "Got it, I'll do something about it soon." Holly's head buzzed as her mind went black. Wasn't she Cody's biological mother? She remained a little longer outside the office, gradually piecing together the gist of what had happened through their conversation. It turned out that Tyler, the man who had sworn to love and cherish her, had long since cheated on her even before their marriage. He'd even swapped out her child. Holly couldn't understand why. They were childhood friends who grew up together. To marry Tyler, she even gave up on her career just to be his stay-at-home housewife. Back then, he was moved to tears and got down onto his knees. "You've sacrificed so much for me, Hols. I promise I'll never let you down!" Tyler's solemn vows still echoed in Holly's ears, but reality gave her a harsh wake-up call. She stumbled back to the ward in a daze. Her chest tightened painfully, as if something was strangling her. Holly dared not visit Cody anymore, for fear she wouldn't be able to control herself from bringing him to get a DNA test done. She was even more afraid she'd go mad and become a laughingstock. She turned around and ran out of the hospital. Holly's older brother, Nathan Steward, happened to be getting out of his car at the hospital entrance. Seeing her so flustered, he quickly grabbed her arm. "Where are you running off to in such a hurry, Hols? How's Cody? I'm here to visit him." The entire Steward family have been beside themselves with worry ever since Cody fell ill. Nathan had even declined attending an international conference and caught an overnight flight home. Holly's eyes were red with tears. "Help me find something out, Nathan," she said. "What is it?" Nathan asked. "Cody… he…" Holly looked up tearfully, her voice hoarse as she continued, "He might not be my son…" … "Where did you go, Hols? Cody woke up and is crying for you." Holly's tears landed on her phone screen as she read Tyler's message. Every year, he'd bring Cody to a week-long villa stay on the mountaintop, saying that it was for them to bond as father and son. Holly had never doubted a single thing for the past four years. But now, she felt like a complete fool. Tyler wasn't bonding with Cody—he was clearly bringing Cody to see his biological mother. Holly might've still been living in the dark if she hadn't overheard the conversation today. She scrolled through her phone frantically as their family photos flashed by. The sun was scorching hot outside, yet she felt the chill all over, her body shaking uncontrollably. Maybe Holly should've known all along that a man's promise meant nothing. It was a man's nature to be unfaithful. Besides, with Tyler's status, he had better choices all around him. He'd tossed her and her child aside, despite the fact that he'd once told her that he'd never let her down. Holly's heart felt as if it had been sliced open, making her curl from the pain involuntarily. They'd been in love for years. Everyone in their circle knew he was head over heels for her. When Holly was 14, she was harassed by thugs. Tyler took on more than a dozen of them by himself just to get revenge on them. He had ended up with broken bones all over his body and a swollen face, yet he still asked her if she felt better. When she was 18, she went out for a gathering with her classmates and forgot to reply to his messages. Frantic, he looked high and low for her all over Jyraine. He had burst into tears when he finally found her. When Holly was 22, Tyler asked his mother, Andrea Loui, for the Greysons' family heirloom. He had said, "Marry me, Hols. I promise I will never let you down." His gaze burned bright with devotion. She eventually agreed to his proposal. Holly got pregnant shortly after they were married. Tyler was overjoyed. He even took a long leave from the company just to take care of her during her pregnancy. However, everyone in the Greyson family opposed his action. His father, Derrick Greyson, even threatened to beat some sense into him for being blinded by a woman. Tyler got on his knees and begged in front of Derrick's study for the entire night, refusing to give in despite his bruised knees. He had said, "Hols is carrying my child. I have to take care of her myself!" Looking back now, it wasn't about taking care of Holly at all. He'd been afraid that if anything happened to her baby, he wouldn't be able to swap his illegitimate child back. A video call came in. The words "My Love" shown on the screen stung her eyes. Holly accepted the call, devoid of any expression. Tyler's face lit up on the screen as he asked, "Where are you, Hols? Why are you looking so pale?" In the past, whenever she had felt aggrieved, she'd tell him right away so that he could stand up for her. But now, she didn't want to see him at all. "Have you been crying, Hols? Where exactly are you? I'll go pick you up now!" Tyler shot up from his seat, looking anxious. "I'm fine. I'm just out to get some coffee." Holly wasn't in the mood for small talk. Tired, she gave a half-hearted reply. "I'll be back soon." Tyler let out a relieved sigh, yet his eyes drifted away from the screen. After a moment of silence, he said softly, "Hurry back soon, Cody is still waiting for you." Holly distractedly hummed a reply. Just before she ended the call, she caught sight of a woman on the screen. The woman walked past before sitting right down on Tyler's lap. She was stunned, but the video call ended abruptly before she could even respond. Holly remained frozen. She slowly lifted a fist and pounded it against her chest repeatedly, yet the pain within her still poured out uncontrollably. She couldn't believe that Tyler and that woman were actually in Cody's ward. Holly buried her head in her arms. She struggled to control the rage within her, but faint, broken sobs escaped her. She realized this was how despair felt like—a never-ending pain. She had tried to tell herself that maybe Tyler was the one being reluctantly pursued by that woman. But it was clear now that he was enjoying every bit of it. Nathan sensed something was off and rushed over even without taking their coffee order. He couldn't bear seeing just how anguished Holly was now. "Tyler isn't worth crying over, Hols." Tears streamed down from the corner of her eyes, soaking a large patch of her dress. Nathan's heart ached for Holly. Resigned, he patted her on the shoulders and said, "Don't worry. I'll definitely find your child for you. As for Tyler, he'll pay for what he's done. But what about you, Hols? Have you thought of what you're going to do next?" She nodded through her sobs. The moment she found out about Tyler's lies, she already knew what she was going to do.